Buchan (Vic.) fodder convoy - now Armidale (NSW) too

~30 vehicles from Ballarat.
Roderick

Emergency hay arrives for fire-ravaged farmers in East Gippsland.
Herald Sun January 5, 2020
Grateful Buchan locals flocked to the streets to give a hero’s welcome to a much-needed convoy of trucks who delivered hay to struggling farmers. And while weary farmers shed tears, they also had an ominous warning for Victorians in the months ahead.
video: Houses burn as bushfire roars through Buchan . Houses burn in Buchan as a bushfire moves in over the top of Buchan Caves Reserve, with hay now on its way to help starving livestock.
For the residents of Buchan, two gifts were delivered on Sunday – one from the back of a truck and one from the sky.
As almost a dozen trucks carrying hay rolled into town, much needed rain pelted the burnt earth.
Locals gathered on their balconies and outside the general store to watch the generous donations arrive.
A group of women waited in the rain, waving to the drivers as the convoy drove by and screaming “thank you” from the bridge over Buchan river.
The convoy of trucks arrived in fire ravaged areas today. Picture: Mark Stewart
The convoy of trucks travelled from Ballarat to Buchan. Picture: Mark Stewart
Many of them had a week earlier sheltered in the town’s centre as fire raged around them.
Twenty-four homes were destroyed and loved local Mick Roberts was killed.
Despite the destruction heaped upon Buchan, in the black and burnt paddocks cattle, sheep and horses remained.
Sophie Sandy said it was an emotional sight to see the feed arriving in town.
“It’s a big deal, there’s a lot of value in the hay,” she said.
“If you look at the paddocks, there’s no grass, the animals hungry,”
“All the country is black,” she said.
Locals lined the streets to give them a hero’s welcome. Picture: Mark Stewart
Emotions were high as the trucks made their way into town. Picture: Mark Stewart
The hay provides much needed relief to the isolated town. Picture: Mark Stewart
The trucks carting hay also carried toiletries, clothes and non-perishable items for the locals. Picture: Mark Stewart
“Not everyone in town has hay; some can no longer afford it and many who had stacks lost it during the fire,” Ms Sandy said.
“We’re just so grateful,” she said.
Sheep farmer Tim Woodgate said the delivery of feed would go some way to help the town to keep going, but they were still facing an uphill battle.
“We’ve been smashed by drought and then this happens,” Mr Woodgate said.
“It’s been really tough,”
“But this is great,” he said.
Buchan local Jeff McCole, 70, lost his home on Monday night, fleeing just before it was engulfed in flames.
It was the second time his home had burnt down, after an electrical fault razed his house several years earlier.
But Monday’s inferno was like nothing he’d ever experienced, he said.
“I saw it coming over the hill and I just thought get out, cause there was no surviving,” he said.
Buchan resident Jeff McCole, 70, lost his home to fire for the second time in under a decade. . Picture: Mark Stewart
Buchan sheep farmer Tim Woodgate collects feed from a Need for Feed Hay Convoy. Picture: Mark Stewart
If he’d waited any longer he would have lost his life too, he said.
“We’re just going to have to start again, right from scratch,” he said.
“You just get a big sinking feeling,” she said.
Despite losing his house, Mr McCole’s sheep and some 30 acres of land survived and the delivery of hay almost brought him to tears.
“It’s fantastic. The people are so generous,” he said.
“Australians are unreal, I bloody love them.”
Asked if he would rebuild, Mr McCole said: “Oh yeah, same spot, third time.”
The trucks carting hay also carried toiletries, clothes and non-perishable items for the locals.
One convoy of almost 30 vehicles set out from Ballarat toward Omeo, Ensay, Buchan and Tambo Crossing.
A Need for Feed Hay Convoy provides much needed relief to the isolated town of Buchan in the aftermath of the Victorian Bushfire crisis. Picture: Mark Stewart
Two hundred trucks were estimated to have headed across the state.
Ensay local Louise Oswald-Adams said it was “beautiful” to see the convoy arrive with drivers giving up their time to ship the items in to those in need.
She also said the sound from animals watching the feed being unloaded was “unbelievable”.
Victorian Farmers Federation president David Jochinke welcomed the deliveries but warned times would be tough for months to come with farmers also in desperate need of equipment, fuel, front end loaders, fencing materials and new farming infrastructure.
“It is still too early to tell, but there will be tens of thousands of losses in terms of livestock, sheep and cattle,” he said.
“Some areas will be worse than others.
“We are seeing a really good effort with people donating and we will be requiring fodder for a very long time to come.”
In one of the worst hit areas of Omeo, local residents have started a Go Fund Me page to help buy a bale of hay for a farmer.
The area lost 20,000 hectares and locals have called for $9000 to start.
The post said many farmers had been unable to tend their properties in recent weeks as they were helping fight the fires for their communities.
VIC FIRES: HOW YOU CAN HELP
EERIE PHOTOS CAPTURES EUROA’S CLOSE CALL
RAIN TO HELP FIREFIGHTERS BATTLE INFERNOS
WHY ITS TIME TO FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE
< www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/emerg...8d4a3e604013c2a4ee03 >

