Burrumbuttock hay runners convoy manager Mark Lavery Credit:Burrumbuttock Hay Runners/Facebo "I want all those farmers who come in and get hay and all those people who brought such good will to this area to turn up and voice their opinion. "All those businesses in Longreach that are voicing their opinions, come along. "Let's have it out because I am over it, it is pretty annoying. "So bring it on, let's get it on the way."

The forum comes after a public meeting was held on April 12 at Longreach that addressed how the donated goods could be better distributed Longreach Mayor Ed Warren said. "The public meeting was not for the hay run, it was specifically addressed to concentrate on how the communities can be of better assistance to charitable organisations and individuals and groups like the hay runners," he said. "How we can better interact with them and work together and make sure the hay and goods are better distributed. "It was reported that it was about the businesses being affected by the hay run, well that is not true, no."

Cr Warren said the four-year-long drought was hurting everyone and said rumours of people on-selling hay was damaging to the community. "Business has been hurting long before, this drought has been going on for four years and things are getting tougher and tougher and people are running out of money and businesses are going to feel the effects of that," he said. "The people who own businesses rely on rural people doing their business in the community. "I have heard rumours that they are on-selling hay that was being given to people by the hay run, these things have been investigated by the police. "There is always in a community a small group that spoil the situation."

The last run to Ilfracombe finished up last week and saw a few hairdressers and masseurs travel up to Ilfracombe to offer their services, which disrupted one Longreach hairdresser who said she was upset with the disruption to her business. "They're missing that one haircut, which at the end of the day if you've got 40 [haircuts], like there was in Ilfracombe last week ... it starts to impact all three of the hairdressers in town," Sandie Tanks told ABC. "At the end of the day when the drought breaks we all still need to be here." Burrumbuttock Hay Runners convoy manager Mark Lavery, who has been on 10 of the 11 runs so far, said it "cut to the bone" hearing locals were upset with their donations. "There has been a small minority that think the town has been hard done by, but there is always a small minority," he said.

"When we have gone out of our way to help and spare a bit of good will and then to cop any kind of backlash hits a raw nerve. "Unfortunately this bit of backlash has taken the shine off it." Mr Lavery said the donations were not about trying to save the businesses in town but rather to show those farmers affected by drought there were people out there who cared. "The whole thing is not about solving the drought, it's not about pumping money into town, it is about goodwill to the farmers to help and make them realise that at least someone gives a damn," he said. At the end of the day we can't solve the drought, it is just a goodwill thing that is done by a growing group of volunteers.

"Most of our theory behind the whole thing has been that if we can stop one farmer from selling his farm and walking away from it, or worse, we have done our job. "We can't fix anything, all we can do is put them on the right frame of mind, even if it's only for a week but every little bit helps and at least we are trying to do something." Mr Lavery said hundreds of drivers travel through the town every couple of months and inject money into the towns. "I know myself, the first trip up there I took my wife and two children and we went to the hall of fame and the QANTAS museum, had lunch in town and spent a night in town," he said. "A lof the towns you drive through, you are pretty hard person if it doesn't bring a tear to your eye."