Day 56 - Carnarvon (1 Nov)

On Sunday I became a volunteer through the local Rotary club for the Gascoyne Dash. My job was to check off those competitors who had paid for fuel at our checkpoint and add to the list those who needed fuel but had not ordered it!

It was a stinking hot day and despite having a large shade cloth area everyone took strain, especially the poor guys doing the actual refueling. We left at 6:15am! (yes I actually got up) and got home around 5pm. What a huge cross section of vehicles quads and bikes. We had the race chopper buzzing overhead and even had a visit from the news chopper (although I believe the main reason he landed was his chopper was overheating!)

As per usual we had the standard Rotary BBQ and bangers plus also a great breakfast so catering wise we were well cared for (unlike some other check points who were short on some of these luxuries).
The old homestead or overseers residence, which is now abandoned, supported some 80 workers and their families in it’s day growing a lot of market garden products.

This race which runs over 3 days apparently started as a boat race down the Gascoyne River! BUT as this only flows (floods) after heavy inland rain it’s not predictable enough so it was changed to a race down and through the dry river bed in vehicles!

We’ve met some really lovely people here and the friendship shown is really great, all as a result of someone we met at a Rotary function, which says volumes for service associations. Go join yours! :-)