Andrew Gee (Calare, National Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's not every day that motorists stumble across a procession of 17 tractors chugging along at 20 kilometres an hour on Central West roads, but, on the weekend, the slow, colourful parade of tractors clocked up almost 250 kilometres around the Blayney, Carcoar, Millthorpe, Neville and Barry areas all in the name of charity.

Today I rise to pay tribute to the organisers and drivers who donated their time and tractors to raise $80,000 for Little Wings, a charity that provides free transport to sick country children to access medical services. Eighty thousand dollars will cover the cost of 60 flights to Sydney, all thanks to the outstanding people behind the event, including the organising committee led by Malcolm Porter and comprising Denise Wilson, Debbie Porter, Nick Clancey, Barry Wilson, John Sharp and Kevin Porter, and also the tractor owners and drivers, including Cameron Dunstan, Graham Press, Roy White—my old mate—Dennis Coopes, Graham Eslick, Sam Sharp, Charlie Bartolo, John Cooley, Brian Tonkin and Pat Kilby. You all exemplify the spirit of Australia.

The funds raised on this year's trek brings to more than $350,000 the support raised for Little Wings to date. On behalf of this parliament, I formally recognise and thank everyone involved in this year's trek for their outstanding efforts. I certainly enjoyed catching up with all of the trekkers in Blayney on Saturday night. It was a great night and a great event for a very worthy cause.