Our beef farmers are coming off a year which saw record prices, our canola farmers are seeing great oil content in their crops and a bumper cereal harvest is being delivered to receival sites across the region.

For our hard-hit dairy farmers, too, there are signs of a brighter year ahead.

International prices are improving, Murray Goulburn has found a new general manager and the government appears to be finally understanding the realities of life on the land thanks to a series of face-to-face roundtable meetings.

Just 12 months ago our waterways were off limits because of extensive blue green algae blooms that stretched along much of the Murray River downstream from Hume dam to the South Australian border.

That was a devastating financial blow to the region’s tourism and hospitality sector.

The algae warnings were not lifted until May in some parts – corresponding with the onset of persistent rain which made for a wet winter and triggered another environmental setback for batting business operators.

By October the Murray system was in flood.

The Melbourne Cup “long-weekend” at the start of November usually sees river banks filled with campers but this year sites around places such as Tocumwal were filled with water.

Now the water has moved on and the campsites have dried out. 

Lake Hume is sitting above 90 per cent.

The Murray is mighty once more.

Recently compiled travel data from an international online accommodation booking website suggests nearly half of Australians will spend Christmas holidays in our metropolitan cities, with Sydney and Melbourne topping the list of destinations.

Interestingly, the same study showed Albury was the only top 10 destination for travel outside metropolitan cities that was not on the coast – ranking seventh most popular regional destination.

Popular beachside spots Noosa Heads and Bryon Bay were not among the top 10.

Those figures suggest it is not only locals who know how wonderful the Murray and North East region is and we encourage visitors to come and enjoy the beauty on our doorstep.

For those who cancelled Murray trips last summer – our fresh water awaits.