Working to lock up a farm on the main road. When that's finished moving on to a fence between a swampy area and cane cultivation. Cattle need to be contained. Difficult terrain. The farmer explains the access tracks were solid before the cyclone and then the flood dumped several hundred millimetres of river silt everywhere and turned the tracks into mud baths. The silt is not going to be good for ongoing cultivation.
The 4x4 does OK until the land slopes, then its slip sliding down the slope and "where is that tractor"?
The viability of the cane is uncertain as the mill in Mossman may not open again. The value of a cane crop depends on the cost associated with harvest and transport. But if there is no mill in Mossman the transport cost escalate sharply. It's not looking good for the district if the mill closes. Lots of jobs will be lost. On this farm the cane may not be harvested, just ploughed back in and the cultivation converted for cattle.
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| Hot, humid and wet |
