4/08/2009

Billy Kidney

Media Release

4 August 2009

Kidney Kar Rally Set To Make A Noise About Silent Killer
Starts in Launceston 15 August 2009

Melbourne: The Kidney Kar Rally, will celebrate its 21st Birthday this year by starting its rally on Saturday 15th August 2009 at Launceston when the first cars will be flagged off at 8.00am from the Country Club.

Seventy vehicles in the event from all over Australia will start arriving on the Spirit of Tasmania in the week prior to the start to assemble in Launceston for final safety checks.

The Kidney Kar Rally has raised millions of dollars to assist Kidney Health Australia carry out its important work supporting thousands of people with kidney disease and staging special Kidney Kids Camps to provide children with kidney disease a special holiday with their peer group.

This year the Kidney Kar Rally will cover three states - Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales with the biggest field in its 21 year history to raise funds and promote awareness of Chronic Kidney Disease in Australia.

Locals in many small towns visited by the Kidney Kar Rally should prepare themselves for a lot of fun and weird and wonderful sites as Kidney Kar Rally teams dress to highlight the themes of their cars ranging from the Blues Brothers to the Farkarwee Indian Maidens.

Car horns with unusual sounds ranging from crowing roosters, mooing cows and air raid sirens are all used to make a noise about the Chronic Kidney Disease the Silent Killer.

Kidney Kar Rally vehicles will gather at the Country Club in Launceston on Friday 14th August 2009 for Safety Check and Registration between the hours of 9am - 2pm with the start of the Rally at 8.00am on Saturday 15th August 2009.

After three days of rallying in Tasmania the entire rally team will board the Princess of Tasmania and land in Melbourne on Tuesday 18th August for a convoy through the City before heading to Ballarat.

Over the next four days the Kars will drive through Victoria and head towards New South Wales where the rally will finish on Saturday 22nd August at Mussellbrook in New South Wales for the presentation Dinner at the RSL Auditorium.

Media Enquiries:
Road Directors: Arthur Davis Mobile: 0417 688 399 Kim Davis Mobile: 0429 343 198
Anne Wilson CEO Kidney Health Australia Mobile: 0400 165 391
Ron Smith National Media Communications Kidney Health Australia Mobile: 0417 329 201 BH/ AH

Did you know? Chronic Kidney Disease is known as the Silent Killer as nearly half the people with an advanced form of kidney disease do not know they have weak or failing kidneys. People can lose up to 90% of the use of their kidneys and not even know it.

1 in 7 Australian adults over the age of 25 years has chronic kidney disease (stage 1-5).
* At the end of 2007, 9,642 people were receiving dialysis treatment and 7,128 people were living with a functioning kidney transplant.

Kidney Kar Rally Timetable

Friday 14th August 2009 -
All vehicles will be at Country Club Tasmania (Launceston) for Safety Check and Registration between the hours of 9am - 2pm - followed by several compulsory briefings for all participants. Start dinner and auction in the Ballroom from 7pm.

Saturday 15th August 2009 -
First Kar departs from Country Club at 8am - off road until lunch at St Helens - first Kar due to arrive 12:15pm - off road until overnight stop at Bicheno - first kar due to arrive 4:10pm.

Sunday 16th August 2009 -
First Kar departs Bicheno at 7:15am - off road until lunch at Oatlands - first Kar due to arrive 11:15am - off road until overnight stop at Queenstown - first Kar due to arrive 3:45pm.

Monday 17th August 2009 -
First Kar departs Queenstown at 7:30am - off road until lunch at Boat Harbour Beach - first Kar due to arrive 12:45pm - will pass through Burnie approx 2pm - 3pm, pass through Sheffield approx 3:30pm - 4:30pm. Arrive Spirit of Tasmania boarding area from 4:50pm.

Tuesday 18th August 2009 -
Spirit of Tasmania docks at Port Melbourne approx 7am - Kars will then travel, on the main roads, to Ballarat for lunch from 12.00 noon. The rest of the day is the "rally lay-day" where everyone does as they wish - fix vehicles, sightsee, sleep etc!

Wednesday 19th August 2009 -
First Kar departs Ballarat at 7:30am - off road until lunch at Rushworth - first Kar due to arrive 11:45am - off road until overnight stop at Myrtleford - first Kar due to arrive 4:40pm.

Thursday 20th August 2009 -
First Kar departs Myrtleford at 7:30am - passing through Beechworth from approx 7:45am - 8:45am - off road until lunch at Uranquinty - first Kar due to arrive 12 noon - off road until overnight stop at Temora - first Kar due to arrive 4:15pm.

Friday 21st August 2009 -
First Kar departs Temora at 8am - off road until lunch at Bogan Gate - first Kar due to arrive 11:10am - pass through Trundle for refuel from approx 12:45pm - pass through Narromine approx 2:15pm - 3:30pm - arrive overnight stop at Gilgandra - first Kar due to arrive 4:20pm.

Saturday 22nd August 2009 -
First Kar departs Gilgandra at 7am - off road until lunch at Merriwa - first Kar due to arrive at 11am - will pass through Murrurundi approx 1pm - 2:30pm - off road until overnight stop at Muswellbrook - first Kar due to arrive at 3pm. Presentation Dinner in the RSL Auditorium from 7pm.