Rural Aid Volunteers Lend a Hand in Flood-ravaged Eugowra

Posted on 16 March 202316 March 2023

Flood-affected farmers in New South Wales’ Central West region have had their recovery efforts boosted, thanks to a visit from Rural Aid volunteers.  

Twenty-five Rural Aid volunteers have spent a week helping five Eugowra farmers, following the terrifying floods that swept the region late last year.  

Eugowra farmer Ray Townsend’s family has been farming on this land for more than 120 years.   

“It’s hard to explain how bad the floods were. They were bigger than anything I’ve seen in my lifetime. My father told me stories from when he was a boy, but to see this devastation with my own eyes is shocking,” he said. 

A team of Rural Aid volunteers have helped Ray fix hundreds of metres of fencing on his family farm; a job that’s still overwhelming, three months on.  

“The further we go into it, the more we realise the repair work we have to do. 

“It’s been absolutely fantastic the support we’ve been shown. Thank you very much to everybody who’s attended,” Mr Townsend said.  

Farmer Dave Herbert also lost a significant amount of his fencing and cropping assets.  

“In 2022, we had three flood events in four to five weeks along the valley. Every one of those events was larger than the one before.” 

Mr Herbert was grateful for the help the Rural Aid volunteers provided.  

“The thing that they bring, apart from the hard work they’ve put in particularly with the fencing, is actually that community aspect. You know that you’ve got people out there who care about what’s happened to you and it restores a bit of faith in what you are trying to do.” 

Grant Miskimmin, Rural Aid’s Farm Co-ordinator, said the average age of Rural Aid’s volunteer force was 68 years old.  

“These volunteers are from all over the country, they are an amazing bunch,” he said. 

“They travel thousands of kilometres to help out and come with an amazing set of skills.”  

Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said several Central West graziers were this week gifted lick blocks and hay bales, thanks to the generosity of the Australian public, and support of innovative lick block manufacturer AgCoTech.  

“Seven farmers picked up their hay bales today and five farmers received a pallet of lick blocks each on Tuesday,” Mr Warlters said.  

“Rural Aid has also been able to help the region’s farmers with financial assistance and free mental health counselling. Rural Aid is committed to standing with our farmers when they need it most to help get them back on track after a disaster.” 

“A huge thanks must go to our donors, who make these big volunteer weeks possible through their generosity. 

“Thank you also to Newcrest Mining who provided several hard-working volunteers this week,” Mr Warlters finished.  

Farmers are encouraged to register with Rural Aid at www.ruralaid.org.au/services-provided.  

Donations to Rural Aid can be made at www.ruralaid.org.au/donate. 

For more information or interviews, contact Rural Aid media on media@ruralaid.org.au or 0447 116 757.  

About Rural Aid
Rural Aid is Australia’s most trusted rural charity. We stand with our farmers when they need us most. Rural Aid provides critical support to farmers affected by natural disaster through financial, wellbeing and fodder assistance. Rural Aid’s community programs help create more sustainable communities by building stronger futures for all Australian farmers. Find out more at www.ruralaid.org.au 

Reboot your farming family in 2023

Posted on 9 February 202323 February 2023

Is it time to reboot your family farming operations? If your grazing or farming family business needs an injection of new information and skills to become more climate resilient, the Farming Family Reboot in Armidale this April could be just the ticket.

The SQNNSW Innovation Hub’s Armidale Node Manager, Lu Hogan, from the University of New England’s SMART Region Incubator, said the free three-day event was a chance for members of farming families and businesses to improve their critical decision making and teamwork skills.

“When you are part of a family-run livestock, cropping or mixed enterprise, being able to work together is critical to not just the success of the business but the family as well,” she said.

“The Farming Family Reboot workshop (Armidale, April 18-20), is a chance for people to take some time out from the daily work of the farm, to think, plan, review their goals and build some new skills that will help in managing future climate related business challenges.”

