From the Newsroom

Driven to help local farmers

Emma Pritchard

 

Aussie Hay Runners have partnered with Feed for Friends and the Rotary Club of Melton to transport 1000 bales of hay and several pallets of hard feed from rural Victoria to the Clarence Valley in support of local producers and small hobby farmers who have been adversely affected by the unprecedented flooding which devastated communities throughout Northern NSW earlier this year.

A convoy of 31 trucks arrived in Grafton over the weekend, each one carrying a message of hope, resilience and determination, along with precious cargo which was distributed to more than 200 farmers in flood impacted zones including Glenreagh, Southgate, Ulmarra, Brushgrove, and Palmers Island.

Speaking with the Clarence Valley Independent as the trucks arrived on July 10, Aussie Hay Runners founder Linda Widdup said it is important to support local producers and small hobby farmers who are doing it tough.

“You would never imagine what these people are going through,” she said.

“When people are in dire straits, you get together and help your fellow Aussie.”

Dickson Heaney from the Rotary Club of Melton agreed.

“The rotary club got involved and facilitated the hay run by acting as the coordinator with the NSW Government Rural Assistance Authority who are supporting this venture by providing fuel subsidies for the transportation of the bales and pallets,” he said.

The Rotary District 9640 also donated $6000 to help feed and accommodate the truck drivers during their stay in Grafton.

While the bales of hay and pallets of hard feed were generously donated by farmers across Victoria, truck companies also donated heavy vehicles from their fleets along with staff who happily joined the convoy and headed north.

Among them was Tammy Cooper from Cootes Quarry Products who made her first trip to Grafton after participating in two previous hay runs to Dunedoo in recent years.

“We (drivers) were getting tears in our eyes coming into Grafton, and it’s just so amazing to be here to help people,” she said.

Sally Power from Feed for Friends is in regular contact with local producers and small hobby farmers affected by the natural disasters in early 2022.

She set up three depots across the Clarence Valley over the weekend for hay bale and pallet collection and said feedback from appreciative farmers was “pretty overwhelming.”

Ms Power said another hay run to the Clarence Valley is currently being planned for the coming months.