Drive to aid the disabled

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Drive toaid thedisabledBy Chris Boulous

ALMOST 100 people from acrossNSW will drive themselves into thehearts of others when they tackle theremote wilderness of the Victorianhigh country for charity.

The group of four-wheel-driveenthusiasts will attempt to raise$100,000 for Northcott Disability Ser-vices when they head south onSunday for the week-long journey.

Leading the convoy will beParramatta resident David Dennis,whose stepson Ben Keyte regularlyuses Northcott's range of services.

"Ben has a condition called arthro-gryposis, which means he has beenconfined to a wheelchair for mobilityhis whole life because he has had nomuscle growth," Mr Dennis said.

"I've been driving four-wheel-drives nay entire life and the best thingwe do is fund-raising. So to raisemoney for something close to home ispretty special. Last year we had topostpone because of bushfires, so I

am really looking forward to it."The trip is set up by not-for-profit

organisation, Drive 4 Life, which cre-ated the 4WD tour to raise funds tosupport those in need. And afterobserving first-hand the support19-year-old Ben Keyte receives fromNorthcott, Drive 4 Life founder MickWhitehead was quick to nominatethe Parramatta disability service.

"When we learned about Ben'ssituation and how much Northcotthas helped, I knew I had to do this

People helping people: David Dennisand Ben Keyte (wheelchair) at Northcotton Tuesday.

fund-raiser for Northcott. We've got alot out of competitive four-wheel driv-ing and it's great to give somethingback," Mr Whitehead said.

"Our goal is to reach the $100,000fund-raising target and to also showthe public that not all 4WD ownersare irresponsible members of society."

All funds raised will go to supportthe Northcott Equipment Solutionsequipment loan pool that providesequipment and support to people withdisabilities across NSW and the ACT.

Northcott supports more than 6000people with disabilities and their fam-ilies or carers across NSW and theACT, including physical, intellec-tual, sensory and acquired disabilities.

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Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) licensed copy

Sun-Guardian BlacktownFriday 18/4/2008Page: 8Section: General NewsRegion: Sydney Circulation: 49,940Type: SuburbanSize: 155.31 sq.cms.Published: ----F--

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Driving for charityDIBARTOK

DAVID Dennis was think-ing of his stepson as heconquered the Victorianwilderness in his four-wheel-drive vehicle re-cently.

The Parramatta residentwas part of a team for Drive4 Life, an organisation setup by a group of 4WD en-thusiasts to raise funds forchildren and adults withdisabilities.

This week, the group pres-ented Northcott DisabilityServices at Parramatta witha $100,000 cheque, raisedfrom its 4WD for

Wheelchairs Victorian HighCountry Tour 2008.

A record 85 vehicles tookpart with each person in-volved paying $1000.

The remaining fundswere donated by anunnamed person.

For Mr Dennis, havingNorthcott as the beneficiarywas an incentive as his19-year-old stepson, BenKeyte, has arthrogryposis -a condition characterisedby immobility to one ormore of his joints.

Mr Keyte uses awheelchair for mobility

with the support ofNorthcott Disability Ser-vices.

Mr Dennis's friend MickWhitehead, the founder ofDrive 4 Life, had heardabout the work of Northcottthrough Mr Keyte's experi-ence and wanted to help.

"When we learnt aboutBen's unique situation andhow much Northcott hashelped. I knew I had to dothis fundraiser for North-cott," Mr Whitehead said.

Mr Dennis's personal con-nection to Northcott motiv-ated him to take part.

Four-wheel-drivers Mick Whitehead, Allan McLellan, Kylie Pike and Chris Bates haveraised $100,000 for Northcott Disability Services. Picture: PHIL BLATCH APE, d92

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Parramatta AdvertiserWednesday 7/5/2008Page: 4Section: General NewsRegion: Sydney Circulation: 83,143Type: SuburbanSize: 215.17 sq.cms.Published: --W----

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Cause drives driversCHERRYBROOK resident Chris Bates hashelped raise $100,000 for NorthcottDisability Service, after he and a few mateswent four-wheel-driving through theVictorian high country.

Mr Bates is part of Drive 4 Life, a group offour-wheel-drive enthusiasts who help toraise money for people with disabilities.

A record 85 vehicles took part in thesecond year of the competition.

The trek ran from April 20-25, with eachdriver and tour guide donating $1000.

Mr Bates started the organisation withhis friend Mick Whitehead after they bothrealised how expensive it was to look aftera disabled child.

