History of the association

How we did it

In October 2019 four men, residents of the Lockyer valley began to discuss the idea of a billy cart derby for the Lockyer valley. They thought that the community needed an event that bought families and friends together for the sole reason of having just simple fun.

In November 2019 the four men asked to have a cup of coffee with the Mayor, of the Lockyer valley Tanya Milligan. Where they discussed the idea to her? On the advice of Tanya, the men then began to proceed with the idea. A meeting was then put together and 90-year-old Keith Holley was pronounced as President. Clive Barton, Vice President Alan Willson secretary/treasurer and Ivan Dallinger committee member,

Once this was accomplished, Alan then set out to write up the constitution of the association, and so the Lockyer Valley Billy Cart Association was born. Alan then wrote a letter to the Lockyer valley regional council to submit the idea and request the use of a parcel of land at Apex Park in Gatton, with the first derby to be held in April 2020.

In the meantime, the group then proceeded to source funding and resources for the construction of the starting ramps, with the kind donation from Lockyer valley steel in Gatton the materials we now had. And the ramps were built.

A meeting in February 2020 with the Lockyer valley regional council, where Alan and Clive pitched the idea to the councilors was presented, 2 weeks later the council voted to support the event. Then a virus hit the nation called Covid19 and government restrictions were put in place, the derby in April was not meant to be. The group then moved the derby date to September of 2020. Little did they know this virus was here to stay for a while. And once again the derby was put on hold. This then gave the group the opportunity to build some billy carts, to be hired out at the derby for those that didn’t have one,

Sponsorship

The group knew that if they were to succeed in this idea that sponsorship was going to be paramount. Alan began to source a public liability insurance policy. He was able to obtain a quote for 10,000,000 for $2400, we then knew that this was going to be much more complicated that they had originally thought. Alan then proceeded to apply for community grants with one knock back after another, he kept up the perseverance until ARTC Inland Rail came to the rescue with a $4,000 sponsorship grant. The team had a meeting and Alan announced

WE HAVE A DERBY.

We now had to set a date; it was then decided to hold the event on the first Sunday in May of 2021 as this is the Labour Day long weekend.

We then managed a momentum going and encouraged other members of the Lockyer valley community activities shed to join us to help, with the kindness of the community shed we were able to build 10 billy carts we could use for hire on derby day.

Sponsorship was the next thing we had to work on, and it was decided that we would offer the billy carts we had made to businesses of the Lockyer valley.

For just $150.00 to sponsor a cart, At first it was a slow oncoming of sponsors . then out of nowhere we became flooded with businesses wanting to sponsor a cart. Funding was now obtained. On Sunday the 2nd  of May 2021 the Lockyer valley billy cart derby went ahead, The track. The track is a simple straight track of 80 metres going down a hill at apex park. As we had tested the area we would use as the track, we knew that the most speed that could be achieved would be around 20kmph,  

The next thing was trophy’s and with the kind sponsorship donation of $500 from Lockyer Valley Crash repairs we were able to purchase the trophy’s we needed,

Next was to decide what categories we were to have and how many participants we would be able to cater for. Once again Alan worked out a formula and presented it to the committee, Under 8s. under 12s. under 16, adults, schools, community groups and businesses, with a maximum of 36 participants per category.

Sadly, no schools were interested in taking up the opportunity to compete, so a change in category from schools to open was decided upon. MAY 2nd, 2021, Derby Day

On Saturday the 1st of May the group began to put the derby together with the track available from 12 noon for the public to try out their carts ready for the next day,

Then at 9am on Sunday the 2nd of May 2021 the inaugural Lockyer Valley Billy Cart Derby started with these now famous words form the MC of the derby, ARE, YOU, READY,

It was now on for young and old to race for the bragging writes who will be the champion of the billy cart derby. There were 63 participants on the day with one person taking out 3 first prize trophies on the day and all trophies were presented by our Mayor Tanya Milligan

By the end of a very exhausting day of all those that helped, we were then approached by our mayor. With this question? Will you do this again next year. This was something to think about but was soon to become a no brainer, with the overwhelming response from the public we want this again. The committee had their final meeting after the derby before they went into recess until September. It was at this meeting on Saturday the 8th of May 2021 that the committee decided that not only would we organize another derby for 2022, but they would organize family fun days for the community to have some fun, these dates are now set with our first family fun day held on Saturday October 30th, 2021.

