Our team, consisting of 16 volunteers and 10 patrol vehicles, set out to Bingara to see how they could help. Wasting no time, the team was split up across five properties, making use of a diverse range of skills.
“Our purpose was to offer hope, support and provide a helping hand in a time of need,” volunteer Britt explained.
"The farmers are always hesitant to share work they would like done with us at first.
"But, once the team has been onsite for a few hours, the conversations start, and the relationships build, then a couple more jobs get added to the list."
Some volunteers with technical expertise repaired machinery, while others tackled more general tasks, such as clearing garden beds and vegetable patches.
The results were impressive, with a entire garden patch completed and work started on a second, and several pieces of machinery, including a Mercedes-Benz cattle mover truck and a tractor, brought back to life.
Not only was the team able to help around the properties, they were also able to lend a hand on the home front as well. Team members helped clear out a shed for local woman Irene, enabling her family to come to Bingara for an Easter celebration.
The team swept floors, removed wasp nests, and did whatever was needed to ensure a comfortable stay for Irene's grandchildren and their parents, who live in different parts of the world.
Having just undergone hip surgery and finding upkeep of her property almost impossible, Irene's appreciation for the volunteers and the experience could not be understated:
