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Residents in the drought-affected community of Goondiwindi, on the New South Wales-Queensland border, rejoiced when the heavens opened on October 11.

Local woman Shannon Baldwin told Storyful, she moved to the area “five months ago and there hasn’t been one drop since”.

“Everything is brown and dry and dead so this will be a huge, welcome relief for the farmers whose dams have run dry and the poor starving, thirsty cattle and sheep we see everywhere when driving.

“The rivers and creeks have been dry and empty and the weir was also close to empty,” she said

This footage, filmed by Baldwin and shared to the “One Day Closer to Rain (Drought)” Facebook group, shows rain pouring down on her backyard as lightning flashes in the distance.

“Loving the sound of that”, one person commented on the video, while members of other drought-stricken communities shared their excitement: “I couldn’t sleep last night as it rained [and] I was so excited! Normally I sleep like a baby to the sound on the roof but I didn’t want it to stop,” another commenter said.

“My dog Shadow had never seen rain before and when I opened the door he bolted inside he was that scared,” another added.

Although the rain eventually stopped, Baldwin said the community is hoping for more.

“We’re all praying for another downpour so definitely fingers crossed and a few rain dances to come lol”.

Goondiwindi is one of many communities across the state that is a “fully drought-declared shire”. Credit: Shannon Baldwin via Storyful