6,000 hay bales have been transported across the Nullarbor to farmers in South Australia. Source: Facebook/Clare Scriven

A convoy of 90 trucks transporting more than 6,000 bales of hay across the outback is a sign the great Australian spirit is very much alive and well. For months, swathes of South Australia's agricultural heartlands have been battling with the driest conditions in decades, with some of the lowest rainfall on record.

To stay afloat, farmers have spent eye-watering amounts of money buying feed or being forced to sell stock. With no signs the drought will break, the sight of a 3km convoy of trucks carrying hay bales is a glimmer of hope.

In one of the largest fodder relief efforts the state has seen, over 6,000 bales are being delivered to livestock producers this weekend, SA's Minister for Primary Industries Clare Scriven said yesterday.

The truckies have travelled from Norseman in Western Australia across the Nullarbor's Eyre Highway to Wudinna. The donation will be distributed to more than 400 farmers in the region.

SA Dairyfarmers' Association president Robert Brokenshire said that if it weren't for the deliveries of hay, many farmers would be facing a knock on the door from the bank, or the prospect of selling off stock.

"It's that tight," he told the ABC. "It's really been exhausting financially and mentally, so the government being behind us and the volunteer organisations … are an absolute saviour."

Thousands of hay bales have been loaded onto trucks to be transported across South Australia. Source: Need for Feed

$2million gift to hard-hit farmers offers lifeline

It's understood the donation was a collaboration between the state government and charities Need for Feed and Farmers Across Borders.

"More than 6,000 bales of donated hay are being delivered to livestock producers on the Eyre Peninsula today thanks to the fantastic work of Need for Feed and Farmers Across Borders, made possible by the State Government’s donated fodder transport subsidy," Minister for Primary Industries Clare Scriven said.

"The Malinauskas Government contributed $2 million to cover the transport costs of the convoy to bring hay from Norseman in WA, across the Nullarbor to Wudinna to be distributed to over 400 farmers.

"To date, more than 16,000 tonnes of fodder have been delivered to nearly 2,000 farmers across SA."

The state government waived all biosecurity inspection fees for importing from interstate — with biosecurity measures still maintained.

The convoy has reached its final destination in the township of Wudinna, but the work is far from over.

The tricks will now split up, taking the fodder in all directions across the state.

"It'll get distributed throughout different parts of South Australia," driver Andrew Linehan told the ABC. "We could end up down the other side into the Adelaide Hills or into the outback areas."

The hay bales are a welcome sign of relief for farmers in South Australia. Source: Facebook/Judy Betts

Western Australian farms are delivering thousands of hay bales to those in need. Source: Need for Feed

It's not the first relief package sent out to farmers in the area, with a similar convoy delivering 2,000 tonnes of hay loaded onto 40 trucks over the King's Birthday weekend.

Leon Hams, a sheep farmer for over 30 years, previously told Yahoo he was “excited” to recently receive 11 bales from Rapid Relief, and that the effort was “very much appreciated” by everyone in the Jamestown area.

The lingering drought forced Hams to sell half of his livestock earlier this year so he could properly care for those animals that remained.

When will the drought end?

These systems have been noticeably absent from South Australia in recent months, and have been replaced with slow-moving high-pressure systems, which bring warm and dry conditions.

Sadly, the Bureau of Meteorology’s long-range forecast predicts rainfall will likely remain below average across southwestern WA, far south-eastern SA, much of Victoria and the alpine region of NSW throughout July.

While there has been rain in the area in recent days, heavy and persistent rain is needed in order to break the drought. There is hope that as we head towards spring, things will change.

This article originally appeared on Yahoo News Australia at https://au.news.yahoo.com/convoys-1500km-dash-across-outback-highlights-desperate-aussie-situation-002004165.html