2010 Flying Doctor Outback Car Trek
- RFDS Section: RFDS South Eastern Section
- Date of Event: 6 Jun 2010 - 12 Jun 2010
- Time of Event: All day and night
- Location of Event:
For information about this year's Outback Car Trek from Hay to Hamilton island click here.
20th Anniversary success for 2009 Outback Car Trek
Initial figures show that over $1.3 million was raised for the 2009 Trek.
Over 100 Trek cars (all built prior to June 1971), 30 “support” and 16 “official” 4-wheel drive vehicles were at the start line in Grafton on Wednesday 3 June for the epic ten day, 4850 kilometre drive to Darwin. Over 350 people in total, about to descend on the Outback of Queensland and the Northern Territory. It must be remembered that in addition to the amount raised by the Trek entrants, tens of thousands of dollars are left in many towns along the route. Imagine Isisford in central Queensland, with a permanent population of 350 people, suddenly having their population increase by 100 per cent. Dinner, breakfast, petrol, two pubs and the local shops all benefit by the arrival of the Trek. Participants in the Outback Car Trek have donated over $14 million to the RFDS in the past 19 years.
Grafton to Kingaroy – 596 kms
The first car was waved off at 7-30 AM – a Dodge Kingsway Coronet driven by regular Trekker Norman Rydge and his wife Loreeta.
This year’s Trek included six Mustangs, a handful of Dodges and Chevrolets, a Rambler, a De Soto Firesweep, five Mercedes Benz, dozens of Valiants, Fords and, last but not least, legions of old Holdens, all of them pre-1971. There were the usual challenges along the way (like river crossings, bulldust, rock filled dips and extremely muddy tracks) but the Trek lived up to its ‘mission statement’ - to have fun, explore Outback Australia and raise money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
A relaxing drive through the northern regions of the Great Dividing Range, however with some dirt tracks thrown in “just for fun”. Dinner was held at the Town Hall in Kingaroy, an event Trekkers always look forward to, trusting that every night would bring similar fare. The main Trek auction was held after dinner, collecting some $60,000 for the “Doctor”.
Kingaroy to Taroom – 463 kms
Breakfast was at Bethany, home of Flo Bjelke-Petersen, she of pumpkin scone fame, and boxes of her cook book for sale. Naturally the Trekkers are all avid chefs at home! The road snaked over the spectacular BunyaMountains where brakes and driving skills tested many cars. The clouds descended upon the Trek and an eerie feeling was felt by many. Lunch on the plains at Boondooma Homestead before striking west through state forests and farmlands to the service town of Taroom and its Town hall for dinner provided by the local Cancer & Palliative Care Group.
Taroom to Buckland Tennis Club – 535 kms
The Trek’s third visit to Buckland which is not to be found on any map. Located on a side road between Springsure and Tambo, some years ago five local grazier’s combined to make a space of some three hectare’s available for a shed and one tennis court. So was born the Buckland Tennis Club (or Recreation Club). Mostly gravel roads and mountains in the distance, along with a sorely needed “lay” stop at Springsure along the way. The dinner was in keeping with previous visits: two tractor wheel shells over one enormous fire, with beef and pork for 350 hungry Trekkers. And a great night it was, with the obligatory auction of a quilt for $3000 which initially was to be sold by 500 raffle tickets at $1 each. Ah, the generosity of the Trekkers.
Buckland Tennis Club to Isisford – 551 kms
To Tambo, heart of the “Bermuda Triangle” for several Trekkers where cars always seem to “die” or find a few days “relaxing” in the small “Tambo Teddy” township waiting for spare parts to arrive from the major cities. 2009 was a welcome exception and after refuelling both cars and bodies, the journey went onwards through the gravel roads of grazing properties to the small township of Isisford, with its five shops, primary school and two pubs. The Trek also visited this town in 2008 however with floods in the district, only one third of the Trekkers made it that year. The Trek owed Isisford a return visit. The “dog-jumping” contest again proved most popular with the Trek car “9K9”, winning the overall jump and beating two cross kelpie/ cattle dogs.
Isisford to Longreach – 115 kms
A relaxing drive to Longreach for some crew changes, car maintenance (with numerous garages and specialist workshops staying open for the day), and somewhat personal maintenance. Lunch was enjoyed at the Longreach Bowling Club which seemed to roll on to dinner at the Stockman’s Hall of Fame – a dinner which must hold the record of length of time it took to feed 350 Trekkers, some two hours.
Longreach to Julia Creek – 573 kms
The roads get dustier, straighter and longer: the Outback beckons Trekkers to a quintessential Outback Queensland town, one of the all-time favourites of all participants. A stop was made for lunch at Winton, known for the origins of the RFDS and also for the friendliness of its townsfolk. Dinner, the absolute best judged by the group, was held at the racecourse and the Trek would return anytime in the future. To top the evening, an auction of fine wines was held at the venue.
Julia Creek to Burketown – 525 kms
Remote mail tracks and travelling north-west to the Gulf Country. The vast cattle stations, most of which are over one million acres, seem very healthy due to recent floods and a successful wet season. Lunch was enjoyed at the AA cattle spread of Wondoola, served by the multitude of jillaroo’s. Lucky that a large corporation owns the property with its maintenance facilities as the morning dirt tracks had begun to wear some of the Trek cars, requiring immediate “surgery”. Evening saw the Trek at Burketown, the “capital” of the Gulf and a frontier town both spiritually and literally. Burke and Wills turned around at this point also!
Burketown to King Ash Bay – 534 kms
The first of two days of the most remote driving experience to be witnessed in Australia - the Savannah Way. River crossings, countless deep dips, mud, dirt, sand and more river crossings. Eyes were open for crocodiles, alas, no success. The Savannah way is impassable in the Wet Season and only a few people live in this region. There are no communities, only a few camping areas for the intrepid fisher-folk. The Trek passed Borroloola and camped at the fishing “resort” of KingAshBay where a great night was held by all.
King Ash Bay to Mataranka – 596 kms
Sealed road, all of it for just 30 km, and then the most isolated and dusty driving experience in Australia (probably apart from the Canning Stock Route in Western Australia). Numerous deep rivers to cross and many cars with many mechanical problems. Lunch of hot dogs and water was “enjoyed” at the isolated hamlet of Roper bar. At midnight the Trek was still limping into Mataranka whilst other Trekkers were enjoying the thermal pools and soaking off the red dust whilst also easing the weary body. This region is famous for the classic Australian story “We of the Never Never” at nearby Elsey Station.
Mataranka to Adelaide River (Darwin) – 432 kms
Most of this morning’s drive was the Stuart Highway however our intrepid leader did manage one more piece of great dirt for us, along with a visit to one of the strangest pubs in the Northern territory at Grove Hill. The Trek concluded at the Adelaide River Inn with a barbeque lunch of barramundi and beef. A short drive to Darwin followed in the afternoon.
The Outback Car Trek has been run for the past 20 years by Stephen and Jill Knox of Sydney. “The Royal Flying Doctor Service is an iconic charity and just about everyone we meet in the tiny outback towns we travel through has a story to tell about the RFDS. It’s a charity worth supporting and we’re delighted to be able to do that,” says Stephen.