Kris Jennings delivers
BEAUDESERT bulk haulage operator, Kris Jennings is making headline news for all the right reasons.
It’s all because he wants to help out desperate farmers recently inundated by massive floodwaters in outback Queensland.
His push to deliver much needed hay supplies to the farmers amazingly blew up in his face when the Department of Primary Industries stopped his truck from leaving the Scenic Rim.
They argued it wasn’t worth the risk to supply hay from within the Red Imported Fire Ant exclusion zone.
The stoush ignited his Facebook account with thousands going online backing his initiative as a great way to help in a time of desperate need.
Eventually government officials relented allowing him to begin much-needed hay drop offs.
Farmers were joined by media from The Western Star when Mr Jennings arrived for the second time in Quilpie with more than 70 bales of hay.
He told reporters he was almost brought to tears when he saw the extent of the destruction.
Coverage of Mr Jennings’ mercy run labelled him the “Truckie with a heart of Gold”.
Speaking to the Beaudesert Bulletin as he was preparing to make his third trip to the region in a week, he said the farmers in the flood zone had no chance to prepare.
“They were told to expect a maximum of 300mm of rain, but it didn’t stop for five days and eventually double the amount predicted flooded an area almost as big as Victoria.
“I’ve never seen anything like that in my life, I don’t know how they are getting up in the morning, but they are and they’re all coming together.
“When I walked around Thargomindah I wanted to cry, I felt like I was in a war zone.”
Mr Jennings said the people that matter in all this are so appreciative – the incredible people of Thargomindah and the farmers in Quilpie.
His mission to continue to help the farmers hasn’t stopped and most recently he led a convoy of five trucks back to Quilpie loaded with hay and fuel.
“I’m exhausted, but my efforts to help them will continue,” he said.
