Summer rain boosts seed potato harvest in New South Wales after years of drought

On the edge of his crop on top of the Great Dividing Range, Matthew Gay pulls a purple-flowering Pontiac potato plant from grey loamy soil to reveal an exceptional bounty.

The Sydney catchment begins to the east of the Kialla district near Crookwell, and headwaters of the Lachlan River lie on the western side, where Mr Gay grows his potatoes on neighbours' blocks, which breaks up the soil and helps with crop rotations.

About 16 egg-sized tubers hang from the pontiac's tangle of fine roots, while more loose tubers sit in soil damp from an emphatic return of summer rain. On the edge of his crop on top of the Great Dividing Range, Matthew Gay pulls a purple-flowering pontiac potato plant from grey loamy soil to reveal an exceptional bounty.

The Sydney catchment begins to the east of the Kialla district near Crookwell, and headwaters of the Lachlan River lie on the western side, where Mr Gay grows his potatoes on neighbours' blocks, which breaks up the soil and helps with crop rotations.

About 16 egg-sized tubers hang from the pontiac's tangle of fine roots, while more loose tubers sit in soil damp from an emphatic return of summer rain.

"We might be getting back to our summer rains because years ago records showed Crookwell had very good summer rains. It helped grow summer crops," Mr Gay said.