During World War II , eastern Australia suffered dry conditions which lasted from 1937 through to 1947 with little respite . The end of the drought coincided with the 1946-47 Ashes series ; it rained in all 25 matches played by the tourists , including two tropical rainstorms during the First Test at Brisbane and another in the Second Test at Sydney . From 1965 – 68 , eastern Australia was again greatly affected by drought . Conditions had been dry over the centre of the continent since 1957 but spread elsewhere during the summer of 1964/1965 . This drought contributed to the 1967 Tasmanian fires in which 62 people died in one day and 1,400 homes were lost . The drought in 1982 – 83 is regarded as the worst of the twentieth century for short-term rainfall deficiencies of up to one year and their over-all impact . There were severe dust storms in north-western Victoria and severe bushfires in south-east Australia in February 1983 with 75 people killed . This El Niño-related drought ended in March , when a monsoon depression became an extratropical low and swept across Australia 's interior and on to the south-east in mid - to late March
1967 Tasmanian fires
1967 Tasmanian fires
Drought in Australia