It has been a bumper season for sorghum growers and it was a rush against the weather for central Queensland contractors working to harvest 2600 hectares of sorghum for Duaringa farmer Colin Dunne.
For the past 32 years Mr Dunne has employed local contract harvester Nev George, and this year he had three generations of the George family driving the machines.
With Nev nearing his retirement this year, his son Shane, who is also a contractor, and grandson Seth, who is 16, joined forces to make sure the crop was off before the rain arrived.
"Colin is a good bloke and a pleasure to harvest for," Shane said.
"Dad has been working for him for 32 years and I was 12 when I drove my first header on his property."
Mr Dunne said it was very fitting this year to have 16 year-old Seth on a harvester.
"Firstly Nev harvested for my dad John, myself and my boys John and Luke, making it three generations of my family.
"These boys are good contractors and very passionate about their work."
Mr Dunne planted 2600 hectares of sorghum in December alongside 600 hectares of mung beans.
He said the sorghum delivered between two to four tonnes per hectare to average three tonnes overall.
"Some I have forward sold and the balance has been delivered to the depot in Moura," he said
"When it became apparent the rain was on its way, the boys went all out to get it off for me."
Mr Dunne said he received 80 millimetres of rain last week and will plant wheat and chickpeas into 30 to 50mm of sub-soil moisture.
And while Shane runs five headers, all of which are painted green, he won't be buying Nev's red ones when he retires.
"I am a John Deere man and he is definitely a Case IH man," he said.
"This season has been a bumper one and there has been a lot of work, which is great after the past three years... (they) were the worst ever.
"Last year was the first time in 32 years that Colin didn't have a sorghum crop on Sorrell Hills."
To diversify against the drought years, Shane has a tractor and cotton mulcher based at Mungindi, NSW, doing contract work, and runs side-tipper trucks working in the quarries.
His son Seth will finish school at the end of this year and join the business.
"He has been driving headers for two years and loves it, so it will be good to have him onboard as I take on more of Dad's clients," Shane said.
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Helen Walker
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
