Territory Tuff Truck Trek
Swags and mozzie nets were the main form of accommodation on a
Top End expedition that was the reward for 30 Ford Light Truck sales
managers who achieved incentive targets set by Ford Australia. Two
groups of winning sales managers, who came from all over Australia,
went on a six-day trek between Darwin and Broome, organised by Darwin's
Dalton Logistics, which operates corporate incentive programs and
events.
Owner manager Jim Dalton has been heavily involved in outback expeditions
for major manufacturers' product launches, outback film shoots and
corporate incentive trips with a Territory difference.
"We have found corporate expeditions of this nature can be
great for companies looking for a unique program or event to reward
their top performers or elite teams.Companies are trying to avoid
those predictable trips or retreats these days so we are constantly
developing and sourcing new concepts and ideas for inclusion in
our itineraries".
It wasn't just a trip away, because there was training in theoretical
and practical elements of four-wheel driving and light truck product
knowledge, plus a two, half day sales managers conference at Cable
Beach Resort.
To ensure the participants on this trek would be able to handle
the going, Jim arranged for Gary Pendlebury from 'SMART' (Skilled
Motor Vehicle and Rider Training) to deliver a driver training course
before they set off and again in Broome for the second group who
would do the return trip to Darwin. The course involved skid control,
collision avoidance and 4WD recovery techniques. Gary went along
on the trip to provide ongoing tuition and Ford Australia sent its
training manager to run the sales managers' courses in Broome.
For the first group the experience began with a welcome dinner
and drinks at the Carlton Hotel Darwin before departing the next
day for Katherine for a gorge cruise, then on to Flora River Nature
Park for some fine dining under the stars. This was the first night
in a swag for some of the guests. The next day the twelve-vehicle
fleet headed off to Kununurra where the team took a scenic flight
over Lake Argyle and the Bungle Bungles.
Macca's Barra Camp on Carlton Hill Station just out of Kununurra,
run by Andrew and Kate McKeown, was the second overnight stay and
the planning area for the following days activities which included
fishing for barramundi and a scenic cruise on the mighty Ord River.
Apart from the magnificent fishing with experienced guides, the
river also offered fantastic croc-spotting and bird-watching opportunities,
a photographers dream. Jim Dalton said: "One of the guests,
a bloke by the name of Len Slater who runs the dealership in Bega
NSW, caught himself a beaut barra. I reckon he'll dine out on that
one for years."
The next stop was El Questro, off the famous Gibb River Road, for
helicopter scenic flights over the Durack Ranges, and the spectacular
gorges of the region. Jim said, "We split the group into two,
one group being flown down to the Pentecost River for some more
barra fishing, the other did the scenic flight around the ranges
and again, we did the changeover. "Most of them said they had
never been in a helicopter before and were totally awed by the experience.
"A few were adamant they would be back with their wives and
families to do it all again."
From El Questro the group drove further into the Kimberley enjoying
the challenge of the drive and the awesome scenery. Windjana Gorge
was the perfect backdrop for the last camp before heading for the
Indian Ocean and the luxurious Cable Beach Resort. Conference activities
over the two days included a camel trek, golf, hovercraft flight,
a city tour, pearl lugger cruise, tennis, and a tour of Malcolm
Douglas's crocodile park.
On the final night in Broome there was a gala dinner held on the
ampitheatre lawns just up from the beach. The weather could not
have been milder nor the ambience better. Live entertainment was
provided and the surprise of the night was guest speaker Ron Barassi
joining the team for dinner and a talk on motivation and life values
in general.
The following morning, group one departed and group two braced
themselves for a trip of a lifetime. Jim Dalton said: "Companies
have used these treks to showcase their products to media and potential
customers as well as to their own staff and distributors. "The
sales managers really enjoyed taking the vehicles through their
paces in off-road situations including wading through rivers and
rock climbing on hillsides, gaining product knowledge you simply
can't get in a classroom situation. "Combining conference and
incentive team programs requires careful planning to take into account
group size, time available and the location for the event. So while
swags and mozzie nets might have been the accommodation for this
two-way trek, everything else, especially the details of the planning
such as the food, which was accompanied by fine wines and cleansing
ales, was certainly top-class. And who knows, down the track, sales
might just pay for the whole exercise.