This free event features high quality guest speakers and hands on in-paddock sessions. Accommodation and meals are included, thanks to the support of Rural Aid, the University of New England (UNE) and the SQNNSW Innovation Hub, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund. Childcare may also be available at the UNE campus (bookings required).

“This is the second year we have offered the Farming Family Reboot, after overwhelmingly positive reactions in 2022. We heard excellent feedback about not just the quality of our speakers and hands on activities, but about how much benefit there was when the whole family could attend,” Ms Hogan said.

Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said 100% of the pilot cohort agreed that they were likely to use the provided material again, that the content was relevant to their needs, and it was easy to understand. More than 90% strongly agreed they were likely to either make practice changes or consider making changes because of attending.

“Rural Aid is well-known for the critical support it provides farmers affected by natural disaster, but we also have an important role to play in helping producers prepare for those challenges,” Mr Warlters said.

The three day program covers: the way decisions are made on the farm; understanding and using critical decision points and weather forecasts in the livestock and cropping cycle to better manage climate challenges; matching stocking rate to feed supply; supplementary feeding of livestock to meet production goals; considering investment in new infrastructure to better manage drought and other climate challenges; relationships within the family and making better decisions as a family; and research and development at UNE SMART Farms.

The Farming Family Reboot will be held at the University of New England, Armidale on April 18-20, and all accommodation and meals are included. To express your interest in attending (places are limited), register via bit.ly/FFR2023. For more information about the program contact Lu Hogan on lhogan22@une.edu.au or 0427 687 432.

The Southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub receives funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund. Find out more at unisq.edu.au/sqnnswhub.

For more information, contact SQNNSW Innovation Hub Communications Coordinator Lisa Yorkston: 0448 263 767 or Lisa.Yorkston@usq.edu.au.

Nutrien Ag Solutions & Elders dig deep to kick off donation drive for flooded Kimberley graziers

Posted on 30 January 202323 February 2023

Australia’s most trusted rural charity, Rural Aid, has joined forces with the Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen’s Association (KPCA) to create a fundraising drive for flood-affected graziers in Western Australia’s Kimberley region.

The fundraising effort has been given a huge kick start by leading agribusinesses Nutrien Ag Solutions and Elders, which have generously donated $10,000 each to help producers impacted by the disaster, providing a kick start of $20,000 for Kimberley producers.

Nutrien Ag Solutions West Region Manager, Andrew Duperouzel said many of their clients have been impacted by the devastating floods.

“The clean-up, repair and rebuild work ahead for flood affected communities will present challenges given the remote location and shortage of labour in this area.

So Nutrien is proud to offer our support through this donation and other practical relief measures with our teams on the ground to help our farmers and their communities,” said Mr Duperouzel.

Mark Allison, Elders CEO and Managing Director, said the organisation has a long standing affiliation within the Kimberley region, with staff in both Derby and Broome, who are now working closely with clients and pastoralists severely affected by recent flooding.

“Elders has donated close to $100,000 to support flood affected communities through Rural Aid in the past 12 months, and are committed to supporting the Kimberley Pastoralists fundraising campaign with an initial $10,000 donation.

“I will personally be travelling to Broome in early March to view the effects of the flood and hopefully meet with key clients to discuss ways that Elders can further support them, and the Kimberley communities, in and around Fitzroy Crossing,” said Mr Allison.

The early January flooding event was the worst in the state’s history. Ex-tropical cyclone Ellie brought unfathomable volumes of rain to Fitzroy River catchments – up to 800 millimetres in a week for some locations – resulting in a flood that exceeded previous water levels by more than two metres. Properties such as Yeeda Station, just outside of Derby, were battling up to 40 km of flood frontage.

KPCA CEO Mick Sheehy said the loss of livestock has been estimated in the tens of thousands. “Thousands of kilometres of fencing has been washed away along with yards, roads and equipment. Add to that the stock loss, the damage to property and repair costs, the clean-up job required plus the future impact on livelihood and cash flow, it’s going to be tough times ahead for many of our producers.

