Premier Daniel Andrews is expected to make a major drought announcement on Monday as he wraps up a two-day tour of the drought-stricken region. 

Mr Andrews, along with minister for water Lisa Neville and minister for agriculture Jaala Pulford, will travel from Birchip to Charlton for a briefing Wimmera Mallee Pipeline works, before visiting farmers doing it tough in Wedderburn.

For local farmers, the trip could not be more “timely and important”, according to Loddon Shire mayor-elect Neil Beattie. 

Mr Beattie said the southern areas of the shire, including Wedderburn and Inglewood, were running dry. 

“The southern part of the shire is nearly completely out of water, and has been for a long time,” he said. 

They can’t continue to cart water for their livestock and water for their domestic needs. It is too onerous a task.”

Mr Beattie, who has been a farmer for 45 years and runs a dry and irrigation site in Boort, said parts of the shire were completely reliant on rainfall run-off.

Without significant rainfall for the past two seasons, farmers’ dams were left bone-dry. 

“Their dams are empty. They have no water,” he said. 

“It’s heart-breaking enough to feed your animals hay, but to cart water continually on top of that is just soul’-destroying.”

Mr Beattie is hopeful the Premier’s visit will conclude with him giving his tick of approval to an extension of the Wimmera Mallee pipeline and giving the project a boost. 

He said a high-quality and secure water supply would make a world of difference to locals feeling the full wrath of the big dry. 

He said the Normanville pipeline, installed six years ago and serving his home area of Boort, had been “a God-send” for the local farming population.

“We can fix it with the extension of the (Wimmera Mallee) pipeline,” he said. 

“People’s thoughts are warming to climate change. I think we definitely have it.

“The sooner we make a start, the better it is for the welfare of the people of Loddon.”

The Premier will host a round-table in Wedderburn that will include the Victorian Farmers Federation, drought impacted councils from across the region, Landcare, the CFA and local water boards.

They will visit a Wedderburn farm to see first-hand the impacts of water carting and will host a community barbecue on Monday evening.