The ongoing drought is set to worsen after the country experienced an incredibly dry winter.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, Australia had barely half the normal rainfall this winter, with eastern states suffering the most.

President of the National Farmers Federation Fiona Simson tells Mark Levy some communities have been in drought for eight years now.

“We really are hitting unprecedented records now… it really is the worst that I’ve ever seen it.

“There’s just bare paddock after bare paddock, there’s no water on the surface on the land, there’s very little stock out there now.

“It’s just exceptionally dry. Houses have run out of water, communities have run out of water.”

She’s encouraging people to visit rural communities to help them get through such a difficult time.

“Get in the car, go out to some of these communities. It’s a good time to go visit Dubbo zoo, have a coffee on the way in somewhere like Mudgee.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview