Roads & Maritime Services
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Roads Services
15-23 Tynan Street,
ORANGE. 2800.
Dear Sir, Madam,
Following is a copy of a letter sent to the Roads and Maritime Services concerning the closure of the Monument Driver Reviver Site (between Parkes and Orange - east of Manildra).
The Manildra Lions Club in association with the Cudal/Cargo Lions club man the Driver Reviver station that is held at the Monument on the Escort Way.
This is operated on the first evening and night of every long weekend.
We help clients going initially to Parkes or Forbes.
There are also many people travelling from Canberra to the north.
We also help drivers going east from the Parkes or the Forbes directions.
The site is favoured because parking is easy and can be reached simply from any direction.
There is ample parking for any number of cars and a few large trucks.
The Christmas lights in the tree are well known and many of the visitors are repeat customers.
We do the 9pm to midnight shift, with Cudal/ Cargo doing the 6pm to 9pm and midnight to dawn slots.
On each long weekend there are the Kellyville crowd of usually three cars that head for Tomingley.
We keep them updated on where the other members of their family are. They often meet at the Monument depending on when they leave Sydney.
Each car always stops for a drink and a yarn.
Many trucks stop at the area and the drivers often sleep for a few hours.
On the 6-9pm shift, many cars stop, but only go to the toilet.
On our shift drivers are relieved because the Driver Reviver at Orange is not consistently open.
We do not consider the area unsafe.
School buses and parents cars meet there in the morning and evening of all school days.
During the day and on the weekends the site is used for wholesale of fruit and vegetables.
It is also used by travellers who need a break. It is a very well known area and accepted visitors spot.
The Thomas Mitchell Monument is a drawcard for those with an interest in history.
When people stop, they always have a chat and we tell them of the weather conditions to be experienced and the events taking place adjacent to where they are going.
They are also given the history of the Monument, if our member with an historic bent is on duty.
They invariably leave with a positive thought in their minds and something to think about as they head west.
Several cars often have one driver and motor bikes also use our facilities.
Should this site be permanently shut down I believe the consequences could be horrific.
Every time we have been on duty (that is every long weekend), we are supremely thanked for our presence and it is also true of our friends at Cudal, who work what is called the graveyard shift.
Which in Lions vernacular, means saving someone from a tragic end.
If Cudal/Cargo is able to find power and a site in Cudal it means all those going to Parkes and beyond will have no chance of refreshment since they last filled up their tank.
This may mean anything from three to five hours of continued driving, or more depending on the make and model of their vehicle.
Most Driver Reviver information suggests a break every two hours is desirable.
The life we save may be a relative, friend or just another soul or group attempting to visit family and friends for the weekend.
Our work should not be hindered by the prospect of a potential accident (that has not occurred in the past, from anyone’s recollection who resides in Manildra or Cudal).
We wish to save lives, and hope you will change your assessment of the Monument site which will enable us to do our best for the travelling public, who one may suggest are being ignored, should they wish to travel safely beyond the Central West.
Ross Stephenson
Manildra Lions club.
NOTE: letters were also sent to local MPs, Andrew Gee, John Cobb, Minister Duncan Gay and the NRMA.