AFTER 21 years, the Port Adelaide Football Club’s iconic Outback Odyssey comes to the end of the road in 2012 - and this Friday you can be there for the historic final farewell from Adelaide.
Entrants in the Odyssey will depart Adelaide for the Queensland resort town of Noosa, on what will be the last journey in this long-running fund-raiser for the Port Adelaide Football Club and Novita Children’s Services.
Come along and witness the cavalcade leave Adelaide one final time.
Be at the Torrens Parade Ground - opposite Elder Park on King William Road, Adelaide - to see 30 pre-1985 cars and their enthusiastic crew members take off at 3pm on Friday.
They will spend eight days on the road covering almost 3000 kilometres and taking in some of Australia’s most remote country. Among the towns the Odyssey will visit are Melrose, Arkaroola, Cunnamulla and Nindigully.
In keeping with the long-established tradition, the entrants will support communities along the way by holding auctions and supporting local causes and businesses.
The Outback Odyssey was founded by generous and passionate Port Adelaide supporter Des Shannahan in 1992 - a time when the club was looking for additional fundraisers to help finance its second push into the AFL.
That inaugural Outback Odyssey saw entrants travel from Adelaide to the Barossa Valley … via Birdsville! Since then, entrants have visited destinations far and wide, including Broome, Darwin, Port Douglas, Kakadu National Park, Port Lincoln and Byron Bay.
The Outback Odyssey has been a great event over many years, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to ensure a viable financial return while meeting rising logistical demands and rising costs. It is also important for Port Adelaide to concentrate its resources on other critical needs including the impending move to Adelaide Oval in 2014.
When the event started 21 years ago, no-one imagined it would last as long as it has.
The Port Adelaide Football Club thanks all those who have contributed to the success of the event over more than two decades, as either entrants of support personnel.
Port Adelaide will continue to support the wonderful work of Novita Children’s Services.
