FAQs

We'll be travelling on a huge range of varying road conditions ranging from state highways to outback tracks. The entire route will have been assessed by our team and as long as you drive to the conditions in an appropriate manner you will have no problems. You should never attempt to navigate any road you do not feel comfortable with. Having said that, the Drover’s Run will have a number of support vehicles on the adventure to assist in ensuring participants have the ultimate outback experience. These support vehicles are there to assist with getting vehicles to our destination each day and provide logistical and basic mechanical support. It will still be up to you to ensure your vehicle is prepared for the varying conditions we will be driving on and all major repairs or assistance that may needed for your vehicle will be at your cost.

The Drover’s Run is not a Bash-type event and your vehicle will need to pass basic scrutineering before we leave and meet a number of minimum requirements. We will provide entrants with a list of items you will need to take with you and some very important ideas on how to have your vehicle best prepared for this journey. You should have a fitted UHF radio in your vehicle for safety reasons and a long-range fuel tank is a benefit but not essential as jerry cans can be a suitable alternative. As the name suggests, the event is suitable for 4WD’s only although at no time do we undertake driving conditions that would be deemed excessively risky to the majority of participants.

Entrants will be allowed to use camper trailers on the 2024 Drover’s Run but definitely not caravans due to the road and terrain conditions we travel on. Remember though, the majority of breakdowns we've experienced over the years is with trailers that aren’t suitable for the harsher terrain covered. Please consider this if you are intending to tow a camper trailer, it could mean that your trailer may need to be abandoned if it can’t be readily fixed if broken down.

Under the Itinerary Tab you will find information on where we are staying and the various accommodation options, along with nights we have catered dinners and the nights you will need to provide your own meal. As a rule, you will need to cater for all breakfasts and lunches as we are often in places that do not provide meals or, we will be pulling up at remote roadside areas for our breaks. All these details are provided, as well as where we can obtain fuel and how far between fuel stops.

As the Drover’s Run Outback Adventure is a mixed event we are very aware of providing amenities so that everyone is comfortable. This year, except for the five days on the Hay River Track, we will have access to showers nightly and there will always be toilet facilities of a night and at our scheduled stops for morning tea and lunch. If there is not a toilet available we will set one up at our planned breaks for everyone’s comfort.

Because of the distances we need to travel, the fact that we need to keep vehicles moving to get to our destination each day, and the expectation that entrants will attend night time functions, the event is not suitable for children. Consideration to allow under 18’s to enter the event in exceptional circumstances, if requested, will be decided by the organisers.

We will often be travelling in or through National Parks or Private Property and staying at a range of accomodation venues where pets are not permitted and this is one of the reasons pets can not be taken with you on the Drover's Run.

The Drover’s Run is one of the largest fundraisers for the Northern NSW based Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service but fees for this event are kept at a minimum to ensure the event is affordable to all.

The first fee due at the time of registration is an Entrant Registration Donation of $250 per vehicle to be paid by the person/s entering a vehicle for the 2024 Drover’s Run. This fee is fully tax-deductible and ensures your position for the 2024 Drover’s Run.

The second amount due is made up of your Supporter Donations and is a minimum amount of $2,500 which we encourage entrants to source in the form of donations from businesses, friends, individual fundraising etc OR it can be paid in part or full by the entrant if you choose. If entrants choose to source donations, we will provide donation information to help you with your fundraising and also an acknowledgement that you are authorised to seek donations on behalf of the Service as an entrant in the 2024 Drover’s Run. We will also assist you to set up your online fundraising platform to assist you in achieving your target. You may look at securing the amount in a few larger donations or a number of smaller amounts, as long as you reach the minimum $2,000 target, and if you are able we encourage entrants to continue to fundraise, acknowledging that all funds raised ensure that we can continue to provide the best in aeromedical support to those in need 24-7. All Supporter Donations over $2.00 are Tax Deductible (Charitable Fundraising Number 11992)

The Supporters Donation minimum amount is due on or before the 30^th June, 2024. As an encouragement to those who choose to take the Supporters Donation model, the highest fundraising vehicle will receive recognition on the perpetual trophy and receive a generous acknowledgement in recognition of your efforts.

The third fee to be paid is your Crew Fee which is paid by all participants on the Drover’s Run and is an at-cost fee for your Drover’s Run uniform, your camping fees charged per person by the places we stay, and any meals that will be catered for us during the adventure. In 2024 we are providing dinner on nine of the sixteen nights at local venues, and your Crew Fee also includes a fantastic Sunset Cruise on the Thompson River at Longreach followed by dinner and entertainment at Smithy's Outback Bar. The Crew Fee for the 2024 Drover's Run will be confirmed once we know all costs from providers but as a guideline it will be around $700 per person but still to be finalised and confirmed.