Farmers on both sides of the border have put to bed a horror 12 months of drought, bushfires and COVID and are bullish about the future of their industry.
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The latest Rabobank rural confidence survey released this week reveals exceptional seasonal conditions and high commodity prices are behind one of the best rural sentiment readings in 20 years.
Twelve months ago much of southern NSW was still in drought before bushfires hit the Upper Murray last summer.
Despite drought-breaking rains, coronavirus then emerged.
But even though trade relations with China remain a source of concern, confidence is up in all sectors including those in the predominant areas locally, mixed beef and sheep producers and grain growers.
In NSW, rural sentiment has soared to levels not seen since March 2008 and leads the way nationally with 57 per cent of farmers surveyed in the state having a positive outlook on farm business conditions in the coming year.
Just 3 per cent of NSW farmers reported having a pessimistic view.
In Victoria, concerns about COVID-19 have almost been washed away due to regular spring rainfall during coupled with high commodity prices.
Culcairn's Nigel Scheetz said the survey results reflected the outlook locally.
"It's a mixed farming area and every commodity that is produced between the rivers at least is pretty buoyant," he said.
"We're seeing great yields with the grain and the prices haven't fallen away for beef, sheep and cropping.
"It's a pretty exciting time as long as it is sustainable by averaging out.
"La Nina hasn't really turned up yet which has been good from a harvest point of view."
"Commodity prices right across the board are pretty good and low interest rates are also another big factor," he said.
"Local farmers are very active if something comes up next door.
"Most of the buyer activity is from locals and the other good thing is the younger generation are keen to come home now.
"Ten years ago there wasn't really the incentive for that to happen."
One third of all farmers surveyed intend to invest more in their businesses in the next 12 months with NSW again the most buoyant with 43 per cent planning to spend more.
Rabobank Australia chief executive Peter Knoblanche said the rural property market "hadn't ceased to amaze".
