Army in flood relief operations DPR/TV/1383

Regular Army and CMF soldiers have air-dropped more than 40,000 bales of hay to stock, stranded in flooded areas, west of Moree, since the beginning of last month. The soldiers involved in the operation are members of Air Despatch units of the Royal Australian Army Service Corps. Air-dropping of fodder is also taking place in the Dubbo area, covering the Namoi Valley and Gwydir River districts. From Moree Airport, Air Despatch teams, in RAAF Hercules aircraft are flying up to five two-hour sorties a day. On each sortie 300 bales are dropped to feed some 107,000 sheep and 12,500 cattle, which are surrounded by flood-drenched marshes. The operations are co-ordinated by Civil Defence Authorities over the 3,000 square mile Water Course district, which has been divided into 13 dropping areas. Sorties are scheduled to supply stock every third day. The main force of Air Despatchers, from the 186th Air Despatch Company at Wallgrove have been aided by 23 volunteer CMF Air Despatchers from the 38th and 39th Air Despatch Platoons, based at Richmond and Randwick. Property owners, agents, and local residents have helped in the operations by locating drop zones from the air. A Sioux helicopter, fitted with floats, and a fixed-wing Pilatus Porter Aircraft - both from the Army's 16th Aviation Squadron at Oakey, Queensland - flew evacuation and food supply sorties at the height of the flooding. The airdrops are expected to continue for another two months.