Across-Australia drive starts today!

The recreation of the Ferguson-Birtles drive from Perth to Sydney is the brainchild of the Veteran Car Club of NSW and, more specifically, Bob Lamond, who will be leading the expedition in a 1910 model Brush roadster, similar to that which Ferguson as driver and Birtles as navigator used for the original journey a century ago.

Lamond will be joined by almost fifty other participants in the recreation of the 1912 drive, including his son, Craig, who will also be behind the wheel of a Brush. Long-gone marques like De Dion-Bouton, Maxwell, Clement Bayard, Darracq will make the long journey, joined by a number of motorcyclists, who will be similarly mounted on veteran machines. The age of the vehicles entered ranges from 94 to 109-years-old!

In 1912, the drive across vast areas of open territory and roads that were little more than dirt tracks took Ferguson, Birtles and their canine mascot, Rex, 28 days. For 2012, Lamond and the VCCA NSW have estimated the re-enactment will take 20 days, including a rest day at the journey's halfway point at Ceduna, with the estimated finish date at Sydney's GPO on April 4.

The 2012 Veteran Motors Across Australia drive will be raising money for both the McGrath and Prostate Cancer Foundations, and the event organisers are urging all those who encounter the veteran vehicles to donate to these worthy causes.

Further information on the Veteran Motors Across Australia drive, including daily updates, can be found at www.vccansw.org