And with more rain forecast for this coming this week, the true impact of this wet season is still to be realised.”

Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said the floods have set farmers back years.

“These pastoralists have put decades of hard work into their cattle, only to have their herds potentially decimated by a flood of unprecedented proportions. It’s hard to comprehend the volume of water that swept through the region and left such devastation in its wake.

“Rural Aid will provide financial assistance and mental health counselling to affected graziers. We know how important rapid access to both are at this early stage when the extent of losses are being assessed but producers are determined to pick up the pieces” Mr Warlters said.

KPCA’s Mr Sheehy thanked Nutrien Ag Solutions and Elders for their generosity and Rural Aid for facilitating this initiative through their trusted and respected platform.

“When times are tough, the pastoral industry comes together and supports each other. It’s one of the things we do best. We are so grateful to Rural Aid for their support, and to Elders and Nutrien Ag Solutions for their generosity.

“I strongly encourage those that have been impacted to reach out to Rural Aid – for both financial and mental health support. It’s tough times ahead, but you don’t have to face it alone,” said Mr Sheehy.

Donations can be made through this website: https://hub.givar.com/connect/org/RuralAid/campaigns/kimberley-pastoralist-flood-relief The appeal will close on April 23, 2023.

For more information or interviews, contact

– Rural Aid media on 0447 116 757 or media@ruralaid.org.au

– KCPA media – Natalie Bell on 041 653 729 natalie@associatedadvertising.com.au

About Rural Aid

Rural Aid is Australia’s most trusted rural charity. We stand with our farmers when they need us most. Rural Aid provides critical support to farmers affected by natural disaster through financial, wellbeing and fodder assistance. Rural Aid’s community programs help create more sustainable communities by building stronger futures for all Australian farmers. Find out more at www.ruralaid.org.au

Fifty flood-affected farmers receive hay from Rural Aid

Posted on 20 December 202223 February 2023

Australia’s most trusted rural charity has distributed more than 700 bales of hay to Central West New South Wales farmers, helping to make Christmas a little brighter for flood-affected producers.
A hay drop was held at the Central West Livestock Exchange in Forbes on Friday, December 16.
Ten road trains delivered more than 480 tonnes of hay to the saleyards for Rural Aid’s registered primary producers.  
Forbes cattle breeder Danielle Beard said her property is still covered in floodwaters and thick layers of mud, smothering any grass underneath.
“75% of our property is under water and we’re going to have water on our place for another seven months.”
She said the bales of hay were exactly what her family needed to help them recover from the flooding event.
“We’re just so grateful for this hay,” Ms Beard said.
Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said flood affected farmers are facing a difficult recovery that will last well after Christmas.
“Rural Aid has brought back its Buy a Bale campaign, which was first created in the Millennium Drought, to help raise funds to support farmers impacted by these record-breaking floods,” Mr Warlters said.

“Rural Aid predicts at least a two to three-year recovery for communities, with the funds required to adequately support farmers and families estimated to be in excess of $50 million.
 “We’re ready to execute an extensive recovery support program based on a tried and tested approach, but we need as much help as we can get.
“Christmas is going to be an enormously difficult time for thousands of our farming families.
Mr Warlters said Rural Aid is proud to have supported our farmers with two hay deliveries the past week in Rochester, Victoria and Forbes, New South Wales, which have eased some of the burdens facing primary producers.
In addition to hay, Rural Aid has also been providing flood-affected farmers with financial support, counselling, drinking water deliveries and volunteer assistance.
Mr Warlters thanked the Australian public for its generosity in supporting our mates in the bush.
“We’ve asked Australians to Buy a Bale for Christmas and they’ve donated generously to improve our farmers’ lives,” Mr Warlters.
“Rural Aid also been buoyed by the support of businesses like Newcrest Mining’s Cadia Valley Operations that donated $150,000 to Rural Aid’s flood appeal.
“There is still time to donate to help our farmers this Christmas. Every dollar makes a difference to the lives of the farmers who put food the Christmas food on our table and the clothes on our backs,” Mr Warlters finished.

