A LOT of things have been said about Brendan Farrell.
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But he doesn’t care much for talk. For him, it’s about actions.
The Riverina farmer, from Stanbridge, between Griffith and Leeton, is becoming well known up and down NSW and Queensland through his charity work with Burrumbuttock Hay Runners.
He wants struggling farmers to know people care for them.
On Thursday morning his 10th charity hay run begins an 1860km drive from Darlington Point to Ilfracombe, taking thousands bales of donated hay to farmers in central west Queensland who are struggling through the worst drought in more than 100 years.
If ever there was doubts about the value of mateship in Australian society, then Mr Farrell sets things straight.
He could be that Australian character who has been captured in song, film, pictures and writing.
Mr Farrell believes helping others in tough times is the Australian thing to do.
We see it best when things get tough.
Neighbours and strangers alike offer help when it is needed, not because they want recognition but because someday they might need a helping hand.
Mr Farrell is not alone, hundreds of other everyday Australians have joined him.
All the trucks and trailers – and tractors to load and unload them – have been donated, drivers have donated their time, thousands of dollars have been donated to fuel trucks and drivers.
Staff from Goolgowi General Store will travel an hour south to provide egg and bacon rolls before Oakland’s John Doyle leads the trucks out of the Darlington Point Golf Club grounds at 6.30am Thursday.
Fuel and catering companies, service clubs and individuals have all chipped in to feed and entertain drivers.
Chinchilla-based Drought Angels co-founder Natasha Johnston has been impressed by Mr Farrell’s can-do approach .
"He just gets in and gets the job done, and like us, we just want to help the farmers and can't be bothered with the red tape the government dishes out,” Mrs Johnston said on Monday.
"We'll just do our own thing and help out, if we waited for the government to do it we'd starve to death."
Mateship and a fair-go ethos is second nature for Mr Farrell, Mrs Johnston and thousands like them. It is comforting to know we are in empathetic hands.