BUSH TRACK MOTORING IN AUSTRALIA
[To the Editor of the St's:ern-roll] Stn,—Some months ago you made a most flattering comment on the journal of Mr. Michael Terry describing his journey from Winton to Western Australia. That his drive was a creditable one is recognized, but so much prominence has been given to it that it must lead people to think in England that Australians are doing nothing. Men arc doing the sort of drive he did every week in some way or another, following their ordinary occupations.
Last year a young man arrived in Winton from Perth, having crossed the continent on a 21 h.p. Douglas moter-eyde —a wonderful performance. His sole outfit consisted of a few spare parts in a neatly fitted box, tool bag, 4 lbs. rice, 2 lbs. raisins, water bag, spare petrol and oil. No spare covers, no swag. A fortnight ago a Mr. .1. J. Warner, of Perth, driving a Citroen car, arrived in Winton from Western Australia ; and( now Mrs. Marion Bell and her daughter have arrived in tf, 6-cylinder Oldsmobile. This latter trip for a woman was most venturesome and her pluck is to be much admired. Mr. Francis Birtles has crossed and recrossed this continent from . all points of the compass, by both bicycle and motor-car, and has done some really valuable exploration work during. those trips. If my memory serves me rightly, Mr. Dutton, of Anlaby, South Australia, crossed from Adelaide to Darwin in a Talbot car in 1909-1910. But so many extraordinary things have been done by Australians in their cars. that one: soon forgets them and no records seem to be kept except in newspaper files not easily accessible. A book on the most: noteworthy bicycle, motor-cycle and motorcar trips in Australia would be most interesting and contain a number of surprises for many people. I trust you can find space for these lines as a tribute to the splendid men and women who spend. their lives in these out back parts, and to whom long motor journeys over bush tracks are the daily round. and for which they never receive any public recognition.—I- am, Sir, &c, J. STUART ROACH,
Vicar, St. Paul's Church, Winton, Queensland.
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