Farming of compassion | Northern Rivers News | Local News in Northern Rivers

Marsha | 26th November 2009

Recent arrivals to Woombah from drought-stricken NSW, Christine and Bill Cameron, are helping to collect Christmas hampers for needy families.

IN drought-stricken NSW, the livestock come first.

That’s the way it has to be when you rely on those cattle for your living and don’t have a wage coming in.

There are no treats for the kids, no luxuries for the women and depression is common.

Christine and Bill Cameron were lucky enough on their 39,500 acre cattle and wheat property at Collarenebri to draw a wage. Although times were hard, they were the lucky ones.

“I worked in a bank for a while and you could see the farmers come in asking for another overdraft and often leave with tears in their eyes,” Christine said.

In the mid-1990s, a Clunes woman, Anne Thompson, started collecting Christmas hampers for drought areas in NSW. The Camerons helped distribute them to the most in need.

“It was a hard job and you could see the dignity as you handed the hamper out,” Christine said. They would skirt around the problem by saying, ‘oh, so and so isn’t home down the road, can you take the damn thing so we can get rid of it’.

The Camerons moved to Woombah three months ago. Bill still goes back out west once a month to hand feed the livestock on the property, with his son.

“They had a pretty good year last year but we’ve been supplementary hand feeding our stock since September and we need rain desperately,” Bill said.

They’re keen to stay in touch with the communities that are doing it tough and to help Anne Thompson continue her crusade, giving a little bit of relief at Christmas time.

“Families come to visit out there for Christmas and the strain on just a few extra people for a day or so is a lot,” Christine said.

“Even necessary items like toothpaste are a luxury to some.”

The North Coast Drought Appeal this year is focusing on the south-west regions of NSW.

It aims to deliver more than 400 hampers to farmer families in need this Christmas.

A cheque or money order can be made out to: Bangalow Lions Drought Appeal, PO Box 560 Maclean.

Items for hampers can be dropped off to:

• Yamba Treelands Drive
• Community Centre.
• Iluka Bowls Club.
• Grafton District Services Club, and the Community Centre.

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