Their friend David Dennis has a son witharthrogryposis, a condition which causes

immobility in one or morej oints.Mr Dennis' son, Ben Keyte uses a

wheelchair and relies on the support ofNorthcott Disability Services.

When we learned about Ben's uniquesituation and how much Northcott hashelped, I knew I had to do this fundraiser forNorthcott," Mr Bates said.

Mr Bates also hopes the charity drive willhelp to change a few people's minds on four-wheel-drive owners.

"It's great to give something back andalso show the public that not all 4WDowners are irresponsible members ofsociety."

Four-wheel drivers who would like tohelp disabled adults and children can visitwww.drive4life.com.au

Chris Bates raised more than $100,000 as part of Drive 4 Life.

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Hills Shire TimesTuesday 13/5/2008Page: 22Section: General NewsRegion: Sydney Circulation: 65,453Type: SuburbanSize: 192.27 sq.cms.Published: -T-----

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heels ire ti nA CROUP of 4WD hasdon s#.UO, to mompmmu-summewsaft

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jniats.

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Parramatta SunWednesday 14/5/2008Page: 7Section: General NewsRegion: Sydney Circulation: 63,422Type: SuburbanSize: 91.22 sq.cms.Published: -T-----

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Raising funds the driving force in bushEPPING resident Jason Dymock and agroup of four-wheel drive enthusiastsconquered the remote wilderness of theVictorian High Country - and raised$100,000 for Northcott Disability Ser-vices in the process.

"It was such an enjoyable experienceto take part in and it is even moregratifying to know that the money willdirectly support children and adultswith a disability," Mr Dymock said.

The adventure was organised byDrive 4 Life, an Australian not-for-profitorganisation set up by 4WD enthusiaststo raise funds for children and adults

with a disability. In its second year, arecord 85 vehicles took part in the eventtitled 4WD for Wheelchairs.

Funds were raised through each of thevehicles, including the group leadersand organisers, paying a $1000 donationto register. One member topped up thetotal to the $100,000 target.

The tour began after Mick Whiteheadsaw the costs and support required forBen Keyte, the son of close friend DavidDennis, who lives with arthrogryposis -a condition that is characterised byimmobility in one or more of his joints.

Information: drive4life.com.au

Northcott clientCorey Webster atthe chequepresentation withDrive 4 LiferepresentativesChris Bates (left)and MickWhitehead, wholaunched the eventfor 4WD enthusiaststwo years ago.

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Northern District TimesWednesday 21/5/2008Page: 39Section: General NewsRegion: Sydney Circulation: 58,430Type: SuburbanSize: 122.85 sq.cms.Published: --W----

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Driving a hard bargainBy Jo Arblaster

THEY are out in the bush,roughing it at night andenduring a bone-jarring rideduring the day. And they payfor the privilege.

Vineyard four-wheel-drivecentre owner Duncan Scottrecently led a group of four-wheel-drive enthusiasts onan adventure into the remotewilderness of the Victorianhigh country.

Ninety-five cars followedhim on a 100 per cent off-road driving experience andraised $100,000 for Northcote

Covering 100 to 120 kilo-metres each day, driving forup to eight hours, the annualDrive 4 Life followed dirtroads and forestry tracks for600 kilometres.

"It wasn't a race, it wasmore for people who've gotfour-wheel-drives and prob-ably aren't aware of whatthey're capable of," he said.

"It was also to show peoplepart of the country that a lotof people might be afraid togo to by themselves but witha group and detailed map-ping it wasn't that hard tonegotiate."

The tour was the second

organised by Drive 4 Life, anAustralian non-profit organ-isation established by agroup of four-wheel-driveenthusiasts who created theevent to raise funds for peo-ple with disabilities.The slogan for this year's

four-wheel-drive for Wheel-chairs Victorian High Coun-try Tour was: "Your wheelsgets them their wheels."

"Paying $1000 per vehicleto take part, the idea is thatfour-wheel drivers are putt-ing something back into thecommunity," he said.

Disability Services.

DrMng for disability: Duncan Scott can't wait to take part in next years tour. P$cture: Natalle Spited

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Northern NewsTuesday 27/5/2008Page: 16Section: General NewsRegion: Sydney Circulation: 13,000Type: SuburbanSize: 211.04 sq.cms.Published: -T-----

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Plenty of drive for charityBy NATHAN SIMPSON

Four Wollongong four-wheel driveenthusiasts didn't take a back seat when it cameto raising $100,000.