In the beginning of September 2021, Alan called a meeting of the group, there was only one thing on the agenda, do we apply for the group to become an incorporated association. At that time there was only 4 members, and we needed 7 members before we could apply for incorporation. Alan approached a few members of the Lockyer valley community activities shed, to see if anyone was interested in becoming members, 3 others came forward. These 3 had helped at the first derby and had such a fun time they wanted to be members. We now had 7 members. And an application was lodged with the justice department. On November the 1st 2021 the Lockyer valley billy cart association became an association incorporated, On Saturday the 30th of October 2021 there was only 46 participants, the committee concluded, that Saturday was not such a good day to have the events. Then on Sunday the 6th of February 2022 our second family fun day was held with 75 participants.

We now knew that Sunday was the best day to hold the event. Now the events each year will be family fun day last Sunday in October, and first Sunday in February, with the major event to be held on the first Sunday in May each Year. February the 6th 2022 a warm summers day and the Lockyer valley billy cart association is holding the second family fun day with 75 participants for the day and a fantastic summers day with just the right temp the day was going to as exciting as the first event run. After February the committee began to get worried, the event was at the risk of not proceeding, we need much more funding, the insurance was our biggest hurdle with $2,000 bill, the committee knew that without sponsorship the derby was sure to come to a sudden end.

Alan, the secretary is a great thinker, he is constantly solving problems that arise to keep the event afloat, but now he was in a mental block had no idea on how he was going to overcome the hurdles the group was encountering. He went to see the president Mr. Keith Holley Our 91yr old president. After a long discussion with Keith a new light had been switched on in Alan’s head, he had the answers to the problems but wasn’t quite sure if the answers would be the right ones. The start let’s get a go fund me page going, it was obvious that the business community was not going to support this event, well at least in monetary terms anyway.  

The next option was to put up the embarrassing alarm that the billy cart derby was at risk of not proceeding a second year on Facebook. Then with in as little 6hrs of the Facebook launch several small businesses came to the rescue with a total of $4,550 donated to the billy cart derby to keep it going. As the donations came it Alan’s teary eyes took hold now knowing that the community of the Lockyer valley were well and truly supporting the event. Then a phone call was received, by a gentleman Named Barry. I’m just returning your request, he said. Sorry but I don’t know what you are referring to. He told me that he was the producer of an online live stream Tv production and that I had put in a request for the billy derby. Alan had no idea what had happened, but all he could come up with was that someone used his name and contact number to fill out the request form. A meeting was then held with the committee and Barry, and it was decided that a live online stream Tv production would be a great asset for the derby. And so, the 2022 Lockyer Valley Billy Cart Derby was about to go live internationally on the day. How, it always pays to be in the right place at the right time. Alan began to do a poster run throughout the town having posters put in shop windows. During his round in the main street of Gatton, he entered a shop and quietly stood there whilst a man was being served by the shop attendant. The man turned and saw Alan was wearing his billy cart derby shirt and went on to tell him that he wanted to talk to him. The poster was left with the shop and Alan waited outside when he came out, he introduced himself as joseph and that he owned and operated a drone production company, and he was interested in doing a live Facebook feed of the derby. Alan told him about the online Tv company and joseph new who Alan was talking about. A few weeks later a meeting was held on site between Alan Clive, Barry and Joseph, the chat become an incredible event and Alan and Clive stood back and just let the other two work it all out how it was going to be done. Now, we had the funding to put on a great show for the community. With our local newspaper getting behind the group with free advertising, and other businesses giving the group in kind support the event was going to be a great day. BUT WAIT A MINUTE. We now were informed that Joseph had organized the Optus truck to be in attendance, the truck that has a great big TV screen. Now this was going to be the event of the decade for the Lockyer valley.

On Sunday the 1st of May 2022, the second annual Lockyer valley billy cart derby commenced with 120 participants racing in a timed event for the fastest time of the categories. 120 races were completed. Each participant had 3 runs with their fastest time counted for the position to see if they were to get a prized trophy on the day.

Mr Keith Holley foundation member (Inaugural first president)

Mr Clive Barton Foundation member

Mr Ivan Dallinger. Foundation Member

Mr Alan Willson Foundation member (Inaugural Secretary/treasurer)

But one question has eluded many for the past couple of years. Why would 4 Ausie blokes in their 90s, 80s,70s and 60s do such a thing. The answer is just one 3 letter simple word= FUN