How amazing - 5 Bales of hay - 3 Tonnes! So generous.
Save SA Farmers' Livestock - Giant Hay Bales appeal
A pause in deliveries is likely
[ This article last updated - Wednesday 23rd April 2025 ]
As PIRSA-funds allocated to cover freight for our hay deliveries come to an end, we will be participating in a tender process to hopefully access a new freight contract with the state government.
Our fundraising to purchase more high quality hay has been going very well and we're hoping to continue deliveries sooner rather than later.
We’ve been encouraged by PIRSA's recent praise for our professionalism and efforts, but at this time we have only sufficient funding to freight another five or six truckloads.
We've entered Easter feeling as if we too, have been crash tackled to the ground like our magnificent farmers.
For all farmers who have registered and are still waiting, we'll reach out to you soon to keep you informed. Please understand that Rotary and Farmers Relief Agency remain fully committed to getting hay to you.
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Farmers across South Australia, particularly in the mid-North region, are in desperate straits trying to find enough food to feed their Sheep, Cattle, Horses and more.
Food is running out! Animals are starving. Suffering. Dying. The drought has hit hard!
Rotary, with your help donating, has a way to get hundreds of first grade! huge Round Hay Bales at a crazy discounted price of $110 (current RRP ranges between $170 and $300) from Victorian farmers wanting to assist their SA compatriots, as we were able to assist them last year. BTW - all donations from $2 and up are Tax Deductible by clicking on the Donate buttons or scanning the QR code on this page.
The Government of South Australia, Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) has already committed to paying the Freight costs for Truckies transporting the Hay to S.A. Rotary is so grateful for this commitment!
Hence, Rotary's focus is to raise funds to buy the Hay. Rotarians are volunteers, so the money we raise goes straight to this purpose, it's not burnt up in wages.
Of note, South Australian grain producers' crops for 2024 were identified as being on average 93% below normal yield. The drought has hit S.A. hard, with our local back-up supply of hay and grain dwindling.
Rotary has been approached to partner with Farmers Relief Agency Ltd and others, to get these Bales of Hay to local farmers.
Every $3,520 we raise purchases 32 Bales - which means another full truck can head to South Australia. See the photo on this page showing one of the trucks being loaded.
SUMMARY
$ 27.50 donation
= 1 Quarter of a Hay Bale - 150kg
$ 55 donation
= 1 Half of a Hay Bale - 300kg
$ 110 donation
= 1 Whole Hay Bale - 600kg
$ 3,520 donation
= 1 truck load of 32 Bales - 19.2 Tonnes
$ 88,000 raised
= 25 truck loads - 800 Bales - 480 Tonnes
$ 176,000 raised
= 50 truck loads - 1,600 Bales - 960 Tonnes ... etc
<< CORRECTION - 8 March 2025 >> We originally told everyone that farmers would receive standard round bales weighing 270kg each. Instead, farmers have been receiving over DOUBLE what they expected - 600kg per bale. What we did not realise was that our bales from Victoria have been packed with a new, high density method, over doubling the volume of hay in a round. Not a bad problem to have! So in effect, we are doubling our hay deliveries :-) We were wondering why our farmers were smiling so much!
Any amount you can afford to donate to offer to help us raise our target will be greatly appreciated, not only by Rotary, but the animals of the farmers you are supporting.
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DONATE ONLINE - Tax Deductible Receipt Issued
https://donations.rawcs.com.au/42-2024-25
Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) (our Club's path for collecting Donations) is a registered charity with the Australian Government ACNC and ATO. Donations are Tax Deductible. We are grateful for RAWCS' charitable commitment to support all 80+ Rotary Clubs in South Australia plus all other Clubs across Australia.
Please note : 94.5% of all Donations go directly to our project. Our Rotarians running the project are volunteers - so no wages are paid to make our drought relief project happen.
The small 5.5% fee RAWCS does deduct from donations is needed to cover a range of genuine out of pocket costs. They're minimal. But you can't run anything for free these days.
