Department of Primary Industries (DPI) staff yesterday inspected the carnage that the wild weekend weather inflicted on hail netting at the base of Mount Canobolas.

Roughly 150 hectares of the protective netting failed under the weight of 100 millimetres of snow, causing row upon row, acre upon acre, to tear and collapse onto the fruit trees below.

Assuming a replacement cost of $50,000 per hectare, the damage bill could reach a staggering $7.5 million.

Orange based DPI horticulturist Jeremy Bright spent yesterday assessing the damage and confirmed he would formally recommend the government provide property holders with access to natural disaster assistance.

“It’s pretty bad out there.” he said.

“I’ve seen large logs supporting the netting snapped in half because of the weight of the snow. “

Mr Bright also inspected hail damage to orchards over a large area extending from Canobolas and Forbes roads all the way east to the intersection of Bathurst and Dairy Creek roads.

David Gartrell, who had several acres of hail netting destroyed by the snow, said he was pleased the DPI would recommend he and other farmers would be able to apply for natural disaster assistance.

“It is certainly going to help to a degree,” he said, adding he had been busy carrying out press interviews for most of the day after the devastation attracted local, state and national media attention.

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