When Kayla Sweeney from Coffs Harbour first saw the impact of drought across the Liverpool Plains region, she immediately wanted to hook a trailer up to her car and deliver a few small bales of hay to farmers.
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“Then I decided to ask some of my family if they would like to assist and set up a Facebook page ‘Help a Farmer’. Before I knew it, we had enough funding to send two truck-loads of hay and a few livestock lick-blocks and some family care packages,” she said.
It’s been very emotional with some farmers experiencing exceptional stress in the face of this drought.
- Kayla Sweeney
Kayla and her family sourced hay from Grafton, sorted the other goods and coordinated the delivery, including a truck, time and diesel donated by Jared Camilleri from Shoreline Freighters. Kayla said they were overwhelmed by the welcome they received.
“It’s been very emotional with some farmers experiencing exceptional stress in the face of this drought. It’s been as much about talking to farmers to let them know we care as it has about delivering assistance,” said the dental nurse and mother of one.
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Kayla, her husband James, father, Barry Dickinson and friend Jared Camilleri made the journey to Big Jacks Creek near Willow Tree to deliver their first drop off to farmers.
The trucks then travelled out to ‘Gunning’s’ property to drop-off fodder and goods for collection by other producers – the Gunning’s did not take any of the donated fodder for their own use – before heading to Gooli then Tamworth.
Mullaway Public School students held a fundraiser, collecting around $800, which had also been donated towards the purchase of the fodder and goods.
Five bales of hay from the donation were gifted to the Quirindi High School Agricultural Farm, with school representatives Macey Patton and Nicholas Hamblin on hand to receive the donation.
“This donation of fodder is so appreciated by Quirindi High School. It’s been terrific to meet Kayla, James, Barry and Jared and be able to thank them in person. We are also very grateful to all their family and friends and Mullaway Public School who donated, it’s really heart-warming to know people care and are aware of what producers are experiencing in this drought,” Macey said.
