‘Farmy army’ volunteers needed

Federated Farmers is looking for ‘‘Farmy army’’ volunteers to help its rural community is Southland to clean up after the flooding.

To start with volunteers are needed to clean debris off the fences, with work to start tomorrow.

Federated Farmers Southland vice president Bernadette Hunt said there would be many fences affected.

‘‘There are a lot of farmers around Southland who haven’t been affected by floods who want to help, and this is a way they can.’’

For many farmers affected by the flooding, debris had covered their electric fences and there was an immediate need to get it off, she said.

The electric fences shorted out with debris such as grass and foliage on them, she said.

‘‘Fences that aren’t electric can’t contain stock.’’

Volunteers can register to help on the Federated Farmers Facebook page.

‘‘The farmers have a lot of work to do [after the flooding], if we can focus on this simple thing for them they can get on with other jobs.’’

Southland farms affected by the flooding suffered damage to sheds, culverts, bridges, lanes, water supplies, feed and more, she said.

‘‘There’s a mountain of work for people to do.’’

The high water levels on farms in northern Southland were going down last night but were receding more slowly in southern Southland.

The Feds had mobilised to help farmers get stock back into their paddocks.

The plight of Matt Bradfield and his family featured on Stuff after the Mataura River burst its banks and floodwaters swamped their farm and surrounded their house, near Seaward Downs.

When the dramatic photo of their home surrounded by water circulated, Bradfield said he was considering asking for a rescue helicopter to take them out.

Yesterday he confirmed this was done, with a helicopter landing near the house on Wednesday afternoon and flying the family to the other side of the flooded Mataura River.

Yesterday morning Bradfield and a mate were helicoptered back onto the property so they could milk and feed his cows, then another mate jet-boated them back out again.

The floodwaters had not entered his home but it did enter his garage and caused some damage, he said.