Alice Springs local Harrison Bowhay launches GoFundMe to offset high flight prices
The high price of flights in and out the NT have led to a local karate lover calling for help to fund a trip to train under ‘superstar instructors’ – with the hopes of passing on the knowledge.
Alice Springs
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The high price of flights in and out of Alice Springs have led to one local karate lover calling on the public’s help to fund a trip to train under “superstar instructors” – with the hopes of returning to help the community.
Harrison Bowhay, 18, is trying to get to an eight day training camp Philadelphia, USA in June this year.
But for Mr Bowhay – a recent high school graduate – the high price of flights has led him to start a GoFundMe to cover the cost of his airfares.
“My biggest concern at the moment is just the airfares because obviously we know being in Alice Springs, we have (some of) the most expensive domestic flights in Australia,” he said.
“And then you take that international and it’s just even more expensive than it already has to be.”
Mr Bowhay wants to attend the 56th International Shotokan Karate Federation master camp, running from June 6 to 13.
Attending the camp is Sensei Hirita, Tobita, and Nemoto, as well as Master Okazaki from Japan.
“They’re like superstars instructors,” he said.
“Like heroes among heroes kind of instructors.
If he attends the camp, Mr Bowhay plans to use what he learned to run the karate dojo in Alice Springs – after his current sensei retires, he said.
“So I figured if I’m going to take the reins, then it’s best for me to embed myself with as much knowledge and experience and training as I can so that I can come back from this trip and just give some more enriching lessons to my students,” he said.
Mr Bowhay is looking to raise $2000, and all money raised from the GoFundMe will go towards flights, he said.
As at February 28, $400 had been raised.
In November last year, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said airfares on all major city routes across the country had increased 13.3 per cent with Rex’s demise.
“The exit of Rex as a third competing airline group on services between metropolitan cities may have significant longer-term impacts on the domestic aviation sector,” ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey said at the time.
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