The awesome foursome - Tony Bourke,Warren Coury, Di Paziak and Scott Mum? -tallied the kilometres and raked in the cash forNorthcott Disability Services.

The charity 4WD tour was organised byDrive 4 Life, and travelled through the Victoriancountryside.

Drive 4 Life is a non-profit organisation setup by a group of 4WD enthusiasts to supportchildren and adults with a disability.

Wollongong's Warren Coury said the eventwas an enormous success and an amazingadventure.

"It was such an enjoyable experience to takepart in and it is even more gratifying to knowthat the money will directly support children andadults with a disability," he said.

#.m la - I

A charity 4WD tour, organised by Drive 4Life, managed to raise $100,000 for

Northcott Disability Services.

"I can't wait to take part in the tour next yearand help to exceed this year's achievement."

A record 85 vehicles took part in the event,where funds were raised by individuals and a$1000 entry fee.

Log onto www.drive4life.com.au for moreinfonnlation.

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Wollongong AdvertiserWednesday 28/5/2008Page: 11Section: General NewsRegion: Wollongong NSW Circulation: 98,409Type: RegionalSize: 102.19 sq.cms.Published: --W----

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A driving forceCATHERINE Hill Baycouple Dennis and KerryMcGregor have turned theirprivate hobby of 25 yearsinto a hugely successfulmoney-spinner for charityNorthcott.

The McGregors are part ofthe Drive 4 Life group whichraised $100,000 for NorthcottDisability Services lastmonth through its 4WD forWheelchairs tour of theVictorian High Country.

Eighty-five 4WD enthusi-asts took part in the tour,including the McGregorsand their hardy Nissan Pa-

trol. Mr McGregor said hecould sense goodwill andcameraderie from the par-ticipants throughout thefour days.

"It was such an enjoyableexperience to take part inand it was even more grati-fying to know that themoney will directly supportchildren and adults with adisability," Mr McGregorsaid.

"It's also an opportunityto put four-wheel drivers inthe good books. There are alot of roughies around in

our sport and we're not alllike that."

Funds were raisedthrough a $1000 registrationfee donated by participants.

The remainder of the do-nation was supplied by 4WDaccessory and manufactur-ing firm ARB and CooperTires, both of which do-nated surplus sponsorshipfunds to bring the totalfunds raised to $100,000.

Mr McGregor said planswere under way for nextyear's event, which hehoped would be even biggerand better.

Dennis and Kerry McGregor helped raise $100,000.

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Lake Macquarie NewsThursday 29/5/2008Page: 9Section: General NewsRegion: Cardiff NSW Circulation: 49,632Type: RegionalSize: 211.04 sq.cms.Published: --W----

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Lifestvle

Highland tourraises $1 00kfor charityr

ff-roading enthusiasts haveraised $100,000 for charityafter a 4WD tour. TheDrive 4 Life project, run by agroup of Sydney-based 4WD

with a disability.We can't wait to take part in the tour

next year and increase this target.''The five-day tour started in the

hamlet of Harrietville near Bright, atthe foot of the mountains, and took inmany of the historical and spectacularsights of Victoria's High Country.

Much of this part of the country isregenerating after the devastatingbushfires of the summer of 2006-07,which led to the cancellation of theplanned Drive 4 Life tour last year.

Even the seasoned 4WDers on thetrip still marvel at the ever-changinglandscape of the High Country but, formost on this trip, it was their firstopportunity to appreciate the vistas a4WD vehicle can take you to.

The participants included Steve andJenny Philips, of Ballarat, who saidthey had only begun "getting out andabout again" in their Land Cruiser inthe past 12 months.

The couple know only too well thedifficulties faced by parents and carerslooking after people with disabilities.

Their son, James, was injured in an

enthusiasts, raised the funds on itssecond charity tour around Victoria'sHigh Country.

Organisers said 88 4WD crews spenta week touring in the name of a goodtime and a good cause.

The participants donated $100,000 toNorthcott Disability Services to aid inthe supply of specialised equipment.

All of the participants' $1000 entryfee went to Northcott, the remaindercoming from an anonymous donation.

Running costs for the tour werecovered by sponsors including ARB4WD Accessories, Cooper Tires, IGASupermarkets and Overlander4WDmagazine; officials and organisersdonated their time and expertise.

One of Drive 4 Life's founders andorganisers, Mick Whitehead, said: "Weare over the moon to have reached ourfundraising goal of $100,000, and arepleased to know that the money willdirectly support children and adults

accident in 1993 as a three-year-oldand has required constant care since.

