Hay trucks roll north to aid bushfire victims
Truckloads and truckloads of South Gippsland and Bass Coast hay, hundreds and hundreds of bales are already on their way or have been gratefully received where they are needed most.
TRUCKLOADS and truckloads of South Gippsland and Bass Coast hay, hundreds and hundreds of bales are already on their way or have been gratefully received where they are needed most.
While 10 major fires continue to burn in Victoria, it was during the previous week that some of the most destructive bushfires in Victoria’s storied fire history hit hardest, especially in the area north of Yea.
By Friday, January 16, authorities were still counting the cost, with the latest estimates detailing 411,000 hectares of land burnt, more than 15,000 livestock killed, 900 buildings destroyed, including 289 homes, and one person dead, Terip Terip beef producer Maxwell Hobson.
"Help is badly needed. It’s a truly awful situation. Fires have created havoc and burned thousands of acres of fodder and stored hay, killed cattle and destroyed buildings and farmhouses,” said Nyora dairy farmer Chris Lancey this week.
By mid-week, Chris had freighted around 200 round bales to Euroa and beyond, all donated by local farmers including Cliff and Luke Wallace; Maurie, Ted and Reece Attenborough and Russell Motton.
That’s about 80 tons of fodder, or roughly 400kg per bale… a lot of heavy lifting.
Members of the Strzelecki Lions Club were there to support the Lions “Need for Feed” drive right throughout South Gippsland, and urge the community to continue their efforts through coming weeks and months.
Local Strzelecki Lions Club member, Cliff Wallace, who has helped co-ordinate some of these early donations, points out that it’s just the beginning.
“Good grassland has been burnt, with little chance of re-growth in the short term. Thousands and thousands of starving cattle and sheep need feed immediately just to stay alive.
“Then the farmers and livestock will need a lot of ongoing support to regain health, let alone thrive. We need to stay focussed on how we can support our farming community,” he said.
The road to recovery will be a big and ongoing task, he said, and is now being arranged by a multitude of networks, right throughout South Gippsland and beyond.
The donation of cash, fodder or non-perishables can be arranged through the Lions website www.needforfeed.org
Prepared by Mike D’Arcy for Strzelecki Lions 0402 249 249.
