A B-DOUBLE from Burke’s Transport loaded to the hilt with hay sourced from Bathurst will hit the road this morning on a goodwill mission to drought-ravaged Lightning Ridge.
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Graeme Burke’s truck was loaded with the hay earlier this week and this morning will set out for the special delivery.
On board will be 64 round bales of lucerne hay, two bales of silage and two bales of lucerne and rye, for a total of 68 bales.
It’s a mercy dash instigated by Burton Contractors chief John Burton, whose company won the contract for the enormous $85 million upgrade of the Sydney Road at Kelso.
While that monumental road building project continues to forge ahead, the story behind today’s fodder delivery to the far west of the state is indeed one worth telling.
Mr Burton heard about the plight of the farming community at Lightning Ridge in an interview with Sandy Thorne on the Alan Jones radio show last week.
He was moved by the interview with the farmers’ spokesperson in that close-knit community and wanted to do something to try to help.
“We’re working up at Bathurst at the moment and I thought it would be good to be able to source some hay from up their way and send it out to Lightning Ridge,” Mr Burton said yesterday.
“It’s a way of giving something back to the community in your town, but it’s also a small gesture to help those farmers out west who really are doing it tough.
“After some inquiries we were able to buy the hay from Gormans Hill market gardener Michael Cook and then approached transport operator Graeme Burke to deliver the load for us to again keep this in the local economy.
“Mr Burke said he doesn’t normally freight hay, but because this was special he said he’d do the job. He refused to take payment for his part and donated his truck and driver’s services to get the hay to Lightning Ridge. We just have to pay for the hay and the fuel.”
Mr Burton said Burton Contractors is a family-run company, which also includes his sons Paul and Chris, and he would like to thank his staff at Bathurst including Brooke, Amy and Miles and Nicole from their Sydney office for pulling the initiative together in such a short time.
“And Mr Burke’s generous gesture should also not be forgotten,” he said.
If you can help the drought-stricken farmers of the Lightning Ridge district, give their representative Robert Turnbull a call on 6829 0785.