For farmers, reconciling drought and climate change in the middle of what is recognised as one of the worst droughts Victoria has ever faced, has been like trying to get past the break at a surf beach at high tide. The impact of different political agendas, government policy and environmental challenges has been tremendous. This presentation explores some of the dynamics farming families face contending with drought and its transformation from exceptional to climate change and 'normal' but dry.

It also draws on the author's experience as the Drought Recovery Officer for the Greater Shepparton City Council for three years between January 2007 and December 2009. It is also a reflection of her experience as a farmer's wife who watched her husband make the decision to leave the family farm of three generations and then watch his parents sell and move away completely.

The case study though, primarily draws on the fictitional family created by the members of the Greater Shepparton City Council drought meeting to help with understanding how farmers coped through the drought.