But the chainsaws weren't causing the problem - they were cleaning it up. A huge storm bringing hail, heavy rain and high winds hit Shepparton on Sunday afternoon, smashing hundreds, if not thousands, of trees and damaging houses, buildings and power lines.

Torn off by severe winds, part of the roof of a local cycling club was blown 300 metres on to the grounds of the Wanganui High School. Shepparton mayor Geoff Dobson said there could have been grave consequences if the storm had hit on a weekday.

''I have lived here all my life and it's the worst [storm] I have seen here,'' he said. ''It will take … a couple of weeks to clean it all up. There's a lot of tree damage … It's as if someone came along with a bomb and blew the whole thing up.

''Very, very few trees have been spared any damage … All you can hear is chainsaws going around the place today.''

Pear and apple grower Rien Silverstein, of Orrvale, east of Shepparton, said her farm recorded about 90 millimetres of rain between Friday and yesterday morning. A second family farm at Tatura, west of Shepparton, recorded about 120 millimetres.

Most of it came during Sunday afternoon's fierce downpour. Fortunately, Mrs Silverstein's orchards suffered only mild damage. ''We've lost fruit, but not very much,'' she said. ''Our crops are hanging in there.''

In other Victorian farming districts the rain brought benefits. Cohuna dairy farmer John Keely was able to stop irrigating, saving him water and money. He said the rain would help new pastures sown last week.

Cherry grower Martin Sebire, of Wandin Valley farms at Killawarra, near Wangaratta, had about 100 millimetres between Friday and yesterday morning. ''We will probably forget about watering for two to three weeks,'' he said. ''It may be the end of irrigation for us for this season.''

Pyramid Hill grain and sheep farmer Peter Tuohey said he received 30-40 millimetres of rain across his paddocks. ''A rain like this at this time of the year, it just tops up the subsoil moisture. It's good,'' he said.

The highest rainfall total for the 24-hour period to 9am yesterday was recorded in Benalla, with 104 millimetres.