Backpackers brigade

While some producers in further flung regions would be jealous for just a bucket of the rain which flowed through coastal agriculture regions, there are still many who are instead counting their losses, not by the barren paddocks but by the washed away fences.

While producers are in the dark over any plans from the federal government to address the crushing impacts from the flood of cattle rushing into saleyards from drought ravaged properties across Northern Australia, there is some light at the end of the tunnel for victims of the Australia Day floods.

The so-called ‘mud army’ made headlines for its repairs following the Brisbane floods two years ago. Their images adorned front pages and Facebook uploads.

But a new army of volunteers are tramping across rural Queensland providing a much needed helping hand to flood ravaged farmers.

Backpacker volunteers help property owners in the flood clean-up. Click on this image to see more photos in our online gallery.

To date, the Queensland Murray-Darling Basin Committee (QMDC) has conducted repair work across 30 properties surrounding Warwick and Clifton, with a further 45 properties currently either being worked on or requesting future assistance.

Mostly backpackers looking to extend their visas as well as experience some of the true ups and downs of Australian rural life, the volunteers work seven days per week in small packs to clean debris off fences and out of paddocks, erect fences, weed clear weeds and pull fencing wire out of paddocks and creek beds.

The volunteers spend about 1-3 days repairing small properties and 5 to 10 days across large properties and on properties where neighbours share boundary fences.

Many of these backpackers have never been on a farm before.

“When we are travelling through Australia you really end up congregating at the capital cities,” Scottish backpacker Ross McNeil told Queensland Country Life.

“So it is great to be able to get into the country and see parts of Australia we never would have normally gotten to see. Although, I am very mindful that there could be snakes.”

It was on the same property that owner, Hilary O’Leary, surveyed his underwater property in January on the back of a jet boat.

Arriving at his neighbour’s front verandah, he moored his boat on the front stairs and sat on a stool with a beer and discussed the long road the region faced to recovery.

He said he knew the emotional toll from yet another devastating flood path – the third in as many years – could take a greater sum than the financial losses.

“This flood has really hit people hard,” he said.

“After the 2010 and 2011 floods it has been pretty hard for people to get back to work. When you go down and look at the damage you just think to yourself ‘where do I start?

“But when you’ve got the numbers to be able to share the load it is just incredible.”

However, while the efforts of volunteers has been applauded by those farmers assisted, QMDC chair Geoff Penton said there was currently no funding available from state or federal governments which supported the costs associated with accommodating, transporting and feeding volunteers during the flood recovery effort.

As a result, Mr Penton said the QMDC was being forced to use $50,000 from its financial reserves to provide ongoing support for the costs of volunteers.

He said QMDC remained in discussions with the state and federal governments over possible future funding for volunteer programs.

However, Mr Penton said there should be acknowledgement of the “triple bottom line” contribution volunteer support programs provide farming families.

“The volunteers serve not only to clear up the debris and repair the damaged infrastructure, it is also a huge morale boost for farmers to see people willing to come to their properties and lend a hand,” he said.

“Quite often when we talk with the state and federal governments, they are only interested in helping landholders get back into productivity or environmental outcomes. That’s fair enough but one of the biggest things to getting back to productivity is a willingness to tie the boots on again after three or four floods.”

“The role of volunteers is recognised as being fundable, but the governments need to be prepared to put funds into role of volunteers to keep these programs.”