By Andrew Stackpool
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Chaplain
(FLTLT) Russel Avery is gearing up for his motoring challenge.
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Photo
by LAC Euan Grant
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RELATIVELY
few people will have the chance to drive the latest marques of
MG. Even fewer will have the chance to drive one competitively,
even in leisurely fashion.
Yet that is the case for Chaplain Russel Avery, of No. 26 (City
of Newcastle) Squadron, who has driven one million kilometres
in 25 countries on five continents and has driver licenses from
NSW, France and the UK.
His grandfather, Herbert Darlton Avery – the Nuffield (Morris
and MG) motor dealer in Longreach, Queensland – set the Great
Queensland Motor Record by driving a Studebaker Director, “The
Silver Streak”, 1248km from Longreach to Brisbane in the
“wonderful time” of 30 hours 46 minutes on October 15-16,
1928.
“He would have been faster but they had to open and close
the gates every few miles,” CHAP Avery said.
Now, in MG’s 80th year of operations, Nuffield’s successor,
MG Rover Australia, decided to promote the release of the $90,000
4.6-litre V8-powered ZT260 by re-enacting Mr Avery’s epic
journey.
They asked CHAP Avery to repeat his grandfather’s effort
by taking a silver Mustang-powered MG on another record-breaking
run, called the Great Queensland Motor Record 2005.
The aim is not to break any speed records, but to demonstrate
that the car can conquer the harshness of the western Queensland
environment in safety, comfort and style, while remaining within
the speed limit.
CHAP Avery and his son Timothy, his co-pilot, will begin the journey
on January 30. Along the way they will raise money for the Anglicare
charity.
RAAF Base Amberley’s firefighters have volunteered to meet
the ZT260 at Ipswich as an honorary pit crew. They will wash and
check the car for the final run into Brisbane.
CHAP Avery said the rules were simple. “We have to do the
run in less than 15 hours, but between dawn and dusk to minimise
the danger of collision with wildlife and cattle. We must obey
the speed limit, change drivers every two hours and have a pit
stop every four,” he said.
“Obviously the road will be much improved and there are no
gates these days. The challenge will be the conditions, heat,
dust and distance; the same things that have always marked western
Queensland.
“We hope to meet community representatives on the way and
receive some of the collection made on behalf of Anglicare in
Southern and Central Queensland as we go. It will be a busy run.”
CHAP Avery has made the collection of donations for Anglicare,
which is involved with assisting the needy in the areas he will
be passing through, a prime task.
Send donations to Anglicare’s Southern Queensland branch
at PO Box 307, Nundah, Queensland, 4012, or phone (07) 3260 6461.
