Two Ballarat horse drivers have passed the halfway point of their mammoth horse trek from Ballarat to Mildura.
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Alicia Driscoll, Brian Harrison and their horses pulling two carts arrived in Swan Hill late on Monday – a week after leaving Ballarat and on track to arrive in Mildura to meet their deadline on Saturday.
Apart from wearing through horse shoes quicker than expected and giving the horses extra breaks to cope with the warmer-than-expected weather, Ms Driscoll said the first 320km had been fairly smooth.
Motorists have generally been considerate, except for a few impatient drivers.
“Trucks have probably been the best, to be honest. People in cars can be impatient and can’t be bothered slowing down for two seconds to pass, but the truckies have been great,” Ms Driscoll said.
The team are meeting their expectation of covering 70km to 80km a day, travelling for two days then having a rest day throughout the 570km journey, which has been dubbed The Long Haul.
“The horses aren’t quite used to the heat so we are having to keep the water up to them,” she said.
Ms Driscoll organised the trip to support her gran Cas Driscoll who is the driving force behind the push for a hospice to be built in Mildura.
The culmination of the trek will come on October 6 when they arrive in Mildura in time to carry Cas to the Hospice Hope Ball.
“Gran has been the driving force behind trying to establish a hospice in Mildura,” Ms Driscoll said before embarking on the trek.
“She’s had the land donated, she’s rallied the builders and has had everything donated but just needs the government to come to the party and provide the recurrent funding costs for its operation.”
Whenever the convoy has stopped for a break or to camp overnight, locals have been quick to come out in support, with some providing food and water, and to learn about the hospice project.
“Pretty much every time we stop people ask what are we doing and why we are here,” Ms Driscoll said.
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