MISSION STATEMENT
The Oz Outback Odyssey, through teamwork and camaraderie, raises money for iconic charities and supports regional communities.
GENERAL INFORMATION
1. Definitions
Event or Odyssey | The period beginning from when the vehicle leaves the ‘start reset point’ on the first day, until and including the final night presentation. |
Odyssey Vehicle | Any vehicle travelling in the event: car, 4WD, truck. |
Odyssey Car | 2WD Oz Outback Odyssey Competition Vehicles, 30 years or older at commencement of the event with vehicle number on both sides and rear. |
Support Vehicle | 4WD Oz Outback Odyssey Support Vehicles, “S” prefix to vehicle number on sides and rear. |
4wd Vehicle | 4WD Oz Outback Odyssey Competiton Vehicles, vehicle number on both sides and rear. |
Official Vehicle | Any vehicle used in the capacity of the event operations, “OV” prefix to number on sides and rear. |
Entrant | Any driver or passenger of a car (30 years or older) or Support Vehicle. |
Official | Any person representing the event operations. |
Participant | Any person who travels any part of the Odyssey. |
Control Section | Competitive section not based on speed. Officials are at take-off and finish. See scoring. |
Transport Section | A general section with notes to get from one checkpoint to another. |
Road Block | A surprise, competitive, fun activity. See scoring. |
The Book or Bible | Each vehicle receives a book with daily information and route notes. |
2. Drivers Briefing
A drivers’ briefing will be held every night after the evening meal at approximately 8.00pm. Drivers of all vehicles must attend this briefing where possible.
3. Route Instruction Abbreviations
Symbols and abbreviations are from the Rally Navigator program. Please refer to the legend for these icons at the end of this document.
4. Road Rules
Entrants are required to obey all road rules at all times - staying within the law is the first consideration. This is not a speed trial! Any times set out and average speed sections can be attained without exceeding speed limits. Seatbelts must be worn at all times. When approaching ‘Checkpoints’, speed must be reduced to 20km.
5. Meals
Some meals on the Odyssey will be provided by groups fundraising for their outback causes such as the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Isolated Children’s and Parents and Association, and School of the Air. Check your day sheets for the meal venues and times.
Should you wish to make your own arrangements for meals at any time during the event, please advise an official; all costs shall be borne by you and no refund will be applicable.
Note: Please remember to respect the time and effort which has gone into catering for the Odyssey. Please show your appreciation to our caterers.
6. Dust Safety
Do not drive in another vehicle’s dust, particularly on the treacherous tracks - dust lights are a necessity. Do not pass without first calling on the UHF CH19 to let them know you are behind, and wait for acknowledgement. They will most likely not be aware of your presence.
7. Sweep Vehicle
The sweep vehicle (an ‘Official Vehicle’ or ‘OV’) will travel behind the field and can assist with minor repairs to get you to the next town. If your car requires major attention a Support Vehicle will tow your vehicle to the next town.
8. Wildlife and Stock
Remember stock is the farmer’s livelihood, so display caution. Some cows are trained to walk in front of vehicles. Kangaroos and emus seem to have a compass which directs them into the path of oncoming vehicles and even into the side of them. Remember that animals are usually found in pairs or groups and if you see one, there are sure to be more.
9. Rubbish
Please do not throw rubbish out of the vehicle. Keep it in your vehicle for the rubbish bin.
10. Gates and Private Property
We are privileged to be able to cross private property and we do so having given the owners assurance that we will leave the area as we found it. Please ensure that you do not disturb stock and leave all gates as they are found.
Gates marked with red tape means the gate must be closed by each individual car. Do not leave the gate open for a car behind you. Each car must open and close any gate which is marked with red tape. Gates marked with green tape means the gate is open and must remain open.
Gate Safety: When exiting your vehicle and walking to a gate, NEVER walk behind your vehicle; this is especially true when dust is present. Any damage, however small, caused by a participant to a gate or fence needs to be reported to an official asap.
11. Scoring System
Where the term average is used in scoring, the actual calculation uses the median average of the scores, thus filtering out any obscure or extreme values.
