This week’s Back Roads, airing Thursday at 8pm on ABC Australia, features guest presenter Joe O’Brien covering the Great Wheelbarrow Race in Far North Queensland’s Atherton Tablelands. The 140km race from Mareeba to Chillagoe, retraces the historic “Wheelbarrow Way”.
Here’s the Lowdown: The race, inspired by 19th-century miners who pushed their belongings in wheelbarrows between mining sites, attracts a variety of participants. O’Brien meets the “Dads’ Army” team, competing in the over-55s category with an average age of 74 (and an 86-year-old member!). They’re raising funds for Mareeba Hospital. He also encounters the “Missy’s Donors” team, three young men racing in tiny red swimwear to raise awareness for blood donation in memory of their friend, Missy Clarkson.
What This Means Now: The episode presents a unique, community-focused event that blends physical challenge with historical significance and charitable causes. It also provides insights into the motivations and camaraderie of the participants.
The Bigger Picture: Beyond the competition, the episode highlights the human stories behind the race. We meet Lindie Boonzaaier, the race organizer and a South African immigrant, who invites O’Brien to join her team, “The Council Cruisers,” giving him a first-hand (and perhaps slightly cheeky) experience of the race’s fun-loving atmosphere. It airs this Thursday, 13 March, at 8pm.
