By Emily-Rose Toohey
BlazeAid volunteers have been assisting with property fence repairs region-wide after the devastation of the May floods this year, with members coming from across Australia to help.
Operational since 2009, BlazeAid volunteers rebuild fences in natural disaster-affected regions and have been working on the Southern Downs for that exact reason since 6 June.
Based at the Warwick Showgrounds, camp leader Brad Young said their work was not only in response to the most recent flooding event, but from the last few that have impacted rural properties.
“Farmers got a bit warn out trying to repair to fences after the first couple of times so they decide to ask for some help – that’s where we step in,” Brad said.
He has been volunteering full-time at different BlazeAid camps over the past 15 months and said the Warwick-based team have been tasked with 45 repair jobs.
“We had our original information night where farmers came and registered for assistance and we handed out flyers around town, which people picked up – we’ve been kept us busy,” he said.
But long hours have not deterred them, as volunteers have been travelling to Warwick from every Australian state to join the team.
“Some people are here for a month, some just come volunteering for two weeks,” Brad said.
“There’s one local who does one or two days a week as well.
“There’s BlazeAid camps around Australia – people jump on the website and see which camp they want to go to.”
However, Brad admitted that Warwick has been a bit too cold for some individuals and currently, there are seven working volunteers in town.
“We should be wrapping up by 18 September, there’s only six jobs that we haven’t started and 15 left in total,” Brad said.
“The timeframe depends on the job – it can be one day, or two weeks and we’ve had jobs across the area, from Stanthorpe to out near Pittsworth.”
At the present, Brad said the weather has been making it difficult for volunteers to complete jobs.
“There’s jobs we want to get to but can’t due to the black soil, and we can’t get onto the paddock,” he said.
But to Brad, he gets a lot out of repairing fences and said he sees the farmer’s gratitude and an instant positive change in their attitude.
“Some farmers don’t know where to start and once they see us making a start, it’s a totally different thing for them,” he said.
“To be able to finish a job and get them back on track is great.”