"We've only just been able to getaway," said Jenny of their trip withDrive 4 Life.

"We were so keen to come; weknow how hard it is to get the gear.There is so much red tape.''

Other participants travelled from asfar as Cairns and mid-westernQueensland, and Esperance inWestern Australia, as well as manyfrom Sydney and Melbourne.

Most of the group leaders werefrom the 4WD industry, and all paidtheir entry fee and donated their time.

It was their experience andexpertise that made Drive 4 Life soappealing for many participants takingtheir4WD off-road for the first time.

Some were back after being a partof the first D4L tour in 2006, and manyare already making plans for thenext tour in 2009.

More on Drive 4 Life and plans for2009, see www.drive4life.com.au

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Sunday TelegraphSunday 1/6/2008Page: 21Section: CARS GuideRegion: Sydney Circulation: 671,500Type: Capital City DailySize: 389.77 sq.cms.Published: ------S

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For a cause: The Drive 4 Life group tackles the hills in Victoria's high country to raise money for Northcott Disability Services

Keen: Steve and Jenny Philips

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Sunday TelegraphSunday 1/6/2008Page: 21Section: CARS GuideRegion: Sydney Circulation: 671,500Type: Capital City DailySize: 389.77 sq.cms.Published: ------S

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Drivers hit top gear

MANLY residents Eugene and Celia Barryled 85 four-wheel drive enthusiasts fromacross Australia on an adventure toconquer the remote wilderness of theVictorian High Country and raised$100,000 for Northcott Disability Serviceswhile doing it. The tour was organised byDrive 4 Life, a group of 4WD enthusiastswho created the event to raise funds forchildren and adults with a disability. Forinformation on the organisation and itsadventure, or taking part in next year'sevent. see www.drive4life.com.au.

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Manly DailyWednesday 18/6/2008Page: 18Section: General NewsRegion: Sydney Circulation: 89,864Type: SuburbanSize: 23.33 sq.cms.Published: -TWTFS-

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DRIVE 4 LIFE

I SUCCESSThis year's second Drive4 Lifo charity Eventwas an Enormous succ`gss, so enrich so thatorganisers were proud to announce that they11 ad raised an rmpre5r Iue $100,000 daltsrstortheir charity of choicetha Northeotl Society.Drive4 Life representatives Mtc Whiteheadand Chris F3ares presented North cottwith the $1+}0.O00 cheque at the Northcatt

Conference and Functron Centre an May 5.following on fromthe well attended frrstaaentand h.1 ring 10

postpone due En the high country fires, ttie second annual charityoft road event was attended by 88 seMe 10S and managed to rsa0the magic $100,00D dollar mark as well.

"We ere aver the rspon to have r@ached our fundraising goalgf $100.0W and are pleased tv know that the money wi II directlysupport chitdrerr and adulle with a drsability," Driae 4 Lif e-s MickWhite head said. We can't wait to take part in die tour next yearand incrr±tSe this aiget"

You can read elsewhere in this issue about the event andcongratulations to all who organised and at*.ondad what is sureto become a'must do' tourney on the annual offroad calendar,

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Overlander 4WDJuly, 2008Page: 12Section: General NewsRegion: National Circulation: 24,333Type: Magazines LifestyleSize: 265.66 sq.cms.Published: Monthly

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4WDP ATURE

The second Drive 4 Life Victorian High Country'4WDs for Wheelchairs' Tour was a sensationalsuccess. Overlander 4WD was there.WORDS[V GLIILN t6RRFN5 f' Y.Ui06R4PH50Y PHIL LOOPR1

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Overlander 4WDJuly, 2008Page: 40Section: General NewsRegion: National Circulation: 24,333Type: Magazines LifestyleSize: 3,495.92 sq.cms.Published: Monthly

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4WD FEATURE

gold mining district otTalbotvilie.This valley was home to around10,040 people during the gold rush ofthe 1859a but after the fast residentsleft in the 1940s, not much remains ofthe bygtirie gold era apart from someincongruously-scattered piles ofgravel and machinery.

