Over the past few months, hotels across Newcastle and the Hunter have dug deep providing more than $150,000 in support to our local farmers doing it tough in the drought.’
Hoteliers have held fundraisers, bought bales of hay, and made donations all in the name of community support.
But when Upper Hunter Council was forced to weigh up the viability of opening the Murrurundi & District Memorial Pool this season, which requires 840,000 litres of water and an expected cost of $50,000 plus around $5,000 per month to keep it topped up and clean, the Royal Hotel & Kitchen at Murrurundi decided to step in.
"It was announced at a Council meeting that due to the provision of water to households, businesses and other services taking priority this season, the local pool was in doubt for the summer,” Royal Hotel operator Jules Cross said.
“The suggestion was to instead provide a bus that would take people to Merriwa or Scone, but that wasn't going to work. It can be far too difficult for parents to always be taking kids on a bus.
"After having a conversation with our parent company Husky Group, which has a fleet of trucks, they agreed to purchase one out in this area. We then went to Council and suggested we provide a truck and driver to bring in the water and keep it topped up, because currently we are on level-six water restrictions."
"We sourced the hay from a local business in Quirindi because while we know all farmers are in need and are deserving of assistance, we wanted to directly help our local community. That's what we are all about..."
In addition to assisting with the provision of water for the local pool, The Royal has also recently donated $5,000 of hay to local farmers.
"We have arranged for our donation of hay to be delivered to farmers located between Timor and here in Murrurundi. We sourced the hay from a local business in Quirindi because while we know all farmers are in need and are deserving of assistance, we wanted to directly help our local community. That's what we are all about," Jules said.