Richard Burley, REDARC General Manager of Supply Chain at REDARC, embarked on his first camping adventure during the South Australia 2024 Variety 4WD Adventure. Over the seven days, he and Creative Manager, Alex Maguire, joined a convoy of passionate 4WD enthusiasts to conquer the rugged terrain of the Northern Flinders Ranges.
Hosted by Variety – the Children’s Charity, the event raises funds to provide support to children and families navigating the challenges of sickness, disadvantage, or living with disability.
With Alex on board to share his off-grid knowledge, Richard came away with a story and to answer the all-important question – would he camp again?
How would you rate your first camping experience?
We had an incredible week seeing some of the most amazing places in South Australia. I have to say that the beauty of the Outback really grew on me over the week. I also enjoyed getting to know Alex on the trip and understanding his fantastic contribution to REDARC. He was brilliant at driving and taught me some hardcore camping skills.
What was the highlight of the trip?
Seeing the charity’s impact and meeting the recipients of some of the grants, you felt very humbled by what it had achieved for these people. In Marree, we presented a cheque to the Gymkhana Club for new equipment and met school kids who had benefited from previous grants. The trip requires you to bring an empty esky and empty fuel tank to each town, so along the way, funds are injected into the community, which is an allied benefit. The flight over Marree was incredible and put the Outback in context for me. Being from the UK, I had never seen such an endless, arid landscape, but the beauty really struck me on that flight.
How did REDARC make the trip more comfortable?
The fact that we had power in the vehicle was brilliant. I loved the lights that we used and the control through the RedVision app. The fridge was always on, so we had cold food and drinks. The air compressor was needed for the tires on many occasions. There is no way you can do this without power for the adventure. People loved the REDARC brand, and I felt embarrassed taking credit that really is to all the people in the business and of course to Anthony and Michele. The organisers are thrilled that REDARC has supported the charity.
What was the most valuable/used REDARC product on the trip?
The RedVision app; Alex could hear me struggling in the dark and could turn the vehicle lights on remotely. They then lit up where we were, which made nights and mornings much easier!
Are you likely to go camping again?
In the end, I loved it – but I must confess that this trip is an upmarket experience compared to most other people’s first camp adventure. The five-star food, mobile shower, and utility truck are unlikely to be at my next campsite. One takeaway I had was on night one, trying to get changed in a swag was a mistake. I will not repeat that again, as I had cramp in about nine places!