Being the first night, there was abig carnpfre and Intrafuctions allround, We elf had a Iaugh around thecampfire recalFing the first'incident'ed She trek -when two of our groupfollowed 'Convuu procedure' with suchdate,minarron thatthey, and fhe str rigo4 4Wbs, trailers and one caravanbehindthern, were lad irite a cattleraring area by a farmer's uteI

The next day. we jelned anothergtetJp, astahIrshing our basic routinefor the rest of our week bay two wasscheduled to be more rrhalrengIng forthe drivers and a lot more invigoralingfor passengers, with spectacularviews. And the challenges began early with one vehiclepopP1n9 a coatani hose a couple otkilornetrey from ourcarap- The vehicle behind It in oonyay noticed clouds ofsteam before it entered the frfst creels of the day, and byradio called f or uawest igation. Luckily, $pdrex were on handand with minimal coaching, the owner had his vchicre going

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again -with creek water as coolant- in less than half an hour.Of course, there was plenty of good-natured assistance fromthe remainder of the convoy who had milled around to watchand lend a hand.

It was also a good opportunity for our group leader for the day,Darren McRae to impart a bit of knowledge on the assembledgroup. "Preventative maintenance is a very, very good idea,"he explained. "It's a good idea to have all your hoses replacedevery few years or 100,000km or so and keep the old ones in yourtruck as spares."That's common sense for many of us but thosewords were pearls of wisdom for some of the less experiencedmembers - some were absolute first timers to 4W Ding - of thegroup. By the way, the faithful Nissan Patrol had 400,000 on itsclock so could be excused for its hiccup!

A lot of the day was spent grinding along in low range,with spectacular views everywhere as we headed toward thespectacular Billy Goat Bluff - a narrow spit of rock not muchwider than the track that it traverses - and our campsite atHorseyard Flat. With the approach to Billy Goat Bluff rising

nearly 1600m (from 400 to around 2000m altitude) in just sevenkilometres, the driving terrain in the dying hours of the secondday was challenging.Too challenging for one vehicle, as itturned out- it kneeled down on its suspension just beforewe reached our camp. Luckily, it could be limped to a 2WD-standard road where a tow truck was organised via the groupleader's sat-phone. Disappointing, yes, but the situation couldhave been much worse if the suspension had failed earlier inthe day while we were in much tougher low range terrain.

It's no secret that the High Country lost a lot of its appealto travellers after the 2003 fires (and again after fires in late2006 that caused postponement of the second Drive 4 Lifeevent). As a result, many local businesses suffered. Some werephysically damaged by fire, then they and many others lostincome as travellers chose other areas to explore - and otherplaces to spend their holiday money.

But the High Country has sprung back to life. Parks Victoriaand other authorities have done a sensational job of rectifyingtracks and facilities and Mother Nature is slowly but surely

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painting the place green again. And, as

ine,ltioned by several of the group leaderseither around the campflra or over theradid. Ior the slrsttime in recorded historyits possible to see into some of the valleysfrom ttie peaks that have been hemmed Inby stands of trees since time imn,emoraI.

There's plenty of human heritage tobe found, too, with most of tire groupspassing by or xIayin9 at severaI of themany cattlemen's huts that dot the HighCountry. A highlight for many participantsmas the restored Craig's Hut, the originalMovie-set building from the classic mailFrom Snowy River movits, Built in 1991and shared-up n the 199ps, it was lostduring the 21 fires bur re-opened in January this year atterahuge rebuilding effort.

Slit it's not atI good 11 ews. Due fo the challenging weather

aYJDerslo;je:herior 9tau-dlor'1t-Fk wirn a tlifforente-arad rolI iEthe cal} for 0larity. fut iU.9 a bigtask ar.ll aro.,,dl y organ iseu o+argmrn.rrf-e CCr,pris lnrg Inng- term.1WDE-S Mic..'Whitehead, Norm'3iredharn, Chr=s Ewes. Dare andDeb L1tnr 5. Calia aryl F,igeneBoiry. Denn,Sard Kerry MCG egorand rr?rlarider edo u Ma1;Reddon*.is.

Hurir!reds of hours of planreirgFind reccnnarsSar,Cr 3oes in1rLTw esunt. E.'en a5 O eer'andar1YJD's represeniatiau. I mull sapI was hcnJSlry u,rpres5wJ'eiththe urganisatinn and in3 tr uction5prcyided. the4WDirig. uti roadrr rl}',rvafCUr-ip and ne,.59nnelinUrioyerrLP.ru eniwrience of vanl)usmembers p1 Tte Corriml'ter landteam Iesoarsl really shine9 th'oi qhin :11e fuss-Irae .,a j ;hc- Irea fun E3.