Please do not be dissuaded by this fee. Be comforted that virtually all of your donation will be feeding livestock FAST + the remainder will do future good.
Donate Online Here :
https://donations.rawcs.com.au/42-2024-25
Thank You!
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For more information or to make a donation,
please contact Rotary Adelaide Central Vice President
Bill Marles on 0410 523 106 or
email him at Hay@RotaryAdelaideCentral.org.au
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Track Our Trucks and Deliveries
TRUCKS 23 to 25 left Victoria on Thursday 17th April, bound for 6 Farms across Mount Torrens, Cudlee Creek, Mount Pleasant, Williamstown and Karoonda - with deliveries likely on Easter's Good Friday. A further 96 Bales equating to 57.6 Tonne of Hay between them.
This will make a total of 800 Bales ... 480 Tonne of Hay supplied so far.
TRUCKS 21 & 22 left Victoria on Tuesday 8th April, delivering Wednesday 9th April ... one Truck delivering to two more farmers east of the Clare Valley (Robertstown) up into the mid north close to Peterborough (Yongala) ... and the second truck making two drops close to the Riverland town of Waikerie (Maggea and New Well). Another 64 Bales equating to 38.5 Tonne of Hay.
TRUCKS 19 & 20 left Victoria on Tuesday 2nd April ... one Truck delivering to two more farmers in Pekina (close to Orroroo). This will mean we've helped 6 Farms in total in this one farming area.
A second truck is making two drops near Hamilton (just north of Kapunda). One farmer has been a sheep breeder for 40 years and has had to sell half his flock. The other has reduced her stock to 200 breeding ewes all about to lamb this month.
4 more Farms in South Australia's mid-North in total assisted, with 64 Bales between them.
TRUCKS 17 & 18 are leaving Victoria today, Thursday 27 March. One Truck will deliver to two farmers in Pekina (close to Orroroo in the Mid North) by Saturday 29th, and a second truck is making two drops near Murbko (between Blanchetown and Morgan on the Murray River). 4 Farms in total assisted with 64 Bales between them.
TRUCKS 15 & 16 left Victoria Saturday 22nd March. One Truck delivered to two farmers in Walloway in the Mid North on Sunday 23rd, and the second truck to one farm near Peterborough and a second farm in Orroroo. 4 Farms in total assisted with 64 Bales between them.
TRUCKS 13 & 14 left Victoria Wed 19 March. Delivered Thurs 20th.
1 truck to farmers in Karoonda, the second to Palmer and Mount Torrens. All have had failed crops for the last two years and have no feed or hay reserves. One farmer has 280 white suffolk sheep, which is a unique genetic breed developed here in SA.
In Mount Torrens we are heading to both a dairy farm and beef cattle station. The lack of feed is now affecting milk production, which will have flow on effects to households in South Australia. Five farmers will be supported this trip.
TRUCK 12 left Vic on Fri 14 March - bound for 2 farms in Melrose & Wilmington in the southern Flinders Ranges! Delivered on Saturday 15 March. Between trucks 10 to 12, another 96 hay bales, weighing 57.6 Tonnes.
TRUCK 11 left Vic on on Fri 14 March to help 2 farming families arround Carrieton in the mid-North! Delivered on Sat 15 March. 32 Bales.
TRUCK 10 left Vic on on Fri 14 March to help 2 Farming Families around Wilcherry at the top of the Eyre Peninsula! Delivery on Sunday 16 March. 32 Bales. 19.2 Tonnes of hay.
TRUCK 9 left Vic on Mon 10 March - bound for Stockwell & Towitta in the mid-North! Delivered on Tues 11 March. 34 Bales. 20.5 Tonnes of hay.
TRUCK 8 left Vic on Mon 10 March - bound for Brinkworth & Nelshaby & Truro in the mid-North! Delivered on Tues 11 March. 34 Bales. 20.5 Tonnes of hay.
