Thirty drought-stricken farmers and their families received 211 tonnes of hay, and hope, in Bairnsdale last Friday, coming across Bass Strait and delivered by the Rapid Relief Team (RRT).
A barge laden with 470 hay bales traversed the strait from Bridport, Tasmania, before the feed was transferred onto a convoy of 13 semi-trailers and trucked to Bairnsdale.
The donated bales of hay are part of the RRT’s ongoing Operation Drought Relief campaign, now totaling more than $3 million.
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.
The hay was distributed to farming families on Friday at the Grinter Transport’s Bairnsdale depot.
A free community barbecue, morning tea and lunch were held nearby with further funds welcomed as they were donated to the RRT’s ongoing Operation Drought Relief campaign.
Spokesperson for the Rapid Relief Team, Will Hocking, said the RRT is always looking for opportunities to provide support to those in need.
“As a church-based organisation it is in RRT’s hearts to rally together to support those who are doing it very tough during the big dry,” Mr Hocking said.
“We know that fodder is hard to source at the moment, so we organised a land and sea delivery to give farmers and their families a helping hand and hay during these difficult times.
“This drought is affecting farmers across the nation, which is why we are working to get hay to farmers in some of the worst hit areas.”
Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, was on hand to help with the Bairnsdale hay drop.
“My office has received calls from farmers right across the district and it is terrific to see that organisations, like the Rapid Relief Team, are able to offer farmers much needed assistance,” Mr Bull said.
“I would like to acknowledge and thank the Rapid Relief Team for its generosity and kindness in helping farming families and communities to get back on their feet.”
East Gippsland Shire mayor, Cr Joe Rettino, also attended to show his support for local farmers.
“I am delighted to see organisations rallying together and digging deep during this drought crisis. I thank the Rapid Relief Team for sourcing this fodder, which is critical to our local farmers,” Cr Rettino said.
As part of its $3 million-plus effort, over the past six weeks the RRT has helped more than 500 farmers, and has overseen hay deliveries from as far away as Western Australia by road train, and again from Tasmania, headed for farmers in country NSW. It has also provided food coupons that saw 100 farming families receive $1000 in direct assistance over a period of 10 weeks.
Every day in some small way, RRT volunteers offer a helping hand to those in need. For more information visit the Rapid Relief Team website.
PICTURED: Rapid Relief Team local volunteers, Dean Cox, William Hocking and Nelson Cox, chat to Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, as local farmers collected feed provided from Tasmania.
