IT has been a difficult dry season for many farmers in the northern and eastern Wheatbelt, and despite the lack of yields this harvest, they are determined to have plenty of community spirit.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
At a time when most growers would typically be harvesting their crops, hundreds of Wheatbelt farmers and community members are expected to make their way to the Kalannie Town Oval on Saturday, November 25 for the Who Stopped the Rain 2017 Wheatbelt Regional Revival concert.
The idea for the event was conceived by Burakin farmers Jack and Viv Brennan and Andrew and Kirsten Tunstill, who formed a committee with several members of the Kalannie community who threw their support behind the idea.
The committee has spent the past few months organising the family event, in the hope it will get people off their farms to forget about the stresses of the season.
Live music from Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band Proud Mary – that includes former members of The Baby Animals – will headline the event, and former Jets member Fenton Oldmeadow will perform with The Johnny Cash Tribute band.
There will also be entertainment from young performers C ‘n’ J Rocking, who at just seven and 10 years of age, won the Youth Award at the Lancelin Buskers Festival.
With tunes such as Who’ll Stop The Rain and Have You Ever Seen The Rain, Mr Brennan said Proud Mary was the perfect fit for the event.
“We thought they were a bloody good band and it would let people forget about farming,” Mr Brennan said.
“The whole show is not just about farmers, it’s about people in the central Wheatbelt – whether it’s the tyre fitter, the cafe owner, the school teacher’s wife or husband, the vet, everybody – everybody else feels it first and the farmers feel it later.
“It’s just to let everybody forget about life and just remind us that we still live in a pretty good place.”
Mr Brennan said it had been a tough year for growers in the region with many not expecting a fruitful harvest.
Wheatbelt Men’s Health has joined the event and will be on site, offering mental health advice.
“I think everybody has a bit of black dog, so Wheatbelt Men’s Health has got involved if anybody wants to come and have a chat,” Mr Brennan said.
“There’s farmers who have put some crop in, but others will leave their headers in the shed.
“In general out in that area north east of Kalannie, there’s thousands of hectares that have been totally sprayed out, most people cut back their programs, a few people didn’t put a crop in and some have had to destock.”
According to the Grains Institute of WA’s (GIWA) latest crop report, areas in the north east Kwinana zone around Kalannie and Beacon have been one of the worst hit regions in the State with very low rainfall.
The report predicts grain deliveries north and east of Koorda and Bencubbin to be very low this harvest and below average for most areas to the east of Merredin.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s Goodlands Station recorded just 152 millimetres of rain to the end of September this year, much of which came after July.
The mean rainfall for the same station for the first nine months of the year is 278mm.
Finishing rains in September and October have made significant improvements to crops in the region, but have come too late for many growers.
Mr Brennan said it was in mid-July, when the season was at its driest, that the organising group decided to hold the event.
He said there had been an overwhelming response to the idea, with immense support from local businesses, surrounding shires and agricultural companies including the CBH Group.
“We were going to do it last year because of the frost so this year when everybody said let’s do something, we brought the subject up again and it’s gone from there,” Mr Brennan said.
“We got on the phone the next day and just rang up local businesses and the surrounding towns and everybody just jumped on it, the support has been fantastic.
“The Kalannie community has just been unreal along with the Dalwallinu Shire – when we needed a place to hold it they jumped on board and have allowed us to use all of the local facilities, it’s been really great.
“It’s not a fundraiser, but if there’s any finance left over it will go back into local community organisations.”
The concert is open to all ages, with the gates open at 5pm.
Camping is available in town, as well as free buses to and from the surrounding shires of Koorda, Beacon, Wongan Hills, Dalwallinu and Dowerin.
Plenty of food and drinks will be on sale at the concert and breakfast will be available on Sunday for those who camp.
The event is strictly no BYO, but attendees are encouraged to take their own picnic rugs and chairs.
The concert is free for children and $20 for adults.
For more information or to book tickets, go to trybooking.com/RXNS or head to the event Facebook page.
