Families in the Coonamble and Brewarrina districts are still isolated by floodwaters and the temporary lakes around their homes have allowed them a break from hard yakka.

Farmers and graziers with cattle were “excited” about the green grass that will “explode”, but spared some sympathy for sheep producers who have lost hundreds and even thousands of their flock in the flood.

Coonamble farmer Neil Kennedy yesterday estimated it would be two or three more days before he can leave his property located where the Castlereagh River spreads out seven kilometres wide.

The flood which has been “right up there” with the biggest in his 53 years on the property would have “enormous advantages”.

Cattle managed fairly well in wet weather and his small number of sheep had been moved close to the house, he said.

Mr Kennedy and his wife have been flooded in since Christmas Day and what does a farmer do at such times?

“I’m glad you asked,” Mr Kennedy said.

“This has been the best and quietest two weeks of my life.

“I’ve watched television, read books I received for Christmas and I’ve had plenty of food left over from Christmas to eat.”

Even so Mr Kennedy is “ready for work - and just as well” because he’ll have fences to mend and farming to do to take advantage of the wet.

Brewarrina district graziers have also enjoyed the

drenching but the past two weeks have not been a life

of leisure for them.

Robert and Suzanne Wason had 100 sheep caught in “mud and slosh” and with the help of the State Emergency Service, moved them to the drier “claypan

country”.

Other neighbours had 600 sheep stuck and needed the excellent help of the SES even more, Mrs Wason said.

The family was still isolated by floodwater, but with “old local knowledge” Mrs Wason was not too fazed.

As well as saving animals there was plenty of gardening to do and bookwork that had been put off, she said.