Bundles of goodwill for Queensland

BALES of hay from Nyah and Quambatook will be devoured by hungry cattle in Queensland this week, thanks to four local truckies jumping on board a national drought effort.

Swan Hill’s Rob Conlan along with Moulamein’s Andrew Sutton, Matthew Russ and Dale Skipsey are lending their trucks and their driving skills to the Burrumbuttock Hay Run, an initiative founded by Cobar farmer Brendan Farrell.

The most recent Burrumbuttock Hay Run was held in January with 125 trucks taking part and on Friday a convoy of 300 trucks from five different states will head to drought stricken Queensland with hundreds of bales of hay. 

Mr Sutton and Mr Conlan told The Guardian that as country people they could relate to the struggling Queensland graziers.

“We know what drought is all about,” said Mr Sutton.

“The poor buggers. At least down here we have access to water and irrigation.”

“And they’ve been in drought a bloody long time,” added Mr Conlan.

Community support has been critical in covering the costs of the hay and the diesel to get the trucks from Swan Hill to Ilfracombe and back — a journey requiring 2500 litres per truck. 

For more on this story, pick up a copy of Monday’s Guardian (March 28, 2016).