Good Samaritans ship truckloads of water to desperate farmers struggling through crippling drought
- A convoy of 10 trucks carrying water left Brisbane for drought stricken farmers
- The water was trucked to warehouses in the Granite Belt region of Queensland
- One Nation leader Pauline Hanson who gave her support was onboard one truck
A convoy of Good Samaritan truck drivers have shipped truckloads of water to farmers struggling in the crippling drought.
Rachael Eddy – a concerned truck drivers wife – took it upon herself to organise the much needed shipment in conjunction with Granite Belt Drought Assist.
The ‘Let’s Send Them a Truck Load’ water convoy of 10 trucks headed out from Archerfield near Brisbane on Saturday to deliver their precious cargo of H20 to farmers in the Granite Belt region of Queensland.
Along with an Australian Federal Police escort, on board the convoy was One Nation leader Pauline Hanson who threw her support behind the convoy.
Pauline Hanson was on board a convoy delivering water to drought affected farmers in Queensland on Saturday
The ‘Let’s Send Them a Truck Load’ water convoy of 10 trucks headed out from Archerfield near Brisbane on Saturday
‘You’ve done a fantastic job here today as has everyone who has turned up’ Senator Hanson said on Saturday morning before she boarded one of the trucks.
The water is being warehoused at Stanthorpe where farmers and local families can visit and collect the rations.
The town of Stanthorpe is a major community in the Granite Belt region and one that has been particularly hard hit by the drought.
The town’s water supply is currently at just 17.5 per cent and is expected to completely run out by December.
Residents are now being faced with having to pay a levy to have water shipped in.
This is the second convoy of water Ms Eddy has organised for the region with the first being in September.
The water is being warehoused at Stanthorpe where farmers and local families can visit and collect the rations
‘When I found out how bad the Granite Belt region was doing at the end of August, I put my skills and contacts in the transport industry to the task and took it upon myself to get everyone I know and anyone I could on board’. Ms Eddy said of the first water delivery.
‘Before I knew it we had an amazing group of people behind me and in just 12 days we had 63,000 litres to deliver’.
‘I’m not about to give up… these people need our help… without any good rain predicted soon we need to deliver water to them anyway we can so I am organising a second convoy’.
The water convoy has been praised by members of the community with hundreds taking to Facebook to post comments of support.
‘What a bonza chick you are! I’ve only found out about this in the past 24hrs and am so full of admiration for you, the Truckies, the water donors, the volunteers & Pauline Hanson. What a mighty effort & you guys are fantastic. True Blue Aussies to the core! Well done,’ said one person online.
‘Thank you Rachel and everyone involved. What a great effort for Stanthorpe’.
Ms Eddy said on Saturday evening after the delivery was completed that she was now looking forward to having a rest.
Representatives from Granite Belt Drought Assist helped transport the water to Stanthorpe