The vehicles were scheduled to pick up their loads of hay in Victoria late on Friday, stay overnight in southern NSW and start the trip to the region early on Saturday.  

The trucks will arrive in the Upper Hunter later this afternoon, unload at various depots around Merriwa and Casillis – and return to their base at the Merriwa Showground.

“It’s a combined effort of Lions clubs in the region,” Ian Langford said.

“This latest hay run follows a number of recent efforts to support drought-affected farmers throughout Australia, including a convoy to Muswellbrook and Scone in June. 

“The Lions’ Need for Feed program has been running since 2006, following the devastating bushfires in Victoria.”

Last month, more than 300 bales of hay – along with numerous hampers and care packages – were distributed all over the Muswellbrook and Upper Hunter local government areas.

Lions and Lionesses from throughout the district, as well as neighbouring zones, also catered for the masses at the Muswellbrook Showground, by supplying dinner and following up with breakfast the next morning.

Need for Feed founder and coordinator Graham Cockerell said he was “really pleased” by the amount of support in the local area.

“We were contacted by the Upper Hunter Lions clubs [about the plight up there] a month or two ago,” he explained.

“So, 10-to-12 trucks dropped off the bales of hay around places such as Scone, Bunnan, Middlebrook, Segenhoe and Rouchel to name a few.

“It was then shared out among landholders who haven’t previously received assistance.

“Some of our drivers travelled more than 2500km to help out on that weekend.”

To find out more about the organisation, visit www.needforfeed.org