Rain caused $100k of slip damage on Lawrence farm

Lawrence sheep and beef farmer Dave Robertson surveys one of the many slips that occurred on his farm because of heavy rain last November. Photo / Yvonne O'Hara

Heavy rain on already saturated soils caused up to $100,000 of damage to Dave and Karen Robertson's steep hill country farm near Lawrence in November.

Mr and Mrs Robertson have 1000ha of both flat and steep hill country, and run 6000 ewes and 150 cattle.

''We had five inches [127mm] of rain at once at the end of November and the ground was already saturated before it started,'' Robertson said.

''The ground was overloaded. It was unbelievable.''

Dozens of slips moving thousands of tonnes of soil and scrub caused damage to some of the farm's roads, as well as blocking creeks, filling ditches and gullies and damaging or flattening about 20 fences, including three boundary fences.

''We had slips across the road and we couldn't get to the wool shed.''

He lost a few stock and some trees were also lost.

Some of the rescued sheep were ''stuck like glue'' in the mud.

Lawrence sheep and beef farmers Dave and Karen Lawrence had dozens of slips on their property in November, which caused significant damage. Photo / Yvonne O'Hara

He said they had similar heavy rain on their steep paddocks in 2017 but then there were only two or three slips and three fences damaged at that time.

''The rain in November caused about 10 times the damage,'' he said.

''It is the first time I have seen it that bad. It will be a year before we can get on top of it.''

Some of his neighbours were also affected, while others were not.

The percentage of lost grazing was not a big issue.

Robertson said he estimated the total cost of the damage would be between $50,000 and $100,000, which included hiring a digger to clear the slips, replacing or repairing fencing and employing another farm worker to help out while he spent more time repairing the damage.

Some areas were difficult or impossible to get a digger into.

His insurance did not cover that kind of damage, he said.

''I've had to wear it,'' he said. ''It's a natural occurrence.''

While he was not prone to depression, he could see why other farmers might be affected by such events, he said.

A third-generation farmer, Robertson also convenes Farmarama for the local Lions Club and the couple have a farm supplies shop in Lawrence.