Bush-bashing: Graeme McMahon, front, with co-drivers Con Sheahan and Mal Stewart covered 2600 kilometres, mostly on dirt roads, in their VH Commodore Station wagon during the Camp Quality Escarpade last month.
Greg Wane
EXCEPT for suffering a lump of wood jammed between a tyre and its body, Geelong’s entrant in Camp Quality’s Escarpade rally came through unscathed.
Graeme McMahon, Mal Stewart and Con Sheahan spent the past 12 months fundraising and modifying a VH Commodore station wagon to take part in the rally last month, which is similar to the popular Variety Club version.
A detailed list of mechanical and equipment modifications is required of each vehicle entering the rally and Graeme said many items were safety-related.
“One of the most important things they ask of you is to fit flashing amber emergency lights on top of the car and reverse dust lights,” he said.
“When you go off road and onto these dusty tracks you just cannot see the car in front for clouds of dust
“The flashing amber lights on top and reverse dust lights allows us tosee the car in front.”
Top take part in the rally the Geelong team had to drive the 1200 kilometres to Tamworth, which was the starting point of the event.
After leaving Tamworth on October 16, teams traversed northern New South Wales before crossing the Queensland border.
From there it was up to Warwick, north-east across the state to Maroochydore and Harvey Bay on the coast before heading inland again to Dalby, Inglewood, Goondiwindi and finishing a week later on October 23 in Warialda.
“We did a total of 2600 kilometres and about 70 per cent was off road on dusty tracks,” Graeme said.
“We got through unscathed as far as damage or mechanical problems go, all except for a lump of wood that got jammed up between the tyre and the body.
“This happened on the worst section, between Inglewood and Goondiwindi.”
Graeme said the area had a lot of bogs, deep mud holes and water crossings.
“We picked up the lump of wood as we drove through one of these mud holes.
“Some tracks we couldn’t go down because they were completely flooded. And some sections we had to be diverted around.
“There were other tracks for which we were given the option of having a go at if we wanted to do it or not. Of course we said yes,” he laughed.
Graeme said the required car modifications definitely helped get the Geelong team through the event.
Bolted-on three-millimetre braced steel protected the engine and gearbox, while the car also had front and rear-mounted tow bars and balls.
Other items to be carried included a first-aid kit, a 40-channel UHF radio, a fire extinguisher, two spare tyres, a jack, a 20-litre fuel container and an Australian road atlas or a GPS navigation device.
The Commodore station wagon was also fitted with a cargo barrier.
Graeme said taking part in Escarpade was basically a reward for a year’s fundraising among each of the teams.
“In total Camp Quality got $1.3 million from the event. The winning team raised $166,000 and ran two cars,” Graeme said.
“We raised money all through the year with a couple of events and sponsorships where businesses paid to have their logo displayed on the car. All up we raised $8550.
“Camp Quality is a children’s family cancer charity that believes in bringing optimism and happiness to the lives of children and families affected by cancer through fun therapy and education.”
Graeme said this year’s rally start in Tamworth required the Geelong team to drive nearly 15 hours before they even started the official part of the trek.
“We left on Wednesday night, 13 October, and returned on Sunday, 24 October. It was a 1200-kilometre drive both ways.”
This was the second year Graeme and his team have taken part in the rally. When asked whether he would enter again in 2011 he barely hesitated.
“Yep, definitely. It starts in Bendigo next year, so we can leave in the morning and be there in time for the start,” he laughed.
Graeme said prospective sponsors could contact him at Barwon Tyre Service, Belmont.
