Local heroes: How Liberty Rural drivers go the extra mile during harvest season
When the alarm sounds at 3:47 AM on a Tuesday morning in March, most of regional Australia is still fast asleep. But for Mark Chen, a Liberty Rural fuel tanker driver based out of our Dubbo depot, this early morning call represents something much bigger than just another delivery - it's a lifeline for a farming family racing against time and weather to bring in their harvest.
The voice on the other end belongs to Sarah Watson, a fourth-generation wheat farmer whose family operation spans 2,000 hectares near Gilgandra. Her harvester has been running non-stop for 16 hours, but with storm clouds building on the horizon and fuel running dangerously low, every minute counts. "We've got maybe six hours before the weather hits," Sarah explains to Mark. "If we don't get this paddock finished today, we're looking at potential crop damage that could cost us the season."
Without hesitation, Mark springs into action. Within 30 minutes, he's loaded his tanker and begun the 45-minute drive through winding rural roads, navigating in the pre-dawn darkness with the kind of local knowledge that only comes from years of serving the same communities. He arrives just as the sun crests the horizon, finding the harvester exactly where Sarah said it would be - three kilometres into a paddock accessible only by farm tracks that would challenge most city drivers.
Local expertise you can rely on – Liberty Rural drivers preparing for another day serving regional communities.
Going beyond the call
But Mark's story isn't unique at Liberty Rural. It's woven into the fabric of who we are as local people serving our communities. Just last harvest season, our Griffith-based driver Jenny Morrison received an emergency call from a cotton farmer whose irrigation pump had run out of fuel during a critical watering cycle. The timing couldn't have been worse – it was Melbourne Cup day, and most businesses were closed for the public holiday.
"The cotton was at a crucial growth stage," Jenny recalls. "Missing even 12 hours of irrigation could have meant significant yield loss." Despite it being her day off, Jenny coordinated with our depot manager to arrange an emergency delivery, ensuring the farmer's irrigation system was back online before any damage occurred.
These aren't isolated incidents – they're emblematic of the relationships our drivers build with the farming families they serve. When drought hit the Riverina hard in 2019, our Wagga Wagga team worked around the clock to ensure farmers had access to fuel for stock watering and essential operations, often delivering to properties they'd never serviced before because their regular suppliers couldn't meet demand.
Local knowledge makes the difference
What sets our drivers apart isn't just their willingness to respond to emergencies – it's their deep understanding of agricultural cycles and the unique challenges facing regional communities. They know that harvest season isn't just about collecting grain; it's about capturing the culmination of a year's worth of planning, investment, and hope.
Our driver Tom Bradley, who's been with Liberty Rural for eight years servicing the Mallee region, puts it simply: "I've watched kids grow up on these farms, seen families weather droughts and celebrate bumper seasons. When they call, it's not just business – these are our neighbours, our community."
This local connection extends beyond individual farms. During last year's harvest, our Parkes depot coordinated deliveries to ensure the local grain receival sites had adequate fuel supplies during peak delivery periods, preventing costly delays for dozens of farming operations in the region.
Early morning on-farm diesel delivery by Liberty Rural keeping agricultural operations running smoothly across regional Australia.
More than fuel delivery
These stories reflect Liberty Rural's broader commitment to regional Australia. The same drivers who make emergency harvest deliveries are often the ones volunteering at local football clubs we sponsor, or lending a hand during community events. It's this integration into the fabric of rural communities that makes us more than just a fuel supplier – we're invested neighbours who understand that when farming succeeds, the entire community thrives.
As this harvest season approaches, our drivers are already preparing for the inevitable early morning calls, the emergency runs, and the moments when going the extra mile means the difference between a successful harvest and a devastating loss.
Because at Liberty Rural, we don't just deliver fuel - we deliver peace of mind, reliability, and the assurance that when you need us most, we'll be there. That's what being local people going the extra mile really means.
Need reliable fuel delivery for your operation? Contact your local Liberty Rural depot or call 1300 383 563. Our local teams are standing by to support your harvest success.