Support Vehicles vs Odyssey Cars (Competitor Vehicle).
The scoring system used to calculate the points for Support Vehicles is separate from that of Odyssey Cars. An example is that for a given Road Block, the score may be based on the highest score achieved; Support Vehicle winners are based on the highest score achieved by any Support Vehicles’ crew, separate to the Odyssey Vehicle winners which are based on the highest score achieved by any Odyssey Cars crew. Further to this, the points awarded may be based on a different scale.
In previous years the scoring system was based on a level playing field, however this was to the advantage of the Odyssey Cars, being mindful that the Odyssey is a driving event. There are three parts to the scoring system:
Road Blocks.
All Odyssey and Support Vehicle crew who participate in a Road Block will be awarded points. The rules and procedures for earning points at each Road Block will be determined by the officials.
Control Sections.
Cars will be awarded points for competing in a section of the route in a specific time. Each car competing in a control section will receive points based upon the accuracy to the nominated specific time or speed. Times greater or lesser than the specific time will result in a score that will be less than the optimal.
Scoring Points.
The following figures are nominal only and may vary between events or as required.
For Controls: A nominal 100 points will be awarded for each control.
For Road Blocks & Quizzes:
For Odyssey Cars: A nominal 30 points per Road Block or Quiz, adjusted to approximately 1/3 of the total control score.
For Support Vehicles: A nominal 30 points per event.
For Odyssey Cars, the awarded points for each event for the day may change to allow the organisers to better balance out the impact of each road block or control event on the total score for the day. The values allow the organisers to keep a stronger emphasis on driving and to lessen the score potential for road blocks that may favour a particular demographic of entrants. As a guide, we will endeavour to keep the total road block score to around 1/3 of the control points for the day.
Participation Minimum Score.
Any vehicle or persons participating in a road block or a control section will be awarded at least minimum points (defined by the organisers) for simply participating.
Concessional Score.
Should you have a breakdown, stop to help in a situation, or your time/points are particularly low your score will be awarded a concessional score or average score (defined by the organisers), depending on the circumstance. It is important that you ensure the Tally Master is made aware of your situation.
Event Support Score (Support Vehicles only)
Should you be required by the event organisers to give assistance during the day, resulting in an inability to participate in Road Blocks, your Support Vehicle will be awarded above average points for each event (defined by the organisers).
No Shows or non-participation
Should you not participate in an event or not show up for an event you will be given a score of zero. Should there be extenuating circumstances, then please let the event officials or the Tally Master know of the reasoning.
Tally Master / Score Keeper
The Tally Master is operating from a computer system with an embedded integrity design thus making any score manipulation difficult. In the event of a scoring error please be patient for the discrepancy to be verified and corrected – this may take several days. Please note that the Tally Master’s decision on any discrepancy is final.
Scoring Ties
Where a tie occurs for any competitive prize, the winner will be the competitor who scores the highest in Control Sections. If the cumulative scores for Road Blocks and Control Sections are equal then a count back system on the Control Sections will apply as follows: Counting from final score back to the first score, the winner will be the competitor who accrued the most points first:
For Example:
If the tied score was 190 where
Competitor 1 scored: 50, 50, 40, 50 and
Competitor 2 scored: 50, 50, 50, 40
Competitor 1 would be the winner.
12. Awards
During the Odyssey
Daily Winner - awarded to the car and support which has the highest aggregate of Road Block points and Control Section points for that day.
Other Awards - as determined by the organizers such as Dipstick, NADA and NANA.
In addition to nightly awards, small fines may be applied for the collection tin of $10 to $50 - it is at your discretion to argue or pay.
