Waipawa farmer Mark Warren and Auckland events organiser Nathan Addis launched their campaign in the new year and within four days had more than 5000 followers with 800 offers of accommodation from the rural community.
“I think we have broken the Facebook algorithms getting the rapid support we did with no use of advertising to do it,” Addis said.
After launching the Facebook page 20 offers of holiday accommodation came in overnight and extend across almost every corner of the country.
But Addis said logistically there will be challenges ahead once the offers are taken up, given the distances of some places from international airports both here and in Australia.
“There will be families who, if they come here, will need to be accommodated overnight so those challenges will come to light.”
Farmers in New South Wales and Victoria face devastating losses of feed, pasture and animals, with many still unable to access their properties or facing the prospect of burying hundreds of dead animals.
Addis said the holiday offer is something likely to play out in the medium to longer term as farmers come to terms with their losses and finally get a chance to take a break.
He has an Australian friend liaising with authorities there to help farmers keen to take up the offers.
Here in NZ he is hoping to work with Waiau farmer and earthquake emergency co-ordinator Alix Bush who played a central role in working with local and central government after the Kaikoura earthquake.
“We realise we need people on board who have those skills. It’s going to get too big for the two of us.”
Addis said the offers included all manner of accomodation, including a whole motel in the South Island and a high country lodge capable of sleeping 30.
The campaign came out of a conversation between the two men on what they could do to help their Tasman neighbours and they felt it ticked all boxes.
“We do realise it is way too early for Australian farmers to contemplate this yet. There are some awful times to come for them having to euthanase stock and bury those already dead so we have avoided going out to Australia just yet until things are sorted.”
He is optimistic that once corporate businesses restart for the year there will be some companies with trans-Tasman interests prepared to put some cash into the project to aid with transfers and airfares.
The men have also set up at GiveALittle page for donations to the project.
The project can be found on Facebook under NZ farmers offer free accommodation to Aussie farmers from bush fire zones.
