Rutherford-Telarah Rotary transports Maitland hay, dog food, to central Queensland with the Burrumbuttock hay run

Rutherford-Telarah Rotary Club member Glen Lewis and his wife Maree are driving 38 round bales of hay 1800 kilometres north to Muttaburra in central west Queensland with the Burrumbuttock hay runners. 

They are also carrying bags of dog food students from the Rotary Interact Clubs of Rutherford Technology High School, Kurri Kurri High School, Cardiff High School and Lake Macquarie High School collected to help feed the canines on the land.

The convoy started at Darlington Point on Thursday morning and moved on to Cobar where the Lewis’ met them.

Another 40 trucks joined the convoy at Bourke en route to Wyandra where they spent Thursday night. 

Small communities along the route have backed the cause and organised meals for the drivers. 

The convoy will arrive in Muttaburra on February 25. 

Eighty per-cent of Queensland is in drought. The state has been suffering dry conditions for years, but it has been severe since 2014. 

Mr Lewis said the hay donations wouldn’t solve the problem, but it sent a strong message to the farmers who were dealing with the emotional, mental and financial stress of the situation.

He said 18 round bales were donated from farm land around Maitland and the rotary club bought another 20 at a discounted rate.

He said dry conditions across the Hunter in recent months had made it harder for farmers to spare a lot of hay. 

“We’re really pleased with the 38 we’ve been able to get,” he said.

“It’s a good cause, it’s showing them we’re here to help and to let them know that people care.

“These are small rural communities who are suffering through the drought, and some of them are suffering in silence.”

This is the 12^th time a convoy of hay has traveled to Queensland. It started in 2014 when a group of men decided to do something to help farmers in need. 

Some of the trucks have left the hay run this year to deliver hay to areas devastated by fire in NSW. 

Mr Lewis is driving his show truck and borrowed a trailer from a friend to make the journey possible.

The hay will be unloaded within 12 hours and delivered to farmers in need. 

He is looking forward to meeting some of the landholders.

“The look on people’s faces will be satisfying,” he said. 

“They’ve been in a long drought, that would be very tough for them.”