GAYNDAH (QLD) READY FOR RURAL AID MAKEOVER

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Restrictions lifted, Farm and Community Rescue Volunteers are on their way to Gayndah this month

With restrictions lifted around 40 Rural Aid Farm and Community Rescue Volunteers are on their way to Gayndah from 26 July to 1 August to complete the Gayndah community renewal project.

The Farm and Community Rescue Volunteers will be in Gayndah to help the community build their long-term sustainability and undertake a handful of farm rescues – and Gayndah is ready.

Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said Gayndah is the first of the Our Towns selected in October last year to start their long-term renewal projects and programs.

“Rural Aid’s Community Support team’s excitement is palpable now we can get back on the road. Last year, we experienced Gayndah’s vision of a ‘vibrant friendly community where heritage, growth and lifestyle proudly combine’, firsthand at the renewal workshops and we’re excited to be able to provide over 1,200 volunteer hours,” John Warlters said. “Farmers, council and community members came together to formulate concepts and organise different town sectors as part of preparatory activities with Rural Aid and Bank of IDEAS community change and renewal expert, Peter Kenyon.”

“Around 40 Farm and Community Rescue Volunteers will spend a week in the town working with the community, bringing Gayndah’s projects to fruition while also bringing a welcoming financial injection and new friendships.”

The Gayndah community have identified the projects for the Farm and Community Rescue Volunteers to work on over the week to help give the town a much-needed start to their long-term renewal. These include the Gayndah Race Club, Gayndah Swimming Pool, Gayndah Historical Village, Pioneer Place and Native Botanical Gardens, Gayndah and Binjour Bowls Clubs, playground fencing and the Gayndah Railway Station Complex.

The Our Towns Makeover initiative is Rural Aid’s way of supporting small rural communities and highlighting the impact the drought is having on them. Monto Queensland will be the next Our Town Makeover, scheduled for 30 August to 5 September 2020.

Evolution Mining and Community Support
As soon as they were able to, Rural Aid’s Community Support team were on the road towards the end of June delivering a whole lot of joy and fun with the donation of musical instruments, stationery and Lego to eight schools in the area. This was thanks to a generous donation from Evolution Mining to schools around their Mt Rawdon and Cracow mining operations.

For more information on the Our Towns Makeover, go to www.ruralaid.org.au/10towns

About Rural Aid

Rural Aid is one of Australia’s largest rural charities. Well known for the highly successful ‘Buy a Bale’ campaign, the charity also provides financial assistance, water and counselling to farmers in times of drought, flood or fire. Other initiatives support its vision that farming and rural communities are safeguarded to ensure their sustainability both during and after these natural disasters. Visit www.ruralaid.org.au for further information on these programs and other support for our rural communities.

Media: 0424 203 935 | media@admin.media.ruralaid.org.au
Spokesperson: Rural Aid CEO John Warlters | 0409 618 641

Rural Aid – FB: @ruralaidaustralia | IG: @ruralaid |IN: Rural Aid Ltd | TW: @ruralaidaust 
Buy A Bale – FB: @buyabaleofhay | IG: @buyabale | TW: @buyabale

About Gayndah

  • Gayndah was established in 1848 and was in competition to become Queensland’s capital up against Ipswich and Brisbane.
  • Gayndah held its first race meeting in the 1850s, held the first Queensland Derby in 1868 and ran the 150th Derby in 2018.
  • Gayndah is home to just under 2000 (2016 Census) very community passionate people in Queensland’s South Burnett Region and is located 366 kilometres north of Brisbane and 145 kilometres west of Maryborough.
  • Gayndah is the centre of Queensland’s largest citrus-growing area. Agriculture and grazing have also been dominant industries of the area, all of which have declined due to the ongoing drought.
  • In the community’s words: “An enormously passionate community, we work closely together on virtually every venture, we have managed to “hold it” despite the weather – flood and drought.”
  • Gayndah’s youth run a great number of its community organisations, with the quiet guidance of the elders.


About the Our Towns Makeover

Over the next five years, 10 Our Towns will each receive $100,000 in projects and support to renew their town. This includes $10,000 allocated for the community to workshop with community change and renewal experts on their ideas for their town’s long-term future and sustainability. The $90,000 will be spent, over five years, on materials for maintenance projects identified by the community, that fits within Rural Aid’s scope of work. If available, materials and trade expertise will be sourced locally to support local businesses.