P&O Cruises Australia, working with charity Rural Aid, has set aside 85 cabins on two four-night cruises in December for them.

And while that might seem impractical – when many are finding it hard to walk away from their land for even a trip to town – free farm sitters are part of the deal.

Rural Aid chief executive officer Charles Alder said about 5000 families were registered with the charity, which was “now making individual calls to farmers and extending the invitation”.

Read also:

“The first thing they say is, ‘Who’s going to look after the farm?’ Then we say ‘It’s OK, we’ve got that covered for you’,” Mr Alder said.

“Many of the people I’ve spoken to were quite emotional about it … extremely grateful, and appreciate the effort everyone’s making to try and lighten their load.”

Rural Aid already had “over 125 farm-sitting volunteers already registered with us”, he said.

One cruise departs Sydney for Moreton Island on December 4 and the other leaves Brisbane for the Whitsundays on December 10.

The offer comes while all of NSW and nearly 60 per cent of Queensland is drought-declared, with large swathes in intense drought.

P&O Cruises Australia president Sture Myrmell said Rural Aid’s efforts were “inspiring” as it co-ordinated and carried out livestock feed deliveries and other help to people on the land.

“We know from Rural Aid that the physical and emotional toll of such a severe and prolonged drought on rural communities is enormous, and that many farmers have not had a break in years,” Mr Myrmell said. 

“We cannot make it rain to break the drought – but we can ... give some farmers a welcome respite from the burden in the best way we know how.”

Mr Alder said the Rural Aid was “moving thousands of tonnes of hay for our farmers” through Buy A Bale”.

“This offer from P&O Cruises will equally bring mental relief to our farmers,” he said. “These cruises will provide a great opportunity to break out and relax … and know their farms are in good hands.”