Life In The Bush Lane

Like many events planned for 2020, Covid restrictions pushed the drive 4 life team to reassess its plans, but they still held a successful tour through outback new south wales.

ORIGINAL plans for Drive 4 Life’s (D4L) annual charity drive had multiple convoys travelling though western New South Wales, the Corner Country and into South Australia’s Flinders Ranges, but border closures and travel restrictions forced a rethink. Many participants planning to attend from states other than NSW were forced to cancel and the D4L leaders restructured a route that stayed within NSW for a single convoy of eight 4x4 vehicles.

Drive 4 Life is a not-for-profit group that organises 4x4 trips to different locations each year. A $1000 donation to a registered charity gets your 4x4 on the trip and it’s always a lot of fun with a great bunch of people. So much so that many participants are repeat attendees, coming back year after year.

The 2020 crew met up at the IGA at Warren in the Central West of the state where there was some last-minute stocking up of essential supplies. IGA Supermarkets have been long-time supporters of D4L events and along with other sponsors – ARB 4x4 Accessories, Hema Maps and 4X4 Australia Magazine – make the trips possible.

After a briefing from the trip leaders Noel and David, the convoy headed off on its Western NSW Outback Road trip, and it wasn’t long before the group mascot, Sammy, an 18-month-old Cavoodle, made himself well-known with a swim at Billybingbone River.

It was a great drive to Brewarrina where we saw the Aboriginal fishing traps reported to be one of the oldest man-made structures in the world. We had a great camp, with a good social campfire on the Barwon River for the first night.

BACK O’ BOURKE