Putting charity into top gear: Bush Summit Mustang shifts into drive for a cause
A 1966 Ford Mustang emblazoned with The Daily Telegraph’s Bush Summit logo is among almost 100 classic cars driving dirt roads from NSW to Queensland as part of the Outback Car Trek.
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A 1966 Ford Mustang emblazoned with The Daily Telegraph’s Bush Summit logo is among almost 100 classic cars driving dirt roads from NSW to Queensland this week.
Over 11 days, the teams of drivers and navigators in the Outback Car Trek will travel 2500km from Bathurst to Cairns with the target of raising more than $1.3m for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
The Bush Summit Mustang is being driven by Angus beef farmer James Calvert-Jones and golf course architect Harley Kruse.
“This is our 25th year and it has taken us all over Australia. It is raising money for a very good cause,” Mr Calvert-Jones, a father of four, said.
“We had the car rebuilt to take part in these treks. One day I hope to leave it to my kids to keep the tradition going.”
Co-pilot Mr Kruse said they started taking part in the treks when they were in their 30s and he made joining them a condition of his marriage.
“I said if you marry me, I will still be leaving you for a couple of weeks every year to go on the trek,” he said.
News Corp Australia community ambassador Penny Fowler said the annual event supported one of Australia’s most respected, trusted and vital organisations.
“We’re delighted to be following the Bush Summit car in support of the Outback Car Trek again this year,” she said.
“Since its inception in 1990 the trek has raised in excess of $34,750,000 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, an organisation we support through our Bush Summits across Australia.”
The Daily Telegraph’s cartoonist Warren Brown and editor-at-large Matthew Benns, joined the opening leg in the 100-year-old red Bean roadster that had carried them from London to Melbourne.
“We crossed the world to raise money for the RFDS and it is an honour to do a circuit of Mount Panorama in Bathurst with so many people who are prepared to drive this huge distance to raise money for such a worthy cause,” Mr Brown said.
Among the classic cars, which have to be more than 30 years old, were three fur covered cars made to look like dogs, a Dumb and Dumber fur covered van, taxis, an ambulance, fire truck and a tiger-striped open topped MG roadster.
Saranne Cooke, chair of Royal Flying Doctor Service (South Eastern Section), said the drive would take the trekkers through Julia Creek in Queensland, which was the location of the first RFDS flight almost 100 years ago.
“It also brings home just how isolated some of the communities we support really are,” she said. Dr Cooke said the trekkers provided an economic boost to communities they passed through.
“At each stop-off point, approximately $75,000 is generated by the trekkers’ food, fuel, mechanical repairs and accommodation,” she said.
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Originally published as Putting charity into top gear: Bush Summit Mustang shifts into drive for a cause
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