Final presentation dinner awards
Des Shanahan Trophy | Awarded to a new car that has completed no more than three Odyssey’s and demonstrated the spirit of the late Des Shanahan. |
Goode Guy Award | Awarded to the Support Vehicle, as voted by entrants, deemed to have provided the best support to fellow entrants throughout the event. In Remembrance of Robert Goode. |
Best Presented Car | As voted by entrants. |
Road Block Winner - Support | Awarded to the Odyssey Support Vehicle that has the highest aggregate Road Block points. |
Road Block Winner – Car | Awarded to the Odyssey Car that has the highest aggregate Road Block points. |
Control Section Winner – Support | Awarded to the Odyssey Support Vehicle that has the highest aggregate Control Section points for the Odyssey. |
Control Section Winner - Car | Awarded to the Odyssey Car that has the highest aggregate Control Section points for the Odyssey. |
Overall Odyssey Winner - Support | Awarded to the Odyssey Support Vehicle that has the highest aggregate of Road Block and Control Section points for the Odyssey. |
Overall Odyssey Winner - Car | Awarded to the Odyssey Car that has the highest aggregate of Road Block and Control Section points for the Odyssey. |
13. Fuel
Please check your notes for fuel availability - we endeavour to have fuel at every night stop so you can fill up at the end of each day. It always pays to fill your tanks wherever possible in the outback! High octane fuel may not always be available and/or octane boosters, if required please ensure you have sufficient supplies. You must carry or have access to enough fuel to travel at least four hundred and fifty (450) km’s on typical Odyssey dirt tracks, approximately equivalent to around six hundred (600) km’s on sealed roads.
14. Credit Cards
Be aware that some establishments in the outback may not accept eftpos, credit card or cheque. Ensure that you have sufficient cash to purchase fuel.
15. Overtaking
When overtaking on all unsealed roads / tracks, the overtaking vehicle must radio the vehicle ahead, advising them of their intentions on UHF Ch19. Do not attempt to pass unless contact has been established. Where possible, try to keep aware of the car numbers of the vehicle in front of you and the vehicle behind you.
16. Reversing and Backtracking in a Control Section
Please be aware that vehicles following you may assume you are navigating correctly, and as such may follow you or see your tracks and follow you into the very same place.
Reversing
Unless no alternative is available, reversing in a Control Section is forbidden. In the event that it is necessary, all passengers must exit the vehicle and communicate to the driver that it is safe to reverse. Further to this, a radio call must be made clearly, announcing the situation; e.g. Car 66 is at the 45.3 mark, has taken a wrong track and reversing.
Back-tracking
Once you realise that you have deviated from the intended route, or have become lost and that you intend on back-tracking, make the following radio call “Car 66 is off track at 45.3, turning around to back-track” before you turn around. Once the back-track has commenced, make the following radio call “Car 66 is off track at 45.3 and back-tracking to the 44.6 mark (known distance out point or an obvious reference)”. This call or a variation can be repeated for safety as many times as you deem necessary.
17. Support Vehicles at the rear in Control Sections
4WD vehicles are not released from the start of a Control Section checkpoint until all Odyssey Cars have passed through the checkpoint, unless directed otherwise by officials.
The only exception to this rule will be in the event of an Odyssey Car breaking down prior to the Control Section, or if event organisers deem it necessary that 4WD vehicles are required within a Control Section to lend support to Odyssey Cars at particularly treacherous areas.
18. Speed
Participants are reminded of their obligation to remain within the governing speed limit at all times and to drive in a safe manner in accordance to the road conditions. Remember that staying within the law is the first consideration.
19. Towing
There is a possibility that you will be required to tow a vehicle or be towed. Ensure snatch strap is attached to identified tow hooks on both vehicles. Under no circumstance should a snatch strap be attached to a bull bar or tow ball. Ensure that onlookers are well clear of the towing scene.
20. Jacking of Vehicle
Ensure the ignition is off, hand brake is on and the vehicle is in gear before attempting to jack the vehicle. Ensure the jack is placed on a flat surface and has a flat connection with the vehicle chassis. Use a car stand or wheel rim under the chassis rails before removing any wheels. Avoid placing your body under the vehicle at all times.
21. Checkpoints
Each day along the route you will pass through a number of checkpoints. It’s important that you stop at all checkpoints so that your vehicle can be checked in and out.
You must slow down to 20 km/hr when you see an Official Vehicle or the “Slow Down” sign which will be positioned approximately 200m before the checkpoints.