For all you 'foodies' out there, here are some examples.Dishes
served for dinner included live NT mud crabs cooked to order, natural
or Thai style, spit-roasted saltbush lamb basted with blue gum honey
and rosemary, abalone and seaweed patties, aged prime T- bone chargrilled
and served with a native pepper sauce, wild goat and boar satays,
coal-baked barramundi with lime tartare and roasted bunya nuts,
poached buffalo silverside with a marmalade glaze and mustard mash,
turkey and smoked boar sausages, roast hindquarter of camel with
field mushroom sauce. Desserts included emu egg pavlova with NT
mangoes and seasonal fruits, summer pudding with local berries topped
with King Island cream and Kakadu plum sauce. Lunches weren't boring
either, with saltbush lamb, mint jelly and salad pitta breads, smoked
goat ham and salad damper sandwiches, buffalo silverside and bush
tomato chutney sandwiches.
Cairns to Cape York
During September, 2001, Ford Australia Light Truck Motor Vehicle
Dealers tackled the rigorous trip from Cairns to the top of Australia.
Co-ordinated by Jim Dalton from Dalton Logistics, SMART-NT's expertise
was employed to provide various defensive and 4 wheel drive training
exercises throughout the drive north.
The venue for the 'meet and greet' of the Dalton Logistics crew
and Ford Aust. Dealers as the Mirage Hotel situated at Port Douglas,
Qld (just north of Cairns). Until the Ford Group returned to Port
Douglas, the accommodations were the best they would get for the
next four days with swags and tents the order of the day. The two
groups got together for dinner at the Mirage Golf Links. Introductions
were made by all in attendance with SMART-NT instructor, Gary Pendlebury
advising his 'victims' what was in store for them throughout the
trip. Early the next morning, five near new F250's and four Ford
Couriers were assigned to the various driving crews. The group then
made it's way north, bypassing the Daintree Ferry and Cape Tribulation
area by following the power line access road to Cooktown.The power
line track turned out to be a good one, with many good sized creeks
and hills to negotiate. The track was an ideal opportunity for the
Dealers to test out their product. After a fuel up at Cooktown,
it was easy driving (mainly corrugations and lots of dust) before
reaching the camp for the night (Kalpowar in Lakefield National
Park). Along the way, the convoy was stopped by a guy who needed
help in getting his 4x4 back on it's wheels.
Dalton Logistics also called in Gary Ticehurst to
provide a heli-fishing service (very popular with the guys) Camp
for the second night was at the Moreton Telegraph Station. The group
pitched tents on the Wenlock River. The final day's travel to the
base camp saw the convoy roll into the banks of the Jardine River.
Whilst the Ford Dealers flew back to Cairns, the Dalton Logistics
Crew and the two Ford Technicians (March & Sam) cleaned swags
and vehicles for the return trip. With all the vehicles waiting
at the Injinoo Airport, Bamaga the second Ford Crew arrived for
the quick trip to the Jardine River camp. The next day and we all
headed south, following the original telegraph line. This track
also proved to be a good one, offering good hill inclines, mud and
water crossings. On for a swim at Eliot Falls before heading south,
following the same track and and staying at the same camps as the
trip north The rest of the trip was a pretty good one until we arrived
back in the Daintree area.
Unbeknown to us, the area had received some rain whilst we were
up north. About 2 hours into the trip, our first vehicles starting
getting bogged. Whilst getting the first vehicle out, some locals
driving north arrived. The fact that their vehicles had chains fitted
to their front wheels gave us some warning as to what was up ahead.
The next area we came to took us about 90 minutes to get all the
vehicles through. By this time it was getting pretty dark and although
we ended up being about 2 hours late for dinner, the Ford Dealers
did get to have a 'real play' with their vehicles.
All in all, a great two weeks travelling through some of the best
country in Australia. Vehicles used for this trip were the new Ford
F-250 4 Wheel Drive powered by either the 7.3 litre V8 Turbo Diesel
(it's awesome) or the 4.2 litre 6 Cylinder Turbo Diesel and the
Ford Courier 4 Wheel Drive 2.5 Litre 4 Cylinder Turbo Diesel. All
the vehicles performed exceptionally well with only one flat tyre
thoughout the whole trip.
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