Many farmers in East Gippsland have sold off half their herds as they continue to battle extreme dry conditions.
"The Millennium Drought we could tick over, but water’s such a big issue now that our place up in the high country, we’ll probably totally de-stock in the next six weeks if it doesn’t get any run-off rain," he said.
"We’ve actually cleaned out 24 dams, we’ve sold 15 per cent of the dairy herd, 25 per cent of the beef herd, and the rest of the beef herd is on agistment in New South Wales.
Our family sent cattle to Queensland in the 1890s and my cattle are in New South Wales today.
To get a sense of just how bad it is, Mr Nixon said people only needed to look at the number of cattle being sold at the Bairnsdale saleyards.
He said more awareness was needed of the drought conditions farmers in the region were going through.
"There’s no declaration of drought as there used to be, so a lot of farmers might be unaware that they can apply for these drought concessional loans."
Dairy farmer Royston Nettleton is Mr Nixon’s neighbour and said he would be applying for a loan.
"Even if we get a lot more rain now we still aren’t going to get enough run-off to fill the water supplies, so I think a lot of people in the hill country will have to reduce their stock numbers.
Heading into winter, Mr Honey said locals were not feeling confident about the season ahead.