The College welcomed 70 vehicles taking part in the 2026 RFDS Outback Car Trek on Wednesday 3 June.
The trek began earlier in the week in Albury before travelling through Moama, Ararat and Apollo Bay, with Marcus Oldham College hosting participants for a BBQ lunch, car wash and raffle before they boarded the Spirit of Tasmania for the second half of the journey.
Since its inception in 1990, the RFDS Outback Car Trek has raised more than $37 million for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Recognising the importance of the RFDS to rural and regional communities, the Marcus Oldham student body saw the visit as an opportunity to support the cause by organising a car wash and raffling a one of a kind Yowy drink bottle.
Final year student and Student President Lucy Packer was one of the driving forces behind the day and helped coordinate the student fundraising efforts.
“With students coming from every state and territory, there’s a good chance every one of us either knows someone, or will know someone, who relies on the Royal Flying Doctor Service at some point in their life.
“The RFDS plays a vital role in keeping rural and regional Australia connected to essential healthcare services, often in some of the most remote parts of the country. For many of our students and their communities, that’s something that hits close to home.
“When we heard that the RFDS Outback Car Trek was keen on stopping by Marcus, it was an easy decision to support them and raise some extra money for the cause! The involvement from all students spoke volumes of what the RFDS means to us, from washing cars, running the raffle or chatting with the trekkers over lunch. It was a great afternoon, and we are proud to say we raised $3195 for the RFDS.
“The support RFDS provides to our families, friends, and communities is so valuable to each and every one of us, and we are lucky to have been able to play a small part in supporting them.”
To learn more about the RFDS Outback Car Trek, click here. To find out more about the vital work the Royal Flying Doctor Service carries out every day in communities across Australia, click here.
