By Dennis Amor
Have
your say
YOUNGSTERS in the Queensland grazing town of Charters Towers have
produced a DVD aimed at improving road safety in the bush.
The local Queensland Country Women's Association Younger Set's 40-minute
Watch Out and Look Out: The Beauty of the Australian Outback was
officially launched at the organisation's state conference.
It is targeted at travellers including caravanners and grey nomads who
might be unfamiliar with problems and dangers they could confront on
country roads.
Members of the Younger Set presented the DVD, financed by government and
private donations, to QCWA president Marian Mudra.
"We hope that tourism agencies, grey nomads, caravan manufacturers and
camper hire services among others will make use of the DVD," Younger Set
coordinator Sadie Hasthorpe told Caravanning News.
"Many Australians and certainly most overseas visitors do not know or
cannot comprehend the difficulties they may face when travelling in rural
and remote Australia," she said.
"The distances, the need for planning and preparation, the identification
of hazards and risks and the strategies to manage them are seldom
considered by people in their rush to enjoy the adventure of a lifetime.
"This is no small problem ... it is estimated that 26,000 people are
injured on our rural and remote roads in Australia annually."
She said it was not intended to make a profit from the DVD, adding: "We
just want to make our roads safer."
The local students became so concerned about the number of road smashes on
country roads they decided to seek funding to make the DVD on safe driving
practices in the bush, whilst also showing the beauty of the region.
The girls hired Jed Cahill from In The Bin at Currumbin – Australia's
largest touring and workshops festival – to direct the $36,000 project,
which included footage of a helicopter and giant road train.
Police Snr Sgt Graham Lohmann, Officer in Charge at Charters Towers, also
assisted with the project from the beginning and was joined by
representatives from the Department of Transport, Ambulance service,
cattle transport industry, tourism, a local music group and the local
State Member of Parliament, Shane Knuth.
For more information or to obtain a copy of the DVD,
click here
