Work at Bobbara Station, near Binalong, begins at 4am as daytime temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius.

By 8am, assistant manager Matt Cummins and his team are already halfway through drafting some 800 sheep.

“It’s important to get livestock into the yard early and back under shade, close to water by the heat of the day,” Mr Cummins said.

“By 1pm, the temperature is getting pretty extreme,” he said. “As soon as it gets to 40C I pull everyone out.”

Mr Cummins’ partner, Carolina Merriman, knows all too well of how farmers' routines are changing.

She and their 10-month-old baby are also woken by the 4am alarm.

Safe Work Australia does not prescribe regulations for cut-off temperatures or breaks in New South Wales.

However, it can take enforcement action if farmers are not ensuring the health and safety of their workers.

The staff of eight at Bobbara spend the afternoon under air conditioning in the office or in their vehicles, checking water levels across the station’s 10,400 acres.

Water is critical for any farmer and on a property of this size, with around 8500 ewes and 600 breeding cattle, ensuring there is enough to go around can be a challenge.

Young farmers like Mr Cummins are using new technology, such as Observant, to manage their properties efficiently.

Mr Cummins’ partner is also secretary of the NSW Farmers Yass Branch and has seen the challenges changing weather patterns bring to the region each year.

“No two years are the same for farmers,” Ms Merriman said.

However, with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting more warm and dry days in 2019 – after the warmest year on record for NSW – farmers need to prepare for the heat now, more than ever.

“Managing the heat for farmers is a very real job as the farmers cannot sit in air conditioning or provide the stock with fans to cool them down,” Ms Merriman said.

“When temperatures are set to soar for the week, farmers must plan their day-to-day operations to ensure the cooler temperatures are utilised to accommodate staff, themselves and stock to the best of their ability.”

A Yass-based farmer, Ed Storey, and his shearers at Werong were consuming up to six litres of water per day during the recent heatwave.

Shearing had begun earlier than usual at Werong to prepare for low rainfall in autumn.

Mr Storey has been on the property his whole life and is also chair of the NSW Farmers Yass Branch and president of Wool Producers Australia.

“We don’t want to compromise feed and water by having too many sheep on.”

Today, Werong runs only sheep after selling its remaining cattle in October due to not enough feed or water.

“We learnt a lot from the 2002-2007 drought,” Mr Storey said. “People need to think about their feed, water and energy requirements, and make decisions early.”

Despite being 40C outside, it’s cooler inside the shearing sheds at Werong.

The breeze finds its way through rickety slats, while fans and air conditioning units ensure staff remain cool.

Carolina Merriman’s father, Michael ‘Bimbo’ Merriman, was one of the staff at Mr Storey’s shed during the heatwave. 

He is contracted to class the wool at a number of local sheds and said properties need to ensure they offer shearers comfortable working conditions.

He explained that most have been upgraded while the wool industry has been profitable.

"Most have fridges and kitchenettes these days," he said.

"All sheds need to also ensure they have safe and modern machinery."​

This current topic of heat is what many farmers will be discussing at the NSW Farmers Yass Branch information evening on January 29, from 6.30pm, at the Yass Clubhouse Hotel.

The evening will also be an opportunity to find out about what the association has in store for 2019 and member benefits.​