Billy Cart Derby

I forgot to mention a unique event that takes place at Ferny Creek School every year... the Billy Cart Derby. This is the annual first term get-together, a fundraiser for the school, where parents can yak and have some light beer, wine and alcopop refreshments (not too much so they want to ride the billy carts), everyone can enjoy a spot of supper, and the kids race each other down a steep hill (with hay bales at the bottom, thank god) in a variety of home-made carts, known locally as Billy Carts. Some are quite ornate... concocted from a variety of bicycle and tricycle parts, or sharp bits welded together to create a fearsome (Made Max-like) vehicle. One was a replica of a 1960s VW bus, to match the dad's vehicle. Again, pics will be provided once I am back in the land of the phone cable...

The kids line up, and get pushed, yes pushed, down the hill, with someone with a radar gun recording speed at the bottom. It's a decent slope, too, and there are shrieks of excitement, and a few spills, as you could imagine. No broken bones this year, although one close call!! And we have to sign our kids' lives away, absolving the school of responsibility! Our neighbours Cate and Tim loaned us their Billy Cart so the guys could race down the hill. Oh, and your shoes are the brakes of this cart. I saw one boy cartwheel, head over heads, legs flying, when he hit the hay bales head on. Yes, the dad was down there in a minute to extricate him...

Apparently $1600 was raised last Friday, the 13th of March... an auspicious date!!