Land Rover charity expedition
By Steve Marshall, Navy veteran and the expedition’s organiser
The 30th of April this year will be the 75th anniversary of the first Land Rover being unveiled at a motoring show in Geneva. To mark the milestone, I have organised a group of 10 Land Rovers to travel across Australia from Cape Byron in the east to Steep Point in the west.
We will be driving 6,000 kilometres on rough tracks and minor roads over 23 days. We will cross more than 1,100 sand dunes in the Simpson Desert and travel along the famous Gunbarrel Highway in the Gibson Desert in WA.
We are departing from the Byron Bay Services Club on Anzac Day 2023. We will be escorted into Steep Point WA on 15 May by the Pilbara Regiment who will meet us at the Western Australian border and travel with us to the coast.
Most of the Land Rovers are ex-Army, mainly around 30 years old.
The purpose of the Trans-Australia Expedition is to salute these trusty post-War vehicles and their users such as the Australian Army, Len Beadell – the great Australian surveyor – the Leyland Brothers plus peacekeeping and disaster relief services. It is also an opportunity to help others by raising awareness of mental health for veterans and others in remote areas. I have lived experience in that regard.
It is also my aim to raise awareness of the charity: Mates4mates, which was started by the Brisbane RSL.
I have been passionate about science, learning and Land Rovers for many years. I first crossed Australia in an old Land Rover in 1982. I also met up with the late Len Beadell in South Australia. I am the author of Unlock Your Land Rover Genius, Intel from 50 Years x 14 Land Rover x 2 million Km (Global Publishing 2017).
I hope it benefits others and inspires Australians to get out and see this wonderful country, especially after all the COVID lockdown dramas. Outback and remote communities need recognition and support as do many small Australian businesses. I hope this endeavour will aid others if only in small ways.
There is a lot of interest worldwide in the trip. I have thousands of followers on Facebook and have been talking about it for a year now.
You can go to the Mates4Mates website and donate to them, or you can sponsor one of the Land Rovers. And if you’d like to take part or help with filming it, see us en route.
You are welcome to contact me: Steve [at] landrovergenius.com (Steve[at]landrovergenius[dot]com)