The agricultural science students from Charles Sturt University (CSU) were so impressed by the work being done by Brendan Farrell and the Burrumbuttock Hay Runners that they have started fundraising. Wagga students Naomi Bernthaler and Toni Brown have raised about $1700 so far in raffles and sausage sizzles and they are not planning to stop any time soon.

Miss Bernthaler of Harden and Miss Brown of Temora are juggling their university commitments with a high-energy campaign to gather funds for the hay run.  “I had no idea about the hay run until I was working in Griffith, for the harvest, and I saw them leaving with a load from Darlington Point,” said Miss Bernthaler. In fact, it was watching the camaraderie between farmers and seeing the Australian bush spirit that ignited a desire to simply help out.

“I did a bit of research and found out what I could do to help,” Miss Bernthaler said. “The amount of support shown by the community, and to see how thankful the farmers were, has made it all so worth it,” she said. 

So far the students have organised a sausage sizzle at Bunnings, where they worked together with South Wagga Lions Club. 

And they backed up the sausage sizzle success by selling raffle tickets. 

Miss Bernthaler said the role of raising awareness of the hay drive  – which has been running for eight years – was extremely important too.