200105Su-Melbourne'HeraldSun'-Gippsland-fodder.relief-truck.
200105Su-Melbourne'HeraldSun'-hay.truck
200105Su-Melbourne'HeraldSun'-hay.truck
200106M-Melbourne'Age'-hay.trucks.to.Buchan
200106M-Melbourne'HeraldSun'-Buchan-hay.

Looks like sumbody was drunk


https://www.hcvc.com.au/forum/attachment/15946


Fitn the rear dazzlew boards

LOL
cya

200109Th-Melbourne'HeraldSun'-NeedForFeed-a-Orbost.
200109Th-Melbourne'HeraldSun'-NeedForFeed-b-Orbost.
200109Th-Melbourne'HeraldSun'-NeedForFeed-c.jpg
Roderick

Burrumbuttock is a lower Riverina town, on the former Culcairn - Corowa railway line (I have been there by train). The area has supplied fodder convoys in earlier years, to other regions.

Roderick

27 Jan 2020 'Hay and rain, you couldn't ask for anything more'
Burrumbuttock Hay Runners bring cheer to drought-stricken community
HAY LOAD: Belinda Ackling from Armidale Regional Council directing trucks at the showground on Saturday ahead of the Australia Day celebration. Photo: Steven Green
When the Burrumbuttock Hay Runners arrived in Armidale, after driving more than 900 kilometres, they brought rain as well as fodder to the parched region.
Trucks loaded with hay donated to Need for Feed Disaster Relief also made their way to fire-affected areas in Corryong and North East Victoria on Australia Day. Need for Feed's Linda Ryder said it was devastating to see the destruction in Corryong.
"Driving up this road was pretty emotional, [seeing] the houses that were burnt down, the paddocks, the machinery," she said.
Need for Feed also delivered a convoy of hay to fire-affected areas in east Gippsland.
More than 180 trucks, led by Burrumbuttock's Brendan Farrell, arrived in Armidale on Saturday afternoon in time to celebrate Australia Day in the drought-stricken area.
Drought relief by the truckload arrives in Armidale
The hay runners joined Armidale residents for a drought relief concert at the Armidale Showgrounds on Sunday, which starred Greg and Sarah Storer, Innocent Eve, Scarletts Way and Brad Jones.
Martin Northcott from Glencoe was a member of the Mt Gambier Hay Run that joined the Burrumbuttock team.
"Being farmers, we've been in the same boat many years ago, and you help a mate out when he needs it because you never know when you're going to need it yourself," he said.
Driver Jim Parrett said the experience of coming through Tamworth, Uralla and Armidale was something special.
Drought relief by the truckload arrives in Armidale.
"Some of the smaller villages were good, but Tamworth, there must have been 20,000 people lining the streets, saying thank you and waving," he said.
"It left you with a bit of lump in your throat. And then Uralla was fantastic.
"That's a small community, but they must get a lot of visitors there because I didn't think their population was that big. And then coming into Armidale was just so beautiful, I mean, people were just so appreciative and it just gladdens your heart."
Armidale Regional Council Mayor Simon Murray thought the main message was that the Australian community cared for this area.
"They're not just providing hay. They're bringing festivity, good wishes, all this to our community," he said.
Drought relief by the truckload arrives in Armidale.
The Armidale Show Society helped organise a night of entertainment for the truckers on Sunday night.
"We cater for when we put on our own events, but other than for the show where we expect the numbers, this is the biggest single event we've had to cater for, in my time as president that is," president Keslo Looker said.
Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall watched as the trucks arrived on Saturday.
"It's astounding, and it looks like they've brought the rain with them too," he said.
"Hay and rain, you couldn't ask for anything more.
"It's not just the 700 farmers who are going to benefit from this hay, the sheer raw emotion from a lot of people, who are just floored at the sheer scale of the thought, the effort that goes into organising and bringing something like this here."
< www.theland.com.au/story/6599220/hay-and...sk-for-anything-more > [with four photos]