To support Rural Aid or make a donation go to: www.buyabale.com.au

For more information or interviews, contact Rural Aid media on media@ruralaid.org.au or 0447 116 757. 
 
About Rural Aid
Rural Aid is Australia’s most trusted rural charity. We stand with our farmers when they need us most. Rural Aid provides critical support to farmers affected by natural disaster through financial, wellbeing and fodder assistance. Rural Aid’s community programs help create more sustainable communities by building stronger futures for all Australian farmers. Find out more at www.ruralaid.org.au

Australians urged to not forget communities impacted by most expensive flood in history

Posted on 12 December 202223 February 2023

Australians have been urged not to forget the thousands of families impacted by the most expensive flood in the nation’s history in the delicate weeks leading up to Christmas, as trusted charity, Rural Aid, prepares to deploy assistance measures to some of the communities hardest hit by this natural catastrophe.
Much of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia was subjected to record rainfall between September and November, with more than 130 local government areas (LGAs) declared disaster zones.
More than $5.5 billion in damages have been recorded so far – more than any other flooding event in Australia’s history – as the dire consequences for regional communities become a harsh reality.
The true cost is estimated to be significantly higher given farmers may not have been insured for many of the losses incurred and there remains limited information as to the ongoing loss of income thousands of rural businesses will suffer.
Trusted charity Rural Aid has relaunched its Buy a Bale fundraiser in response to the disaster, and will team up with the Rapid Relief Team to support a Farmer’s Community Connect event in Rochester to help flood-affected Victorian farmers.
Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said the event is a chance for farmers to come together for support.

“These floods have had unprecedented impact on rural Australians – families are losing their homes and livelihoods and entire towns are being wiped out,” Mr Warlters said.
“It is difficult to measure the true toll the floods are taking, and will continue to take, on impacted farmers and communities – many of whom have experienced drought, bushfires and multiple flooding events in just the past four years.
“Our immediate concern is the mental health and wellbeing of families in the leadup to Christmas, however, once the emergency subsides, communities face a long and challenging road to recovery.”
Rural Aid’s registered mental health counsellors will be at the event, where farmers can register for free A-grade, feed-tested hay while enjoying a free BBQ lunch and connecting with local service providers.
Rochester is located in Campaspe – one of the 55 disaster-declared LGA’s across Victoria.
Almost 500,000 hectares of farmland have been flooded across the state, an area equivalent to more than half the size of Melbourne, wiping millions of dollars from farm incomes and causing immeasurable stress on rural families.
There is now also a growing possibility the flood event will be protracted and episodic with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting above average rainfall from December to January in many of the already impacted areas.
“This particular event poses a unique challenge in that unlike the drought, where some farmers were better prepared or could take steps to manage the impact, this has been sudden and widespread,” said Mr Warlters.
“Additionally, the many years of droughts, floods and fires have left many families at breaking point.”

Farmer’s Community Connect
When: Thursday, 15 December 2022
Where: Rochester Recreation Reserve, Reserve Street, Rochester
Time: 7.00am to 3.00pm
To support Rural Aid or make a donation go to: www.buyabale.com.au

Media enquiries:
 
Ashleigh Whittaker, Rural Aid media officer
0447 116 757

John Warlters, Rural Aid CEO
0409 618 641
 
More about Rural Aid
Rural Aid is Australia’s most trusted rural charity. We stand with our farmers when they need us most. Rural Aid provides critical support to farmers affected by natural disaster through financial, wellbeing and fodder assistance. Rural Aid’s community programs help create more sustainable communities by building stronger futures for all Australian farmers. Find out more at www.ruralaid.org.au