Campbelltown Rotary Outback Experience

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (15:21): I rise to inform members about the existence and success of CROE, the Campbelltown Rotary Outback Experience, which has just completed its fifth adventure. It is a fundraiser for charity and the fifth CROE raised $40,000 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, $6,000 for Angel Flight and $8,000 for Australian Rotary Health.

These five events have been run as an eight-day mystery adventure into the outback, with up to 39 participants and 15 vehicles at a time from the Campbelltown Rotary Club and friends experiencing extraordinary things in the outback. They are the brainchild of Rotarian Mal Hansen and his wife, Val. They have been organised and run by Mal and Val with the assistance of a small group of Rotarians, including the late David Tuckwell who played a large part in organising the first three.

All meals, accommodation and entertainment have been provided for the group by those areas visited, who very often donated the cost of such provisions to a charity of their choice or back to CROE for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Initially, the idea was to take city folk out of their comfort zone, show them our wonderful outback and to raise funds for the RFDS, but over the years many participants have returned to do it all again.

At this stage, at the completion of the five events in 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2014, over $347,000 has been raised and spent through CROE, with $146,625 being donated to the RFDS, $13,500 to the Rotary Foundation, $17,500 to Australian Rotary Health, and $6,000 to Angel Flight. In addition, $112,000 has been left in the outback for the provision of food, accommodation and entertainment and an estimated $52,000 paid out for fuel—a wonderful outcome and a significant contribution to those local economies.

The five CROEs have taken participants to many places and remote towns, such as: Tibooburra, Innamincka, Kingoonya, Maree and Marla. Historical places visited included Anlaby, Milparinka, the Loveday Internment Camp, Mirikata, Woomera, and Loxton Historical Village. Stations visited and enjoyed have included Quondong, Sturt's Meadow, Theldarpa, Erudina, Edeowie, Clayton, Welbourn Hill, Billa Kalina, Wirrealpa and Alpana. Lakes visited include Lake Bonney, Torrens, Everard, Sturt, Eyre and Cadibarrawirracanna.

Members interjecting:

Mr GARDNER: I think I need to have a chat to the person who put some of these notes together! The tracks travelled on have included the Strzelecki, Birdsville, Oodnadatta, Borefield and old Stuart Highway. The ranges explored have included Flinders, Gammon, Gawler and Benlaby. Aboriginal Communities provided meals and entertainment at Mimili and Iga Warta. The mining towns toured have included Roxby, Andamooka, Leigh Creek, Moomba, Mintabie and Coober Pedy. They have enjoyed Flinders, Danggali, Gawler Ranges, Dutchmans Stern and the Sturt national parks.

Participants have been catered for by numerous organisations and establishments, including sports clubs at Thevenard, Minnipa and Carrieton; the hospital auxiliaries of Hawker, Booleroo Centre and Cleve; the Maree, Blinman and Yunta progress associations; and the Rotary clubs of Roxby District, Broken Hill South, and Northern Yorke Peninsula. The Campbelltown Rotarians, of course, did some of their own meal provision, which is to be expected.

They were catered for at the highest town in South Australia (Blinman) and underground at the Serbian church in Coober Pedy. Other organisations have benefitted from the CROE trips, including the Nature Foundation, Isolated Children's Parent's Association, the RFDS (as previously described), School of the Air and Bush Australia. Those are just a few of the great experiences and places visited by dozens of Campbelltown Rotarians and also Rotarians from Magill Sunrise, Blackwood, Berri, Waikerie, Encounter Bay, Melbourne, Drouin, Frankston East and, indeed, a visiting Rotarian from Malaysia also participated in the Campbelltown Rotary Outback Experience.

There have been difficulties along the way. CROE2 in 2006 was organised and run while Mal and Val Hansen's daughter underwent treatment for leukaemia and CROE4 in 2012 was undertaken as Mal was undergoing treatment for oesophageal and prostate cancers. Both Mal and Val were very passionate about CROE and the communities and charities that they supported, so they strived to make them a success despite those personal challenges.

Campbelltown's Rotarians have driven through dust, mud, rivers, creeks, mountains and plains. Beds have been provided for those who have needed one, generally in shearer's quarters, but many participants camped in their tents and swags. Entertainment was provided by Peter Coad and the Coad Sisters, John O'Dea, Jasmine Kimber, Tiffney Reynolds, the Loxton Lutheran Band and our own participants.

As a member of the Campbelltown Rotary Club, as is the member for Hartley, I am very proud of their achievements and the support they have given to so many communities. I recognise in particular the organisers of the five CROE events.