Hay from WA rolls in

The Farmers Across Borders initiative has successfully delivered 3000 tonnes of hay donated from Western Australian farmers to their drought-ravaged cousins in north-west New South Wales.

Hauling the massive load was down to dozens of selfless truckies, who volunteered their time, trucks and trailers to cart the feed from Norseman, WA, all the way to Cobar, NSW.

In all, the convoy numbered 47 road trains and stretched for nearly two kilometres as it pushed its way through the searing heat of the Nullarbor in mid-summer.

For some of the WA-based truckies involved, the run entailed a return journey of over 10,000 kilometres.

In a fitting display of Aussie mateship and in the true spirit of helping those in need, the trucks rolled into Cobar on Australia Day, where they were greeted by the locals who turned out en masse to welcome the convoy.

Farmer Across Borders was founded by Esperance-based farmers Sam Starcevich (pictured below) and Anne Bell in 2014. After the success of the organisation's inaugural run that year, in which 560 tonnes of feed were transported to NSW, this year's effort was scaled up in every respect.

"We are incredibly proud to lead Western Australia's largest hay run and deliver to drought-affected famers in New South Wales on Australia Day," said Ms Starcevich.

"The generosity and support from all of the volunteers, farmers, truck drivers, Jeep Australia and Lion's Need for Feed is the ultimate expression of Aussie mateship."

Both Jeep Australia and the Lion's Need for Feed initiative have thrown their support behind Farmers Across Borders, with Jeep providing food and a fleet of support vehicles to assist volunteers on their journey and Lion's Club helping to fund fuel costs and helping disperse the hay on its arrival in Cobar.

Meanwhile, and while the 'hay from WA' made its way east, another epic hay run was making its way north, with the 14th Burrumbuttock Hay Run seeing an even bigger convoy head from Darlington Point in NSW's Riverina district to the outback Queensland town of Quilpie.

Organiser and truck driver Brendan Farrell has been staging these vital runs for years, and this latest run involved an incredible 180 trucks, 6500 tonnes of hay and over 500 volunteers, along with the crucial support of the Rotary Club of NSW.

These hay runs are crucial for the survival of many drought-affected farms, where farmers would otherwise face culling their herds and potential farm closure – often spelling the end of the line for multi-generational farming and land-owning families. The runs simply wouldn't happen without the generosity and drive of their organisers and volunteers, the farmers donating the feed and the truckies who transport it.

According to the NSW Government's Department of Primary Industries, nearly half of the state is drought declared, with 32.6 per cent of it – largely north-western New South Wales – classified as being in 'intense drought'.

Photos: Dave Goudie