Community
14 March, 2025
Pick-me-ups prove popular for travellers
DRIVERS travelling to various events being held over the Labour Day long weekend may have seen groups of dedicated volunteers working to provide a space to stop and rest on their journeys.
Two Driver Reviver stations were operated by volunteers over the long weekend, with Camperdown’s open on Friday and Lismore’s station opened on Friday and Monday
Driver Reviver is a national program which works to provide drivers the opportunity to take a break on their journeys to fight fatigue-related road trauma.
Camperdown Driver Reviver volunteer Maree Belyea said numbers for this year’s station were down, with only 45 cups of coffee provided.
“It’s really just to encourage people to break up their journey – we set up at Apex Park because there are toilets there, and people know there are toilets there, so they stop there,” she said.
“The majority of them said they came from the Melbourne and Geelong districts.
“Most were grateful to be able to stop and have a chat, but a lot didn’t.”
Ted Goodacre, who ran the Lismore Driver Reviver station, said the station saw strong numbers over the Labour Day weekend, with many people stopping by for a chat and a cuppa.
He said the Lismore Driver Reviver saw around 400 cups of tea and coffee made for passing motorists.
“Friday and Monday were good,” Mr Goodacre said.
“We had a lot of people who have been coming for years.
“Some of them came in and took photos – they had ill children at home, so they took some photos back to their homes to give messages to the sick kids.”
The Driver Reviver stations were run as part of an initiative of the Camperdown and Lismore Lions Clubs.
Read More: Camperdown