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Free P&O cruises for some of Australia’s drought-stricken farmers

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Some drought-stricken farmers will get a brief holiday aboard P&O Cruises Australia’s Pacific Explorer
P&O Cruises Australia has set aside 85 cabins across two separate four-night cruises aboard Pacific Explorer and Pacific Dawn from Sydney and Brisbane in December to give hard-pressed farmers and their families a break from the crippling drought in New South Wales and Queensland.

New South Wales, which produces about a quarter of Australia’s agricultural output, was officially listed as ‘100% in drought’ last week and Queensland has 57% of drought-declared land. 
 

Proud to support Rural Aid

 
Sture Myrmell, president of P&O Cruises Australia and Carnival Australia, said the company is proud to be working in partnership with Rural Aid which is running a ‘Buy-a-Bale’ campaign and coordinating massive convoys of trucks carrying desperately needed feed to stricken livestock.
 
‘We know from Rural Aid that the physical and emotional toll of such a severe and prolonged drought on rural communities is enormous and that many farmers have not had a break in years,’ Myrmell said.
 
‘Whilst we’re moving thousands of tonnes of hay for our farmers through our Buy-a-Bale programme, this offer from P&O Cruises will equally bring mental relief to our farmers stressing about their animals, but also their own situation,’ Rural Aid ceo Charles Alder said.
 
Rural Aid will nominate farmers for the cruises in both states and Alder said it is arranging for volunteers with ‘farm-sitting’ experience ‘to help allow these farmers to get away and know their farms are in good hands.’