CFA firetrucks near the Grampians National Park bushfire, prior to Christmas. Photo: CFA
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CFA
Northern Victorian farmers have been assisting their Western District colleagues who have been hit by the Grampians bushfires.
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About 13,000 hectares of farmland has been burnt out by the fires.
The Lions Club’s Need for Feed program has transported 15 truckloads of hay to about 30 farmers in the shires of Southern Grampians and Ararat.
Some of the loads have come from Elmore, Ardmona and Kotupna farmers.
Need for Feed cordinator Graham Cockerell said the volunteer organisation had started delivering truckloads of hay the Saturday after Boxing Day.
“We now need to send about three to four trucks a week to keep up with the demand,” Mr Cockerell said.
“To keep that up, as well as keeping our commitments to the drought-affected South Australians, we are going to need more fodder.”
Hay being loaded at Elmore.
About 1200 sheep perished in the Grampians fire, but thousands more will need nutrition to keep them going.
“It’s either feed or agistment, and it’s going to be hard to find agistment within a reasonable distance,” Mr Cockerell said.
“Some of the sheep couldn’t be moved until they’d been shorn. Shearing started just after New Year’s Day.”
Hay being loaded at Ardmona.
Another volunteer organisation, Blaze Aid, is helping with burnt-out fencing, having set up a temporary camp at Willaura.
Three homes have been so far been confirmed lost in Moyston, a rural farming community on the edge of the Grampians National Park.
Another 11 outbuildings have also been destroyed by the fire across Moyston and Pomonal, which was devastated by fire earlier in 2024.
Hardship payments have become available for people with homes in evacuation areas or who have suffered property damage, via the state and federal-funded Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
A load of hay on its way from Kotupna.
Agriculture Victoria reports that up to Sunday, January 5, surveys have shown livestock losses include 1275 sheep, one horse, one beef cattle and 1285 beehives.
The area of farmland burnt by the fire is 13,538 ha, with 596 km of fencing, 14 sheds, four vehicles and 10,053 ha of pasture.
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