Loaded for Longreach
IT'S A delivery of pumpkins to rival any American Halloween and it's all headed for residents in the struggling drought-stricken Longreach area.
Several tonnes of pumpkins and watermelons, donated by Jamie Schembrie from Glenview Farms in Griffin, will be among hundreds of boxes of food, toys and bails of hay being driven out to Longreach tomorrow morning.
WEIGHING IN FOR LONGREACH RELIEF
The pumpkins and watermelons, worth thousands of dollars, were donated after Ridleys in Warwick put a call out to clients down south to make donations to the Drought Relief Appeal.
Glen Whitton from Ridleys said people were absolutely keen to get on board and show their support.
DIGGING DEEP FOR DROUGHT-HIT COMMUNITY
"I reckon we've got two or three tonnes of watermelons and pumpkins here - they arrived yesterday afternoon," he said.
"We've got a lot of clients up there and they're doing it tough.
"I was talking to one client on Sunday night who told me he used to have nearly 2200 breeding cattle and has cut down to just 100 heard and is looking for agistment for them."
A convoy of three car and trailer loads of Community Disaster Relief Van members and gear will leave the Rose City at 4am for the 12-and-a-half trip to the drought-hit town.
Bob Hope, who was part of a convoy which took hay and supplies out to Longreach several weeks ago, said only way to get any grasp on the desperation out west was to see it first hand.
RETIRED TRUCKIE DRIVES HELP TO LONGREACH
"You've got to see it to believe it," he said.
"Between Barcaldine and Longreach I saw 54 dead roos in the space of 200m.
"It was like that the whole way - there would have been thousands of them."
DROUGHT HIT LONGREACH TURNS TO WARWICK FOR HELP
Keep up to date with the latest from the Community Disaster Relief Van's trip on www.warwickdailynews.com.au.
