In October only 17mm of rain was recorded at Mr Hanrahan's Warrenheip property.

At the weekend more than 40mm was recorded.

"Another week with no rain meant the crops would have failed, it's going to make the season as far as we are concerned now," Mr Hanrahan said.

"It's going to make the grass season, they would have all folded up and died off, but now it will make the season and there will be grass hay to cut and the oats, wheat and barley will be good crops now.

The weekend rain has more than doubled last year's November tally of 20mm.

Mr Hanrahan said other areas surrounding his property also had high totals.

Mr Hanrahan has followed in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and great grandfather in farming at the property and said the current drought was the worst he had experienced.

"It's the longest dry period we have had," he said.

"But going back 100 years ago they had a longer period and that drought broke in 1915 and the following year they had exceptionally heavy rain, which we were expecting this year, but it didn't eventuate. It started off good,

but we went back into drought conditions again."

Only five days into November, the city has already recorded more than the month's average rainfall of 55 millimeters.