Three businesses have pitched together to fund the delivery of a truck load of hay from Albury to Orange for drought-stricken farmers in the region.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The truck arrived at Highland Heritage Estate on Thursday morning laden with 42 large bales of hay.
Mel Flannery said she was one of a group of about six people who had banded together about a month ago to help the farmers.
“We’ve sent out about four tonnes on the trucks already but this one is about 17 tonnes,” she said.
“It was just the most cost effective way to do it.”
She said two Orange businesses, John Davis Motors and Marvasti Security plus Zab’s Plumbing run by former Orange local Luke Zabel had donated $8600 to buy the load of hay and have it delivered to Orange.
Miss Flannery said utes and trucks, including their regular distributor Tommy’s Truck, run by Tom Partridge, would be meeting at the winery on Saturday to collect the load.
“On Saturday we’ll be divvying it all up into utes and Tom’s truck,” she said.
“Each person will each get one bale, that’s a major difference in the area we can make.”
She said her group had been struck by the extent of the drought and wanted to help.
“We’ve had farmers that have lost 100 head in three weeks, it’s a lot more dire than you think,” she said.
“The drought’s not going to be over for the next five or 10 years.
“Even if we get the rain you are looking at three to four months to get a crop up.
Each person will each get one bale, that’s a major difference in the area we can make.
- Mel Flannery
“It depends on the conditions and we’re just not going to get the conditions.”
She said Mr Partridge contacted her offering to help after he saw the extent of the drought.
“He rang me, ‘how do we do this?” she said.
Miss Flannery said the group was not handling any money, instead it was organising for others to donate bales to them to distribute.
She said they would be seeking more hay runs.
“We’re planning more, we’re going to be promoting local business for local farmers,” she said.
Sina Marvasti, who owns Marvasti Security, said helping out was a “no-brainer” as the farmers desperately needed help.
“Local farmers need us. They help the community that help us,” he said.
“We just saw what it was like. It’s a no-brainer that we help out the local community,” Mr Marvasti said.
DO YOU WANT MORE ORANGE NEWS?
- Receive our free newsletter delivered to your inbox every morning, as well as breaking news alerts. Sign up here
