PENOLA and Coonawarra businesses have rallied behind the fire-ravaged Kangaroo Island by donating more than 2000 timber fencing post to farmers.
As the Kangaroo Island community attempts to rebuild from the disaster, efforts have been marred by a shortage of wooden fence posts needed for rural properties.
A cumulative effort between Penola’s Beach Energy, Penley Estate and Merrett Logging has resulted in thousands of the wooden posts being delivered to the community.
Beach Energy regional manager Jon Conti was contacted by Marg Sprigg – the daughter of one of the founders of Beach – asking for help after losing more than 8000 sheep in the late December fires.
After hearing of the family’s tragic losses Beach Energy regional manager Jon Conti contacted Penley Estate and asked for donations and help for the area.
Much to Mr Conti’s surprise, Pentley viticulturalist Hans Loader had already made inquiries of his own and wanted to help the island community.
“When the email came through from Ms Sprigg to one of my colleagues in Adelaide that her and her husband Bill were looking for fence posts I got in contact with Hans Loder to see if he had or knew of anyone who had old fence posts that were looking for a new home,” Mr Conti said.
“Mr Loder had the posts but did not have the staff available to cut the posts or the ability to load them up and transport them to Kangaroo Island.
“We engaged with local contractor Scott Merrett and pulled together the HSE pre-qualification requirements for the job and got under way with the fence post cutting process.”
The cutting of the ends took two days and once stockpiled, they were loaded onto the back of a Merrett Logging post trailer and carted up on an overnight journey to the island by Kevin and Dianne Merrett.
Mr Loder said staff and owners of the popular estate were eager to help those affected by the bushfires.
“We had approached Coonawarra Vignerons to see if there was any regional approach being organised to supply second hand posts to fire affected communities,” Mr Loder said.
“It was around the same time that I was contacted by Beach Energy who was looking for posts with the Kangaroo Island farming family.
“Penley Estate had a stockpile of second hand posts which were suitable for fencing which we were willing to make available to fire affected farmers free of charge.
“Following fires, posts for fencing are an obvious need and given that in the last winter we had been focusing on trellis repairs we had a stockpile we could make available.”
The posts were delivered by the Merrett’s last weekend, with the pair commenting on how grateful the farmers were for their efforts.
Mr Merrett said he was surprised by the attitude of those on the island after the widespread devastation they had endured.
“The farmers we delivered the posts to were so grateful because they are not able to source any anywhere,” Mr Merrett said.
“They are now able to source hay but cannot find any posts for their property.
“They lost everything but wanted to keep going and just wanted to rebuild.
“Everyone had wonderful attitudes and they were fantastic people.”
Once delivered, the posts were sold cheaply to farmers with all proceeds going to the Pardana communmity club rooms for the Western Districts Football Club.
