The first store sale of the new year at Grafton was the smallest in years, with just over 300 head but prices reached bids not seen for a long, long time.
Steers averaged 252 cents a kilogram and reached a top $1351 for two tooth Angus, 475kg at 284c/kg going to Bindaree Beef through buyer Geoff Brown.
Lower river producers, the Redhead family from Micalo Island, formerly Cangai, bought Charolais cross steers, 227kg, from Tracey Conroy, Newbold at Lillydale for a sale topper of 314c/kg or $713. The family also bought Ms Conroy's Droughtmaster cross, 217kg, for 308c/kg or $668.
Ross Farlow, Maclean, sold Angus steers 409kg to make 292c/kg or $1195 going onto feed at Dorrigo through Shamil Livestock.
Doboy Station tested the market with a pen of six tooth Brahman cross steers, 430kg, making 226c/kg or $974. The 3800ha station near Buccarumbi lost all but 80ha around the house during the fires including 20km of fencing.
Tyringham Hereford breeder Greg Tyler was in the market for commercial cattle, after his herd had been reduced to a third during last winter. Fires affected the property during September. Mr Tyler paid 192c/kg for two tooth Hereford steers, 251kg.
Milk tooth Hereford/ Murray Grey, 375kg, brought 296c/kg or $1110 going to Bindaree Beef, which also bought Speckle Park steers, 370kg for 290 or $1076 and Charbray 427kg, for 294c/kg or $1257.
Cattle also went to Goondiwindi and Dalby.
Heifers averaged 230c/kg and reached 252c/kg for Angus 237kg, making $598 and going to South Grafton butcher Mark Calrton through his father Paul at Ulmarra.
Brian Guest buying for Tully Guest, Tyringham, bought milk tooth and two tooth Angus heifers for 236c/kg paying to a top of $736.
Lance Timms, Brushgrove, bought six tooth Angus heifers, 357kg, for 166c/kg or $594 to take advantage of new growth following 32mm on Christmas eve and another 35mm this week.
Cows made 138c/g to 166c/kg
Brangus cows with calves from the Dawson family sold in open auction for $900 to Phil and Kylie George, Towallum, Kangaroo Creek to take advantage of new growth after November fires blackened 1200ha of 2100ha along with 12km of fencing.
"For 10 days, when we had no power and our road was cut off after the timber bridge burnt, it was like living in a war zone," said Mrs George.
The mood among the people was upbeat as reflected in some of the better prices which have come about from good follow up storm rain, some of which capitalised on Christmas falls that washed nitrogen and phosphorous rich ash and charcoal onto the flats around the Coutts Crossing and Kangaroo Creek areas.
Angus breeder Craig Pigg, Ulmarra, said a dump of 69mm before Christmas made no difference to his dams, although it kick started the Bahia grass. However, this week's humidity gave him a start. "With the smell of rain and humidity I get out of bed a lot more excited," he said.
Don Skarratt, Carrs Peninsula, destocked last year and was in the market for replacements after receiving 103mm since Christmas eve, including 23mm this week.