Drought-affected landholders from the Charleville district received a helping hand on Tuesday when 4200 bales of hay from Western Australia and South Australia were distributed.
Organised by the Rapid Relief Team (RRT), 70 road trains made the journey across Australia to deliver some 2200 tonnes of quality feed to the region, with a further 1800 bales being distributed to Cunnamulla graziers on Thursday.
These latest deliveries are part of the RRT’s ongoing Operation Drought Relief campaign, which now totals over $3 million, with every single dollar raised as part of the campaign going directly to farmers in need.
A spokesperson for the Rapid Relief Team, Lloyd Grimshaw, said the RRT was always looking to lend a helping hand to communities in need.
“Across the country, drought is making it tough for our Aussie farming families and we need to make sure they know they aren’t in this alone,” said Mr Grimshaw.
“We’ve been working closely with Coordinator-General for Drought, Major General Steven Day, and Special Envoy for Drought Assistance and Recovery, the Hon Barnaby Joyce MP, to see where we could lend a hand and some hay, and bring a little hope.
“When the Federal Drought Taskforce pointed us toward the Charleville and Cunnamulla regions, we were more than happy to pitch in and do our bit and deliver some relief.
“As the load has traversed Australia, it has seen the sites – even trucking past Uluru – but its biggest welcome will be when it gets back to the homes of our farmers in need.”
Barnaby Joyce MP, Special Envoy for Drought Assistance and Recovery, was in Charleville to see the hay roll in and speak with local graziers.
“Our farmers work day and night to deliver for us, and its only right we do the same when they are in need,” said Mr Joyce.
“The Federal Government recently announced a $5 billion Future Drought Fund to help prepare for the years ahead, in addition to $1.8 billion in immediate relief that has already been announced to help our farming communities get back on their feet, but what is wonderful to see is that this mantle is being picked up nationwide.”
Local grazier, Alistair Webb, Warrego Park, Wyandra, said it was wonderful to see the support of RRT, and that the delivery would lift spirits in the community.
“We’ve had other people come through before, but nothing likes this,” he said.
“RRT are so organised, and the quality of the hay and there’s plenty of it, so it’s just wonderful.
“The greatest part is that it’s all usable; we can put this out and know every bit of it will be eaten.
“It’ll do good, whereas the other stuff before, most of it just got kicked around the paddock; it was more of a feel-good than a do-any-good sort of thing.”
Mr Webb, who will begin shearing his 3500-head Merino flock next week, said the 28 bales that he will be taking home meant everything to him.
“I was wondering how I was going to keep them all around the shed, because there’s no feed in any of the holding paddocks, so it’ll be a huge help and it’ll take a lot of pressure off,” he said.
“We had 17mm of rain recently, but it was just a feel-good; we’ll need a good two or three inches before we start to see anything happen.”
Queensland Drought Commissioner, Mark O’Brien, was also in attendance and said it was wonderful to see the support for graziers, but there was still a gap in the assistance framework.
“We’ve got to find a way to put some money into small businesses, and I’d suggest through the QCWA, that way we don’t have to reinvent the wheel,” he said.
“You’ve got mechanics all over western Queensland whose primary business is the graziers who bring their utes and stuff in, but they’re not bringing the utes in and they probably haven’t paid the last couple of bills that they had, so these guys are struggling.
“We’ve got to find a way to nurse them through this, because when it rains, the graziers will want to get those things fixed, and I want those guys to still be standing when it happens.
“In my role as a drought commissioner, one of our jobs was to tell the Premier where the gaps are and she is aware that those gaps are there.”
As well as the Charleville and Cunnamulla deliveries, donated hay is also being delivered to the drought-stricken areas of Coolatai, Walgett, Felton and Nobby.
The RRT is an initiative of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, which is staffed by Church volunteers who lend a helping hand to those in need.
Volunteers from the RRT were also been in town, hosting a free community BBQ for the people of Charleville.
