Ever wanted to go on an epic Outback Queensland adventure that crosses vast, changing landscapes and rarely traversed private property? Then you should check out the Great Endeavour Rally Gulf Trek, running from July 26 until August 3. It’s one of Australia’s longest charity rallies and raises money for the Endeavour Foundation, which supports Australians living with disability. Oh, and it’s a whole lot of fun with a few hundred new mates!
This year’s event is a fully guided adventure through the Gulf Country. It takes punters from the Southern Great Barrier Reef at Bundaberg, through the heart of Outback Queensland to Julia Creek, to the coastal town of Karumba where the barramundi run thick and fast, to the otherworldly lava caves of Undara, and finally back to the coast at Townsville. With on- and off-road routes mapped out, you’ll get the 4×4 as dirty as you like. The route takes in public and private roads, offering participants the chance to see a side of the Gulf Country they’ve never seen before.
We caught up with Nathan Woolhouse from Endeavour to get the low down on why we should join this year’s trek to the Gulf.
Mr4x4: What makes the Great Endeavour Rally a unique travel experience?
NW: A few entrants have described the rally as ‘the adventure holiday you could never plan’. We get to see parts of Australia you could only dream of seeing. This is due to the rally being fully supported with mechanical support provided by the Australian Army. You get to see places that aren’t even on the map; little hidden gems you would even know were there. A lot of people wouldn’t take on a 3500km trip alone or maybe don’t have friends available to travel with them in support. This is what makes the rally what it is; you get to see places off the beaten track access private property.
Mr4x4: What keeps people coming back to do the Great Endeavour Rally?
NW: People keep coming back for both the experience and the mates they have met throughout their rally experience. You may enter as a novice not knowing anyone, but you will finish your first rally with 100-plus new friends that you have shared an adventure of a lifetime with.
Mr4x4: What do people say is their favourite thing about the Rally?
NW: The places they see and the people they get to do it with. The feeling that you are never doing it on your own. The practical jokes and comradery throughout the trip. Seeing what the money can do for people with disability, as we have three people with disability travel with us through the entirety of the trip.
Mr4x4: Where do profits from the Rally go?
NW: All profits go to Endeavour Foundation in order give people with an intellectual disability the opportunity to realise their dreams and live an independent, fulfilling life through learning life skills, living independently and finding a job they love, and to being actively involved in their local communities.
The Great Endeavour Rally Gulf Trek goes from July 26 until August 3, 2019. Click here for more information.
