Around Australia for charity - who's on board?

Submitted: Sunday, Jan 16, 2011 at 23:17

ThreadID: 83701 Views:3284 Replies:6 FollowUps:14

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adoyle

In August 2010 I (with two mates) drove around Australia. We covered 13694km in fourteen days of driving with a day off in Darwin. Some of you may remember both my before and after posts about this trip.
I am going on a new adventure this April / May....but that's another story.
What i do need from the great travellers of this great country is support of an idea, silly as it may seem but stay with me.
I plan to gather a group of four to eight vehicles (therefore 8 to 20 or so people), and drive again around Australia. Same route just this time it will be anticlockwise.
I intend to make ths a rolling convoy of travellers where people can join us for a section of our trip i.e. Townsville to Mt Isa or the Three Ways to Katherine etc. The core group will complete the total trip in 28 days.
Apart from being good fun, my aim is to raise money for a charity or charities by having the people involved raising money on their travels. I have planned the distances and expected stops each night and believe with enough participation, a great amout of money can be raised for people who need it.
At this stage I believe this will take place in or around April / May 2012.
As seasoned and experinced travellers of our brilliant country, I ask only at this point any advice to whether you believe this is something that would a success and also anyone who will be travelling at that time and want to get involved.
Suggestions on charities would also be appreciated if you are interested, some thoughts already being Sydney Childrens Hospital and CANTEEN.
Thanks, and hope to hear from you all, Adrian

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Reply By: Off-track - Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 00:11

Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 00:11

If over Easter / School Holidays you should have half a chance to rendezvous with a lot of travellers.

AnswerID: 442063

Reply By: Fab72 - Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 12:54

Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 12:54

G'Day adoyle,
First up, I commend you for any effort you are prepared to make towards raising money for a charity.

As a self confessed charity junkie (I always give - thinking that one day I might be the one in need) I think there needs to be some sort of challenge to capture people's attention.

Driving around Australia is just too easy and people may incorrectly view this as a plan for you to fund your own round Oz holiday.

In recent times, the people who have successfully raised money have done something a little harder, like ran/walked the distance, riden a push bike or driven it in a vintage old car/truck etc.

The key to success, I believe is the ability to make yourself stand out from the crowd and hence perhaps gain some media attention.

Do you or any of your travel companions present specials skills like artists, photography (of professional level) or entertainers of some sort? These skills could be traded or auctioned off to raise money in a pub type raffle or auction. That's along the lines you need to be thinking. Even if you put a snag sizzle on at every town and called it "Australia's biggest sausage sizzle" or something like that. It doesn't have to be of heroic proportions.

Look.... I wish you the best of luck and wish more people had charity on their bucket lists but I think a simple drive around Oz at a leasuirely pace via the bitumen isn't going to attract a huge response. Perhaps others might disagree.

Good luck.... Fab.

AnswerID: 442091

Follow Up By: adoyle - Thursday, Jan 20, 2011 at 22:07

Thursday, Jan 20, 2011 at 22:07

Fab

Thanks a lot for your thoughts. The idea of posting this idea on here was to get this sort of feedback. Brilliant.

I'll keep you posted if it goes ahead.

AD

FollowupID: 714553

Reply By: roberttbruce - Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 14:31

Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 14:31

there is an old saying that charity rarely benefits the needy. or something like that...

maybe staying at home and donating the fuel cost from your last trip would be more appropriate....

AnswerID: 442099

Follow Up By: dindy - Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 18:50

Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 18:50

Well roberttbruce its easy to see that you have never been subject to the extremes of life which would necessitate you having to put you hand out for help!
What a cynical attitude. I doubt that you even put your hand in your pocket either!

FollowupID: 714219

Follow Up By: Member - Royce- Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 19:38

Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 19:38

I guess your comment is a bit cynical as Dindy suggested... but makes good logical sense. Sadly most charities raise money for causes that ALL taxpayers expect their taxes to support.

This area is always fraught with worries about self-interest motivating....

I'm undertaking a paddle to raise money for amputees in March. Well.... it WILL raise money for amputees.... but the money I'm putting in will be well spent just for the challenge of paddling 130ks in three days. [My self interest!]

FollowupID: 714226

Follow Up By: roberttbruce - Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 22:06

Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 22:06

Dindy, you are soooo unbelievably wrong about me i pity you...

re-read Royce's response and try to understand it, really try to understand it, every sentence speaks volumes....

Thank-you Royce

FollowupID: 714242

Follow Up By: adoyle - Thursday, Jan 20, 2011 at 22:17

Thursday, Jan 20, 2011 at 22:17

Robertbruce

Thanks for your thoughts.
In fact the last trip (a holiday) cost my employer about $2423 in fuel, and I have since actually donated more than that in the past few days to the people in Qld who need it now.

And I guess at the end of the day I could stay at home. Then become another person who hasn't had a bit of a go. If this thing raised $20 000 for people who need it, and 50 people had a good time wouldn't that be a benifit to our society? I agree some may think it is a holiday, that's okay, it is. But I work and only get as much leave as the rest of us. If I decide that I want a holiday, not many people would complain. But if I can have that same holiday and raise much needed money, then is that not a bonus to someone else?

Interesting times...AD

FollowupID: 714556

Follow Up By: roberttbruce - Friday, Jan 21, 2011 at 00:25

Friday, Jan 21, 2011 at 00:25

AD...
atm take no notice of me I am a cyncial old so & so, but i am changing...

imho, charity has no real place if governance is applied properly, travesty & tragedy should not be yet another burden of people...