There will be a definitive close off time for the officials to leave their checkpoint each day so that they are arriving at the end destination at a reasonable hour and preferably in daylight.
Note: morning departure checkpoints are between 8am and 9am daily unless otherwise specified. Any entrants who have not departed by this time will need to notify an official.
22. Vehicle Breakdown / Repair Markers
Each vehicle must have a small fluorescent triangle. If you have stopped or have mechanical problems with your vehicle at any time during the day radio that you are stopped and your approximate position on channel 19 so any vehicles nearby are aware you are now stationary. Walk 100m back from your position and place the triangle on the side of the road / track in full view of on-coming participants. This will indicate to fellow entrants that there is a stationary vehicle ahead and they need to slow down or indeed provide assistance (if required) when approaching.
23. Mechanical Assistance
Although the Odyssey organisers have a mechanical repair team, the function of this team is to supervise, lend assistance where necessary and ensure that all repairs are carried out in a safe manner. In some circumstance they will utilize specialized equipment and may opt to do the repair themselves, however the Odyssey takes no responsibility for any repairs carried out and it is up to the vehicle teams or owners to take fully responsibility for mechanical repairs.
Local Assistance
The Odyssey makes no guarantee of mechanical assistance and may be overloaded with work; thus where possible we strongly advise you firstly seek support from local mechanical workshops along the way, or on arrival at overnight stays where available.
Odyssey Mechanical Assistance
With consideration to the above; each night our official mechanics will be available to assist. You must book in with the Head Mechanic for the work required. It is at the discretion of the Head Mechanic as to when your vehicle will be worked on.
Morning Assistance
Unless absolutely unforeseen and necessary, no mechanical assistance will be available in the mornings. Our mechanical team are officials and as such have several other duties to perform each day and last minute repairs significantly interfere with their other responsibilities.
Recovery Vehicle (the Beast)
It is imperative that the tray of the beast be available for rapid vehicle recovery and as such will be unavailable to carry entrant’s private goods, fuel , spares, tools, swags, etc.
24. Drink Driving
It is an offence under all Australian State and Territory Laws to drive with blood alcohol content in excess of 0.05%. A breach of this law will result in a suspension of your driver’s licence. Should you have an accident and suffer injuries your right to claim damages for the injuries may be affected. If your passengers are injured the insurer may have rights to recover any payments made from you, the driver. Your comprehensive motor insurance policy will be void leaving you personally responsible for any property damage belonging to others, and for your own car.
In the interests of safety, the driver of each vehicle will be given the opportunity to obtain a blood alcohol reading from an Official at the checkpoint at the start of each day and at departure from lunch on each day on the event.
We recommend that you nominate a driver each day who takes responsibility to ensure that he/she is under the blood alcohol limit of 0.05%.
25. Driver Fatigue
The Odyssey highly recommends that entrants swap drivers throughout the course of the day to avoid driver fatigue.
26. Communications
GPS with tracking capability is now required. Official vehicles will all carry a Garmin In Reach Mini to communicate via text message, and to locate all participants.
All entrants are required to have their UHF operating whilst driving in the event. The Odyssey will operate on UHF Ch19. During control sections please keep “chatter” on your UHF to a minimum as we need to keep the airways clear for communication in the event of an accident, etc. Private chatting on alternate channels is forbidden, constant communications must be maintained on UHF Ch19.
UHF CHANNEL GENERAL GUIDE
Reminder - Remain on UHF Ch 19 unless otherwise instructed, or in the event of an emergency.
Channels 1 to 8 (and 31 to 38) are for repeaters (these are sometimes called DUPLEX use). Each repeater needs a pair of channels to work.
When on channel 1 repeater, channel 31 is also used up, 2 uses 32 – and 3 uses 33 – etc. Avoid channels 31 to 38 for general use. If you are within range of a repeater, your voice could exceed 10,000sq km coverage and that repeater, could be made unusable – without your knowledge.
For general travelling use, we suggest the Repeater (REP) or Duplex (DUP) function be programmed permanently ‘ON’ at all times on channels 1 to 8. Please avoid transmitting on all the above channels – unless you choose to access a repeater.
