A 50-year-old billycart with pram wheels and a fresh coat of purple and green paint will line up alongside a field of colourful contraptions when the Bangalow Billycart Derby returns on 17 May.
At the wheel will be 12-year-old Dunoon local Oscar Haafkens, preparing for his first run down the hill in a cart with a long and lively history.
‘This cart is a 50-year-old billycart, built in the early 1970s,’ Oscar said.
‘It was used for many years by my mum’s old work colleague… The cart is built out of pram wheels and an electrical board, painted purple and green.’
The cart’s story stretches back to suburban Canberra, where it was originally cobbled together from salvaged parts.
Oscar’s mother, Sarah Cope, said its creator – an electrician known as ‘Swampy’ – built it from tip finds and off-cuts.
‘They found two pram wheels that still had an axle… and because his dad was an electrician, he used all the off-cuts from the electrical boards,’ she said.
After decades in storage, the cart found new life during Covid lockdowns, when Ms Cope spotted it online and knew it would appeal to her then seven-year-old.
First official race
Now, after years of driveway runs, it is finally heading to what is believed to be its first official race.
‘Honestly, with this, pretty much it’s don’t turn too violently, or it’ll flip me off,’ Oscar said.
Now in its fourth decade, the annual derby draws thousands of people to the main street of Bangalow, turning the village into a day-long mix of speed, spectacle, and silliness.
Fun day out for all the family
Racers compete across a range of categories, from traditional billycarts to wildly imaginative novelty entries, alongside junior divisions and the crowd-favourite ‘anything goes’ designs.
Off the track, there’s live music, food stalls, kids’ activities and plenty of roadside cheering. For event details and tickets, visit bangalowbillycart.com.au.
As for Oscar, nerves are a very understandable part of the build-up.
‘Nervous,’ he admitted when asked how he’s feeling about race day.
But with a one-of-a-kind cart and a supportive crowd of locals lining the street, he will be in great company.
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