Dindy, i repent, i was too harsh, have a great journey...

FollowupID: 714572

Follow Up By: adoyle - Saturday, Jan 22, 2011 at 01:09

Saturday, Jan 22, 2011 at 01:09

roberttbruce, good to hear from you again.

I want to take notice of you all the more if you're old and cynical. At the moment, I don't see myself as old but bloody hell I'm cynical. Of a lot of things!

I think it's a good way to look at life. By being cynical, critical and, lets get to the bottom of it it, honest about the world we are in, it looks bad. But we know that governance wil only do so much regardless of the political party, so why not help ourselves? In that same thought, why not help those who can't help themselves, not through not wanting to but simply because they don't have the resources some of us have?

Good thoughts you have though I will admit. I just want the next half a century of my life to be a place I want to live in. And if that means I have to give back to the country (and its people) that has given me so much, I'll do it in a heartbeat.

You sound like the type of bloke I'd love to have a beer with....and chat about this sort of thing.

Take it easy AD

FollowupID: 714657

Reply By: Off-track - Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 14:50

Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 14:50

I'm all for it and I hope it gets up. One main thing that will probably prevent any decent sort of sponsorship/endorsement is that a company will be wary of throwing support behind what is probably a technically illegal activity. That being driving such long distances with a heightened risk of fatigue.

I hope I am wrong (and happy to be) but that seems to be the way of this country of non-risk takers.

AnswerID: 442106

Follow Up By: Off-track - Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 14:52

Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 14:52

Long distances in short timeframes with minimal rest that is.

FollowupID: 714204

Follow Up By: Fab72 - Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 21:46

Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 21:46

In a heavy vehicle...YES there are laws against it, including time that has to be spent away from the truck all together..eg: a rest over stop in a motel not in a sleeper cab.

However, those laws do not apply to 4X4's or cars, motorbikes etc. The only law is the law of common sense.

Adoyle did state that there are more participants than there are vehicles, so I'd assume that the driving duties will be shared.... that would be common sense.

Fab.

FollowupID: 714239

Follow Up By: adoyle - Thursday, Jan 20, 2011 at 22:21

Thursday, Jan 20, 2011 at 22:21

As Fab 72 mentioned, there will be more than one driver per vehicle, and after the previous trip wich was done in half the duration, fatigue won't be an issue.
On the previous trip which was myself and two good mates, even then fatigue was a big part of our planning, and therefore it will be this time.
As for company support, it is a good issue but in the industry I;m in I have had good feeback so far, so hopefully that continues.

Thanks for your thoughts mate, AD.

FollowupID: 714558

Reply By: Member - Royce- Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 19:53

Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 19:53

1000+ks a day. Very draining. I don't think I could manage it. After 1000ks I find it hard to do 600 or more the next.

I guess it's a challenge? It just seems a waste of fuel though.

I know this sound pretty silly... but if you were to sit in your 4x4 for exactly the same amount of time in the middle of a city square with a big sign saying "NOT DRIVING AROUND OZ"..... "DONATING THE $$$$ TO [fill in the charity]".... I reckon it would be even harder and more special! Or maybe on the roof of your car?.... If you plan it right some U beaut car retailer might let you use one of their 4x4s and donate....

And then.... you could just head off for a holiday... take your time and do the loop.

AnswerID: 442133

Follow Up By: adoyle - Thursday, Jan 20, 2011 at 22:31

Thursday, Jan 20, 2011 at 22:31

Thanks for a very interesting thought Royce.
The only problem is that I don't have the time to sit in a statioary car for 28 days, then go on a 28 day holiday. I'm only 30 and have to get back to work! Bloody good idea though.
And on the distance, it actually works out at about 490.64km per day.

Cheers, AD

FollowupID: 714561

Reply By: Member - Joe n Mel n kids (FNQ - Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 20:11

Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 20:11

off again eh ... you must have really had fun last time, and as with last time you will get the people knocking you .....
Good on you guys and i hope you all have a ball, maybe you can document it with a video and will get a sponsor that way .......
If only all the travellers were as well orginised and as SAFE as you guys it would be nice to drive around but still we get idiots and so called tourists going hell for leather ....
Cheeers and good luck

AnswerID: 442137

Follow Up By: Fab72 - Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 21:52

Monday, Jan 17, 2011 at 21:52

Bingo... that's the sort of thing I was refering to but Joe Mel n Kids have nailed it. Do a video and then sell it.

"Around the block in xxx days!"

The money raised could then go to charity.

Who knows...EO might even let you advertise your non for profit video on the web site :)

Fab

FollowupID: 714240

Follow Up By: adoyle - Thursday, Jan 20, 2011 at 22:39

Thursday, Jan 20, 2011 at 22:39

Thanks to you all, and hope you're having a great time in your travels.

We will video the trip and have been speaking to a mate who might be able to help with this. I may even have a band who are keen so camp fire sing alongs might be on the cards.

If you want to see some of the more interesting videos of my last (qualifying) lap around Oz, go to YouTube and type in Around Australia in 15 Days and there are 19 videos there. Excuse the language please!!

As for the knockers, they're fine. Some of them have good ideas that I can take on board. Although I must admit that when we arrived back as planned within 3 minutes of our expected arrival time after 13 694 km of travel last time, I thought about them....for a moment.

Take care, AD

FollowupID: 714563