It’s been used for meetings, parties, wedding receptions and preschool but now Baradine’s Country Women’s Association (CWA) hall has become a grocery store for the region’s farmers.
In 100 days the Baradine CWA Drought Aid Pantry has helped 128 farming families who have been battling the prolonged dry conditions.
In that same period, there has been 948 pantry visits by families and the 23 volunteers who man the shop every day have put in 846 hours.
The pantry has everything that can be found in traditional grocer from flour, to sugar, tea, spaghetti and baked beans as well as fresh produce.
But there is only one rule to access the pantry – you must be a farmer.
Anyone that turns up needs to show their Property Identification Code (PIC) or Australian grain growers identification number.
"It’s getting to the people that truly need it, and that’s our farmers,” Baradine CWA vice president Nea Worrell said, who is also the pantry’s drought coordinator.
Mrs Worrell said the pantry started with 10 boxed hampers in July but what followed next was something the team did not expect.
“We were inundated with groceries from everywhere,” she said.
Firstly, farmers in the immediate Baradine area came to select some items, but as it grew, Mrs Worrell said they were able to continue to widen the circle of ‘clients’.
“It’s got bigger than Ben-Hur, the hall is full,” she said.
But with no money for fuel to deliver the boxes, Mrs Worrell said they set up the hall so families could come and collect their groceries.
She said people were now travelling as far as Walgett, Coonamble and Gulargabone for their weekly shop.
When the pantry is given cash donations, she said the money was turned into vouchers that could be spent in local shops including the hairdressers, mechanics and rural supply stores.
“We are keeping our little town alive and the businesses love it,” she said.
Mrs Worrell said one question the team asked to those using the pantry was whether they were receiving government support.
“We get the same response every time,” she said.
“They tell us they can’t fill in a 50 page document, there is no time to go back and find the documents needed to fill out the government’s paperwork.”
She added everyone battling the drought was exhausted but volunteers always greeted farmers with a cheery smile and a cup of tea.
“It’s a humbling place to volunteer in and the farmers are so very appreciative,” she said.
“The only thing we need now is rain.”
The pantry is open daily from 10am to 1pm.