“It’s just a day of full-on fun for the kids!” said Darren ‘Mork’ Cartner, vice-president of the Brisbane Convoy for Kids committee, which had a display at the Brisbane Truck Show promoting the annual event to be held this year on November 4.
Having run each year since 2010, the convoy would be one of, if not the largest, gatherings of trucks and truckies annually, and with over 640 trucks participating in the 2022 event, Mork and his team of volunteers are aiming to break the 700-truck barrier in 2023.
The Brisbane Convoy has been in partnership for the last six years with the Hummingbird House Foundation, which is Queensland’s only children’s hospice, and in that time over half a million dollars has been raised.
As in years past, the convoy will assemble at Larapinta for the 70km journey across Brisbane to a truck show and family day at the Redcliffe Showgrounds.
“We have a different shirt colour each year – this year it is green and every driver that enters in the convoy gets a shirt. It will be a sea of green,” said Leanne Prince, committee treasurer.
“Along with that, every truck driver that registers a truck in also gets an entry into the truck show at the conclusion of the convoy. We have first, second and third across 28 categories so it would have to be also one of the largest truck shows in Australia,” she continued.
Over the years the event has received strong support from the Queensland trucking industry, with a number of fleets entering multiple trucks each year.
“We have a lead truck auction in the week before which raises more dollars and the top 20 in the auction then lead the convoy. The trucking community here in Brisbane really get behind us and support us on the day. Corporate support is great but we can always do with more!” Mork said.
As is the case with many other community events, the Convoy is run entirely by volunteers, all with the aim of raising money for children and families in need.
“Every person on the committee all volunteers their time and resources. We have a very good committee. If we can help a family out in any way we will. As soon as the convoy is over we will sit in the bar with a ‘coldie’ and start taking about what we are going to do and where we can take this to next year,” he concluded.
For more information, go to brisbaneconvoyforkids.com.au.