{"id":131296,"date":"2016-01-11T23:07:07","date_gmt":"2016-01-11T13:07:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=131296"},"modified":"2020-10-30T10:29:20","modified_gmt":"2020-10-30T00:29:20","slug":"we-dont-know-how-lucky-we-are","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/01\/11\/we-dont-know-how-lucky-we-are\/","title":{"rendered":"‘We Don’t Know How Lucky We Are’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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One of the Gleich Contracting trucks rounded up and ready to roll!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The drivers were asked to show some Aussie pride … and Paul Gleich obliged<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

January 12, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

A record-breaking hay convoy to drought-stricken farmers in western Queensland had a South Burnett flavour at the weekend … with local businesses supporting the run, local drivers taking part, and local cooks baking up some tasty treats to also head out west.<\/p>\n

Paul Gleich, from Murgon-based Gleich Contracting, donated two road-trains to the Burrumbuttock Hay Run.<\/p>\n

Paul and employee Michael Ferguson each drove a rig carrying the much-needed feed.<\/p>\n

The Burrumbuttock Hay Run was organised by NSW wheat and sheep farmer Brendan Farrell.<\/p>\n

This is the 10th run that Brendan has organised since 2013 but the first that has crossed into Queensland.<\/p>\n

And it attracted a record number of trucks\u00a0 … a total of 124 prime movers, towing a total of 160 trailers.<\/p>\n

The hay run began at Darlington Point in the Riverina on Thursday morning and headed via Cobar, Bourke, Barringun, Cunnamulla, Charleville, Blackall and Barcaldine to Ilfracombe.<\/p>\n

Barringun? The tiny town on the Queensland side of the border hosted the convoy on Thursday night, feeding the drivers and making them feel very welcome.<\/p>\n

The convoy then headed on north where they reached Ilfracombe about 7:00pm on Friday.<\/p>\n

The Gleich Contracting trucks joined the convoy at Bourke after being loaded at Wee Waa.<\/p>\n

As the Burrumbuttock Hay Run trucks passed through towns in NSW and Queensland, people lined the streets and cheered the drivers on.<\/p>\n

At Ilfracombe, distribution of the hay was organised by Jenny Todd, from Aramac – a familiar face to many South Burnett residents from her years with Kingaroy Shire Council and Tarong Energy.<\/p>\n

Paul admits that when the trucks finally rolled into the Ilfracombe Racecourse to unload, the reality of what they had just done really hit home.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Blokes like to say they’re tough but there were tears in my eyes, I can tell you,” he said.<\/p>\n

Paul spent Saturday helping to unload the hay bales, and then on Sunday helped to reload them onto farmers’ trucks.<\/p>\n

“We unloaded just shy of 5000\u00a0 bales on Saturday and reloaded 4000 on Sunday,” Paul said.<\/p>\n

The bales were destined for all over western Queensland, including bales reloaded onto one of Paul’s trucks to head out to Winton.<\/p>\n

More than 260 farmers received assistance.<\/p>\n

Paul said he thought it was more than the hay that had helped to raise spirits.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“I think they didn’t realise how many people care about them,” he said.<\/p>\n

“Some of the stories are heartbreaking.<\/p>\n

“There was a husband and wife and two kids in a body truck. I was talking to them through the window as I was loading the hay.<\/p>\n

“The 3\u00bd-year-old had never seen rain. Pointing at the wipers, he asked what are these things on the windscreen?<\/p>\n

“We don’t know how lucky we are.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

He said he had heard about previous Burrumbuttock Hay Runs but when he learned this one was going to Queensland he volunteered to help “in a heart beat”.<\/p>\n

“There was no question about it, we were going to help out.”<\/p>\n

Paul said he would like to thank Seilers Transport and Ken Mills Toyota who donated fuel towards the run.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“To run just one truck takes about 2000 litres. Seilers donated 500 litres and Ken Mills donated 200 litres which was a huge help,” he said.<\/p>\n

Paul’s sister-in-law Kristy Frahm also organised Baked Relief to accompany the convoy.<\/p>\n

At short notice, she approached South Burnett cooks from Maidenwell to Durong who quickly started baking.<\/p>\n

“We took 130 parcels of food out, too,” Paul said.<\/p>\n

“That was also muchly appreciated!”<\/p>\n

[Photos: Paul Gleich and Kristy Frahm]<\/strong><\/p>\n