The priye 4 L-Io e.a!il we fduu 1have I1---en eiuss-biu -nithrf 1hnSu;opK!, I or principal snonsci ARECarpr.raticir,anid.eoilsur. CCapErTires Hcina Maps, Mal Markriiinq'u`.'vas and It;A Sur-ernereers.Other businesses wlvi assistc-dnclude Sy'awIin! Hote:,Motel

(HairierSrilir,,, Manroll MGgaiS(Thorr,Ieigh NSWi, Tclal Care 4WLJ(Seven li1115 NSWI, tylaceuarw4r4re IViiie,a- u N S-r'.. l!;:I A4.4 ltiseelorj'wv i

eorl&taancand a shottgrowino season, thetragila Alpine environment takes decades tocome back to Corm, In fact, n3rtrly creaS mapnever been the same i. they once were, duetp the murrierous nature of the intensely hUtFires. Whole maurltainy of trees, unaccustomedto such fierce heat, will torewer reillarn stark,dead poles, l n some places, a new and d tlerenthierarchy of plants has eslahlished Itself withtime and nature already giving the burnt areasa new identity- Uitilortunately, rn some placesweeds are the most prevalent new residents.

We parted conlpony with our Day 2 groupat the Zeka SpurTrack and waited for the nextgroup of 4WOs to coma along. Simply srtl ingthere with a stand of snow gums beside us.

fluffy clouds in the blue sky above and peace and quiet allaround- again makes me replise lust how lucky we are inAustralia to have such beautiful terrain 16 explore.

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As it turned out, our 'new' group was already having lunchjust up the road and group leaders Karen and Kevin, havingbeen advised by radio where we would most likely be waiting,soon found us. Then we skipped again to another group thatwas to be camping at nearby Howitt Hut.

This group decided to cut the day short due to the fact thatone of their number had to drive to town to buy more fuel. Butit was happy and settled Rob from Queensland and team whowe found at Howitt Hut just after dusk.The group's scheduleddestination was a campground in the Wonnangatta Valley,but the lads finished the day early, rather than take the risk ofhaving one vehicle play catch up after sundown, and decided tocook up a feast and have a few laughs.

As we discovered the next morning, 'calling it a day' earlywas a good decision.The track into the Wonnangatta Valleywouldn't have been much fun alone in daylight, let alone afterdark, especially if something went wrong - as it did to one of

the vehicle's front shocks during the morning's descent. Onceagain, a bush fix-up and a tailgate-brewed coffee or three sawthe convoy going again in a little less than one hour.

With the group, we arrived back atTalbotville onThursdayafternoon after another sensational day of trekking, but a littledisappointed that we hadn't caught up with every group ofparticipants. So if you were there and we didn't catch up with you,sorry we didn't get to say G'day and thanks for playing your part!

There was to be another highlight on Friday - the climb toBlue Rag, another one of the iconic destinations of the trek. Asluck would have it, it was our turn for dramas, with mechanicalmaladies sticking their grubby mitts onto our vehicle on the lastfew car lengths of the last climb on the last day of the trek, It wasa frustrating end to the week, but it could have been worse...

Presentations were held back at the Snowline Motelon Friday night, where a very proud Mick, Chris and Normpresented a cheque to the trek's beneficiary, the Northcott

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cK no InjIi lays aria o;_or.stan!StrupJ:E to snurre appropriatecare and eOUIpr}e-)1'cr mairson °Wa were Sc. kee i !a carne[aryl supper' the event] as'weknrxhownara !is lo gal ihk

Society. Let me tell you, there was a bloody big cheer aseveryone in the crowd realised they were looking at a chequefor one hundred big ones. Yep, $100,000.

Just before the Harrietville Social Club cranked up theirtrailer-mounted BBQ to feed everyone, the 'good sport' prizeswere awarded. Before the trek, each group leader had beenasked to keep a lookout for deserving people to win one of10 snatch straps and ARB Road Atlases. The prizes went to20 appreciative couples and families, immortalised for suchlegendary acts as following the farm truck into a farm, ratherthan the 'real' convoy!

The $100K and fun awards ceremony was a sensational

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end to a sensational week and planning for next year's eventunofficially began over a few beers on Friday night withdiscussion about a possible route and including a special'family group' route.

Forget, for a moment, that this was a charity cruise, It wasalso one of the best ways for first-time or less-confident4WDers - singles, couples or a family - to experience one ofAustralia's iconic touring destinations. As far as tag-alongtours go, the 'donation' fee of $1000 per vehicle is prettysharp value and the $100,000 raised is a sensational bonus.

Scratch it in your diary for April next year - it really is aterrific week with benefits all round. J

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Brief: NORTHCOTT



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