1981 George Derrick Memorial Trial - Photo Gallery

Richard Davies, in the Peugeot 404 he shared with Richard Willimson and Mark Huntley, was unique in that he took many opportunities to record their ’81 Derrick adventure if film. Following is his photo essay from the time.

At the start control. Still smiling through ignorance of what lies ahead. Left to right – Keith Robinson(service crew), Richard Davies (driver), Mark Huntley (3rd crew member/mechanic), “Mont” (service crew)
Wail. Too many cars bogged on the muddy track, so several cars took to the grass and sank anyway. (Richard at car) At one stage we were one of three or four cars in convoy, towing each other through mud bogs and a creek or two.
Bogged in sand. Raining steadily. (Mark in wet-weathers winding up tow-rope, Richard at door.)
Queue of cars waiting to winch. We had a Tirfor and were very popular but how many cars are we obliged to hang around and rescue?
Same. Made it out of stage eventually and drove along flooded bitumen into Dimboola.
Hit a stump somewhere, and had to drive final bitumen to Hopetoun with offside wheels in the dirt due to severe toe-out. Hopetoun servo – heating up a lower control arm to straighten it.
Division 2, Saturday morning. Heading for Rocket Lake from Nowingi. We were probably out of late time but wanted to see the desert. Stopped for photos every now and again.

 

More “probably OLRT” sightseeing.
More sightseeing – where did we get those cups of coffee from? Ed. Note: The control at Rocket Lake was one of those nominated to provide tea coffee as a .crew reviver
Almost to Rocket Lake. Galant passing us? The clutch had been slipping and eventually wouldn’t transmit drive.
Zoom in to see large pile of burning branches. It was freezing and we expected to be there for a while, so we lit a bonfire. We sent notes with other cars to pass on to our service crew. Late in the day a private car was heading against rally traffic to Ouyen so I went with them to find our crew. Found service crew in Ouyen, bought food and headed back to car.
Back at car. Thick frost on ground at about midnight. Ate sandwiches around fire. Tasted foul. Had been carrying an oil drum filled with petrol for Graham Wallis, but it had leaked and splashed onto the food. Lucky we didn’t toast the sandwiches! We towed the car out. Richard Williamson was the Navigator, now driving the towed car. I drove the service car as everyone else claimed they were more tired than the two of us. At one point, an overtired Williamson tried to overtake the Toyota, forgetting he was on a tow-rope. Arrived Ouyen motel about 3am. Fifteen or more of us fitted into motel room including on floor to try and sleep. Graham’s leaky fuel had also gone over our sleeping bags too, so the room stank of fuel and nearly gassed us
all. Not a good sleep.
Outside Ouyen Motel.
Ouyen. To get the clutch working, Williamson crawled under car with
pressure-wash gun and blasted clay/mud out from bell-housing and clutch. Plenty of helpers just watching. (Graham Wallis facing camera in back-ground. Pete de Vaus hosing down Richard Williamson.)
Pete and Williamson.
Definitely out of late time now, so went looking for Dave Cochrane in his broken-down 403 somewhere north of Mallee Hwy in Sunset country. Came across the remains of an early BP Rally competitors’ car. No sign of crew!
403 had same clutch trouble that we did? (Ask Nick Wright?) Muddy from long tow on rally route.

Back to bitumen. Murrayville.

At servo on way home. Location not known.
Same.

Finllally, a couple more photos of the Bendigo contingent.

Above, L to R – Barry Farnell, Phill Gallagher, John Hardiman (service crew), Megan Martin, Rod Martin, Geoff Byron – photo by Doug Hughes (service crew).
John Hardiman and Doug Hughes removing Timberoo mud from the Rod Martin, Megan Martin, Geoff Byron Galant.