If you see a convoy of stickered cars heading from Glen Innes to Deepwater today, you have found the Dunga Derby.
The Dunga Derby is a major fundraising event raising money for Rally for a Cause, which supports people doing it tough and to assist families with life-limiting medical condition in need of financial or practical assistance. The rally is anticipated to descend on Deepwater today, Friday 17th August at 4pm.
“There will be 65 vehicles coming through and 135 people staying at the pub Friday night and on the night there will be auctions and a trivia competition and their own entertainment,” said Stuart O’Neill, Publican of the Deepwater Hotel – The Top Pub.
The four-day car rally ventures from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland all the way out to the bush and back again, with drivers not knowing where they are going until they get there. And this year, the small town of Deepwater is on the route.
“They heard that Deepwater Hotel has a reputation for running an immaculate event, so through word of mouth they found us and came and visited us four times, did some reconnaissance on the place, and then they approached us, and we got talking,” said Stuart.
“It’s great to have this Queensland event come into NSW. And the biggest thing, all of the competitors have to sleep outside.”
Yes, you read that right. All competitors will be sleeping outside, and Deepwater has turned down the heat to a bare 3 degrees on the forecast overnight.
“The weather is meant to be sh**house and its meant to snow tonight night in Guyra,” said Stuart.
But the sacrifice will be well worth it, with the teams already raising over $300,000 for the cause.
Stuart and his wife Susie will be putting their event planning talents and Deepwater Hotel’s menu on show for their interstate visitors. Deepwater Hotel will be dishing up their new ‘Highway Burger’ after putting themselves on the map literally, with a burger named after the New England Highway.
“When you look on the map the New England Highway says A15, so we have created the A15 cheeseburger,” Said Stuart.
“It’s a very good cheeseburger, we smash them out quickly and they are amazing.”
And they will have plenty of people putting it to the test.
“Tomorrow morning, we need to provide 135 cheeseburgers in 45 minutes, challenge accepted.”
The hotel will also be dining the visitors with homemade sausage rolls on arrival, followed by king prawns and chicken wings, and pizzas, spaghetti and cockaleekie soup.
“Deepwater now has its own Sambuca, and we will certainly be giving that a taste test tonight,” said Stuart.
Everyone is encouraged to come along and check out the display convoy between 4 and 5:30pm Friday afternoon, or if you want to catch them rolling into town, before 4pm.
Follow the adventures of the Dunga Derby on their Facebook Page. You can also donate to the Dunga Derby here.
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