BATHURST residents have reached out to help a family struggling after Howards Bridge was destroyed last week.
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Judy Sargeant, a farmer from the Kelso area, was one of several people who went out to the Winburndale Rivulet to deliver hay to the family, who has been isolated in recent days.
Feeling that Box Ridge Road was too dangerous, the group took 15 Lucerne bales as far as they could by car along the The Bridle Track until they got to the rivulet.
“We had to carry them one by one, these very heavy bales, across the river,” Ms Sargeant said.
- WATCH: Carrying the bales through the water.
The family had ordered more hay, but due to the size it had to be left behind.
“They’ve got more hay sitting here, round bales, but I don’t know how we are going to get them across,” Ms Sargeant said.
In addition to delivering the hay on Wednesday, the group also had to deliver a battery pack to the family to get their car restarted so it could be used to collect the hay.
One of the children had to meet the group at the rivulet to receive the battery pack, before walking the three kilometres back to where the car was.
Given the heat, he found the walk tough and quickly became dehydrated, but had to press on.
Ms Sargeant said the family had only lived in the area for two and half years and they were finding the situation particularly difficult.
The mother was alone at the property with her four children when the bridge was destroyed, as her husband has been out of town working.
In addition to feeding stock, the mother is concerned about how she is going to get her children to school in the coming weeks without the bridge.
By delivering hay, Ms Sargeant and the rest of the group hoped it would take some of the pressure of the family.
“I wanted to show them that we are a caring community,” she said.
Ms Sargeant also expected that many of the concerns that particular family had would be shared by others on properties nearby.
“It’s going to be a long road for the people on that side of the river,” she said.
Along with other residents, Ms Sargeant has been speaking to councillors in the hope that more can be done to address the access issue for the residents who have been isolated from the loss of Howards Bridge.