TRUCK 7 left Victoria on Tues 4 March - bound for Ponde & Sandalwood in the south-East! Delivered on Wed 5 March. 18 Bales. 6 Farms assisted between Trucks 5 to 7.
TRUCK 6 left Victoria on Tuesday 4 March - bound for Robe and Mt. Benson in the south-East! Delivery on Wednesday 5 March. 16 Bales.
TRUCK 5 left Victoria on Tuesday 4 March - bound for Robe and Nora Creina in the south-East! Delivery on Wednesday 5 March. 14 Bales.
TRUCK 4 left Victoria on Tuesday 25 February - bound for Eurelia in the mid-North! Delivered Wednesday 26 February. 128 Bales in total to date!
TRUCK 3 left Victoria on Tuesday 25 February - bound for Willawie in the mid-North! Delivered Wednesday 26 February.
TRUCK 2 left Victoria on Tuesday 25 February - bound for Pekina in the mid-North! Delivered Wednesday 26 February.
TRUCK 1 left Victoria on Monday 24 February - bound for Orroroo in the mid-North! The first 32 Bales on the way. Delivered Tuesday 25 February.
Meet this gorgeous little Angus X Heifer 'Harriet' (with her spell binding Lightening bolt tattoo) She was born on 24 March 2025, and probably didn't expect to pop out to such arid land. But this is a major problem that Rotary is trying our hardest to address - helping farmers to not be forced into De-Stocking at a time that demand is low, along with the sale prices. Farmers are trying to stay viable, not just for this year - but for the years ahead! And THAT will affect the prices we pay at our local markets in 2026 / 2027 / 2028!!!
A late afternoon delivery to farms in South Australia's mid-North had animals running for a feed when they smelt beautiful fresh hay on the farm.
Tues 11 March - this truck rolled into a farm in Brinkworth with 32 bales on board. Each bale weighing 600kg. Thanks to Penny Pratt MP and Rotary Port Pirie for visiting this delivery!
A convoy of 3 Trucks carries 96 bales of Hay for grateful animals! < click photo for enlargement >
We are a family of 9 with 3,000 Merino sheep (for high quality wool), based on 24,000 acres at Murbko. Our challenges: Feeding the sheep; Making ends meet; Providing the needs of our sheep; Wondering how we can afford crutching in a month ... followed by shearing at the beginning of spring. Needing to sell sheep, but can't due to weight, price, and many not buying due to lack of feed.
Tues 11 March 2025 - unloading our truck load to Brinkworth - mid North South Australia.
Our Hubby and wife trucking team (right) drive the Escort Car and Lead Truck in our convoys of 3 Trucks. More happy farmers with hay bales in hand!
John and Abbie from Kimba in the States' northern Eyre Peninsula have been hit hard also. They've herded their sheep into pens to feed them by hand, because they've barely a blade of grass on their expansive farm for the grazing. We're delighted to say John and Abbie will receive their hay Saturday 14 March! :-)
DONATE online. Tax Deductible. Every little bit helps us keep animals alive. Thank you.
This cow was so hungry, he couldn't wait for the Semi-Trailer to be unloaded! < click photo for enlargement >
South Australian farmers often come to the trucks as they arrive in their district to collect bales to take back to their properties .. more than once me might have noticed a tear in their eyes! < click photo for enlargement >
As fast as bales hit the farms, the herds come running for a feed < click photo for enlargement >
A Farmer's Story: "Current challenge is we had a year of barely any rain so we weren't able to harvest any of our sown crops and had no stubbles to be able to put the sheep onto so starting to bare out paddocks and hand feeding them. We also had a storm last year that damaged our hay shed and we haven't been able to have it replaced yet. So any hay we have is being stored at my brother-inlaws place and I transport it from there when needed. The bores are also drying up and can't keep up with the sheep so we are moving them to an ajistment for a few months. Hoping that in the mean time we can work towards having more storage to be able to cope with consecutive dry seasons."
32 Giant Hay Bales fill one truck. Here's a truck ready to hit the road right now. < click photo for enlargement >