Much of Victoria has benefitted from what the Bureau of Meteorology says is " good soaking rain", coming from a system linked to former Severe Tropical Cyclone Ilsa.
Farmers across the state are calling rainfall this year's autumn break, with one saying it's the best he's had in years.
Bureau of Meteorologist senior forecaster Michael Efron said the highest falls on the weekend were to the east of Melbourne and in the north-east of Victoria.
"The highest was at Bunyip River, 109 millimetres, Mount Hotham, 72mm and Dohertys (in the upper part of the Goulburn River), 63mm," Mr Efron said.
In the west, Ultima recorded 21mm, Swan Hill and Mildura both had 20mm, Walpeup 19mm and in the Wimmera, Ben Nevis saw 28mm of rain.
Other good falls were at St Arnaud, 22mm, and Wycheproof 20mm.
"It was a really good soaking rain for any crops that have been sown, or are about to be sown," Mr Efron said.
"The rain started in the west, very early on Saturday morning, then moved slowly east, so that's why we saw those totals building throughout the weekend.
"That system was associated with the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Ilsa."
He said a cold front linked with the moisture and cloud band from Ilsa, before moving south through Australia.
Mr Efron said it wasn't uncommon for cyclones to develop at this time of year although Ilsa was particularly strong.
"It was the strongest we had seen for some time, at least a decade or so," he said.
He said while it would remain settled for a few days, the south-west would see some showers late on Tuesday, with a cold front passing through.
"On Wednesday, that cold front moves through the rest of Victoria - so we will see some showers near and south of the Divide."
David Drage, Lah, said while the area only received 11mm on Saturday that was on top of 20mm for the previous 10 days.
"It's nice and wet - I haven't done anything to do with cropping yet, because it's not Anzac Day yet," Mr Drage said.
"But it's getting close."
He said he would start with the canola, moving onto wheat, barley and field peas.
"I am an autumn lamber and there is enough green pick now for them to be hardly touching the grain, in the grain feeders," he said.
"It's a very safe, simple lambing."
Unofficially, the property had the wettest spring on record ' - but then it just completely stopped raining, it completely shut off mid-November.
"We will have good subsoil moisture at depth and 30mm over the last 10 days has given us good moisture down to the seedbed.
"I am assuming the two will join up very shortly, if they haven't already.
"So it will be cropping with confidence."
He said he was always reluctant to make a call on whether or not it was the autumn break.
"I am not really sure if it's the frontal weather that usually gives us a seasonal break - it's been the tail end of other events that have occurred.
"But that may just be irrelevant."
Pyalong bullock fattener John Dynan said he bought a lot of cattle late last year, because of the heavy rain in winter and spring.
"I had far more young cattle, on stock, than usual," Mr Dynan said.
"I was worried because of all the Weather Bureau predictions were negative or in between, sitting on the fence and saying it could be dry.
"So I was nervous."
He said 40mm of rain in March and 60mm in April had dispelled his concerns.
"The response has been first class - at the neighbours, the phalaris has kicked in beautifully and it is very pleasing," he said.
Mr Dynan said he still had "a conservative view" on the weather for the remainder of the year.
"I am still aiming to carry no more than average, which is 220 head," he said.
"If I get to that I would be a bit surprised," he said.
He was currently running 149 head and would remain on that number until June or July.
"What we've got here seems like the beginnings of a very good break in the north-central area," he said.
Dairy farmer Matt Glennen, Dixie and Boorcan, said 28mm of rain fell on the weekend.
That was a follow up to 30mm and 45mm at either property, in the last week.
"Everything is looking good - we have had five autumn breaks in a row now and this is probably the best one," Mr Glennen.
"We are probably pretty right for rain until September now."
He said he was calving at the moment "and we are getting six or seven kilograms of grass in cows a day at the moment.
"In the next couple of weeks, we will have 8-10kg of grass in them - to have that by May races is pretty uncommon."
He is currently milking 370 head but that would increase to 750 by June.
Cows were still getting grain but the grass growth was offsetting a paucity of fodder.
"We'll have plenty of covers, into winter," he said.
"Most people are pretty short on fodder, definitely quality fodder, especially because of the wet spring - if we get some good grass into cows that reduces our reliance on fodder and that's a good thing.
"We can't complain - I hope, like every winter, it doesn't get too wet.
"But we would certainly take a break like this, and a wet winter, than no rain until May and have no grass until spring."
Mark Hall, a Wedderburn mixed farmer, said 19 -24 mm fell across the region on Saturday.
"The previous week we had anywhere from 13-20mm, it depended on where you were," he said.
"Yes, very much so, it's a good break, everything is coming very green, very quickly."
He said it would be good for early sowing and germination of weeds, to get a good kill, and provide feed for lambing sheep.
"The last two or three years have seen good early breaks, at the end of March or start of April. You couldn't order it any better, really," he said.
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
