Rain is vital for farmers’ livelihoods, but it is also important for family wellbeing, and a once-in-a-generation deluge has given rural kids their first chance to dip their toes into some puddles in paddocks.
Large parts of South Australia experienced 48 hours of heavy rainfall last weekend, with daily total records tumbling for various towns across the state.
For drought-affected areas such as the Riverland, the rain was a welcome change.
Keely Pampling’s daughter was born in 2025, which was one of the driest years for the Riverland region. (Supplied: Keely Pampling)
Flower farmer Keely Pampling said it was the first time her children had experienced such heavy rain.
“It was such a sight to see and our kiddies absolutely loved it,” she said.
“I don’t think we have even had big puddles since they’ve been born.”
Roads were flooded across parts of the Riverland during the downpour. (Supplied: Keely Pampling)
The Loveday farmer received 117 millimetres of rain within 24 hours, which she said created beautiful childhood memories.
“We are super grateful and relieved after the hot and dry weather we have had in recent years,” Ms Pampling said.
“It was such an epic amount of water, which I have never seen in the Riverland before.”
Patrick and Flyn soaked up all the muddy goodness. (Supplied: Megan Lister )
Across the other side of the state, 16-year-old Patrick Gill and his brother Flyn, 14, found creative ways to celebrate the 152mm of rain that fell at their Wudinna property.
Patrick and Flyn made a makeshift race car to drag around in the water. (Supplied: Megan Lister)
Flyn and Patrick’s mum, Megan Lister, said it was the first time in 18 years she had seen so much rain, which came just in time for calving season.
“We start calving at the end of April, and we’re 1772653689 hopefully going to have beautiful green feed for the cows to start calving into, which I don’t know when I last experienced that, to be honest,” she said.
Ms Lister said even at a young age both sons knew the importance of rain and the impact it would have on their family.
The Gill boys hope to take over the family farm when they grow up. (Supplied: Megan Lister)
“They definitely know how important it is for them and their futures and, as a parent, it’s exciting to see that they can get excited about something like this too,” she said.
Rain fill tanks but not bank accounts
Clinical psychologist Kate Gunn founded the online farmer mental health resource ifarmwell.
She noted parents tended to “underestimate” how much children absorbed when living through periods of drought.
“I think as a rule, we probably underestimate how much the kids are picking up on [at home],” Dr Gunn said.
“A lot of parents do their best to shield their kids from worries, but they’re probably smarter than we realise.”
Kate Gunn says important weather events bring families closer together. (Supplied: Kate Gunn)
Dr Gunn said it was important to stop and celebrate the small wins, no matter how small, in times of pressure.
“Taking the time to stop and enjoy these positive moments brings families closer together and also signals to kids that there is hope and that there can be excitement about the year ahead,” she said.
While the rain has brought some reprieve to households and properties, Dr Gunn recognised that it did not immediately fill bank accounts.
“Farmers are still preparing for the next season, and things like commodity prices and input costs are, of course, still on their mind,” she said.
“While it’s a nice sort of short-term distraction and it’s certainly giving people hope, it hasn’t washed all those worries away.”
Megan Allen is a 2026 Heywire winner from Wudinna. (ABC News: Brooke Neindorf)
On the school playground, 17-year-old Heywire winner Megan Allen said parent welfare and the rain were hot topics at school.
“We [were all talking about how] we reckon we received the last few years’ annual rainfall in two days,” she said.
“There wouldn’t be too many students at Wudinna Area School who have seen rain like this before.
“My little cousin was very excited about it … we had a huge puddle out the front of my grandparents’ house and he went out and was knee deep and said, ‘Is there going to be fish in here?'”
Megan Allen says the rain event was a first for her and many of her school friends. (Supplied: Megan Allen)
Hope for the next generation
From quad bike races in the mud to first-time puddle jumps, the rain has given the young farming generation fond memories to look back on and a passion to keep their family legacy going.
Ms Lister said Flyn was already preparing to be in the paddock with his dad this season.
Patrick and Flynn made the most of the 48 hours of rain. (Supplied: Megan Lister)
“He wants to be the farmer and take the farm over and he’s ecstatic about getting to crop this year and doing all the farm stuff,” she said.
“[He] knows when things are wrong and things are struggling, he sees skinny cows or sheep, but then it’s nice to see that turn around with that bit of rain and see him smiling”.