Balmattum’s Alison Charlesworth was co-ordinating operations at the fodder distribution centre in Longwood on Monday.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
A cuppa at lunchtime on Saturday, January 10, saw a fodder distribution centre up and running the very next day at Neil ‘Tubby’ Tubb’s Longwood property.
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State Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland, who was personally affected by the fires, popped in to chat and make a plan on her way past last weekend.
“I said when we’re ready for a debrief, we’ll do that, but right now we’re in adrenaline and action mode, we’re still very much fighting the fire, despite the sheer fatigue and exhaustion everyone’s facing,” Ms Cleeland said at the makeshift centre on Depot Rd on Monday.
“So we’re taking it day by day of what the community needs, and together with Shaun (Hearmon), the captain of Longwood, and my friend Kerry, said we need to localise a fodder distribution centre so those wanting to donate immediately have a place to drop it off.
“Twelve hours later, this was going. It’s extraordinary, but this could be here for a few weeks, or months; it’s a long way to recovery.”
Siblings Skylar, 8, and Ritchie, 10, Charlesworth pack donated goods into a coolroom at the fodder distribution depot in Longwood.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Balmattum’s Alison Charlesworth was co-ordinating operations at the site when The News stopped by, despite not having taken on such a task before.
Her husband works for Kestrel, an aerial firefighting company, which had requested her help.
“Communities just come together; it’s all hands on deck to help each other,” she said.
When she rolled up her sleeves and tucked her clipboard into the crook of her elbow on Monday morning, she said there were four or five volunteers helping with administrative tasks.
That number had swollen to more than 10 by lunchtime.
There were 20 to 30 volunteers busily shuffling around the entire distribution centre, with a steady stream of hay-laden trucks creeping in the driveway and utes and trailers loading up and heading out to take feed to farms.
Some farmers were coming to collect supplies themselves.
All helping hands on deck at the Longwood hay drop-off and distribution centre on Neil Tubb’s property.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Ms Charlesworth said there were smaller distribution points in Ruffy where smaller amounts of hay were being shifted to because the roads were still largely inaccessible.
“Lots of people still can’t get out of their properties, with trees down all over the roads,” she said.
She said there were also many volunteers on the ground in Ruffy distributing feed and goods and checking in on farmers.
“They’re lending an ear, just being there for them,” she said.
Volunteers help load bales of hay on to a trailer for a farmer.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
The hay was arriving from near and far, with trucks that morning from Tatura, Nagambie and Gundagai, and everywhere in between.
“People are so unbelievably kind and generous,” Ms Charlesworth said.
“One guy donated $20,000 worth of hay.”
On top of stockfeed, fresh food, non-perishables and water were being dropped off, along with 1000 RB Sellars shirts donated by Faithfulls Creek clothing outlet in Euroa.
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