Calling channel 11 (allocated in law): This channel is used to call another user who may be listening on the call channel (such as a friend). After contact you must move to another channel. Most country operators sit on other general use channels. Scanning all channels is more useful to find these other operators.
Channels 22 & 23 are signalling and telemetry channels only. No voice is allowed (allocated in law).
Channel 40 is used by highway vehicles and trucks (firmly established by tradition).
Channel 18 is used by caravans and campers (by courteous agreement).
Channel 10 is for 4WDrivers which is becoming more popular and is recommended officially in national parks (by courteous agreement).
Channel 5 and 35 (repeater) are reserved for emergency use only (allocated in law & strict penalties for misuse apply)
For other regions, scanning all channels is a far more effective way of locating other UHF users in an emergency.
General use channels are therefore 9 12 17 19 to 21 24 to 30 and 39.
27. Procedures in the Event of an Accident / Medical Emergency
In the event of an accident, it is important to manage the site so that no further accidents occur.
When you come across an accident the first thing you should do is use your UHF radio (channel 19) and attempt to contact the car behind you stating your name, car number and km reading as per the route notes. You will be making the vehicle behind you aware of the accident, asking them to slow down and lend assistance upon arrival at the scene. Repeat this message on your UHF until the car behind acknowledges your message.
If no people are injured in the vehicle and the vehicle is drivable, move the vehicle a suitable distance from the road / track. Put on hazard lights and hazard triangle 100m back. If at night use headlights to illuminate the scene.
In the event of any accident the first vehicle on the scene is required to stop and lend assistance. When required the first vehicle must stop the second vehicle to arrive at the scene to assist. Delegate someone to wave other vehicles through at a safe distance if visibility is poor. Damaged vehicles can be dangerous, so you are instructed to put the handbrake on, put vehicle in gear with ignition off (if not already), and place a block in front of or behind wheels.
Fire can start in a badly damaged vehicle. As such you are instructed to switch off vehicles ignition, shut off emergency fuel switch of a diesel vehicle, prevent anyone smoking near the accident site, and have your fire extinguisher on hand.
28. Seeking Assistance
Where “on the scene” medical attention is required the affected vehicle or first vehicle on the scene must immediately radio the Odyssey Ambulance detailing their exact position, and need for medical assistance. If a satellite phone is available at this scene, call the Odyssey Ambulance direct. Text an official on your Garmin In Reach. If your UHF is out of range radio back asking other vehicles to attempt to contact the Odyssey Ambulance detailing the position. If this fails you are required to stop an approaching Odyssey vehicle and ask them to drive, via the route notes, to the closest known Checkpoint and notify the official vehicle. This official will then contact the Odyssey Ambulance.
At no stage should an entrant drive back against traffic to seek assistance on a control section. Entrants should only drive back against traffic on a transport section where the road is wide enough for two lanes of traffic.
29. Disorientation
In the event of an entrant becoming lost on any given Transport or Control Section, the vehicle(s) concerned are instructed to utilise their UHF radio and notify other participants of their position with a view to retracing their journey to see where they went wrong. If you cannot find your way text an official vehicle with your coordinates on the Garmin GPS. Participants are advised not to leave their vehicle at any stage.
The Odyssey will instigate a search for any vehicle which is unaccounted for. As a precaution, entrants are advised to carry a minimum of 20 Litres of water in their vehicle at all times as well as sufficient food / snacks for driver and passengers for 2 days.
30. Natural Disaster: Fire/Flood/Cyclone, etc.
In the event of a natural disaster, the Odyssey will immediately organise a marshalling area for participants / officials to meet. This will be communicated by UHF and GPS text, and on foot if need be. Entrants will be advised of the next course of action at the marshalling area.
31. Social Media Policy
We welcome positive posts and sharing on social media. Please ensure you check before you post that there are no inappropriate images, gestures, offensive language or behaviour. Please also seek permission to use photos or videos of individuals. Keep in mind that the support of our sponsors and other associations related to the Oz Outback Odyssey is integral to the success of the event, and ensure all posts are respectful of their brand and reputation.