Convoy launches with a new home, Illawarra Regional Airport!

28 September, 2018

i98FM’s Illawarra Convoy is back for its 14th year in 2018! On Monday 24^th of September at 11am, i98FM Breakfast Show hosts and ambassadors of the event, Marty Haynes, Christie Hayes & Ryan Cram launched the event at the new home of the i98FM Illawarra Convoy free family fun day, Illawarra Regional Airport, joined by a number of members from the truck and motorbike community along with many of the recipients of funding provided by the Illawarra Community Foundation, from funds raised in last year’s event. The move to the Illawarra Regional Airport was bought about due to major works being undertaken at the old home of Convoy, Croome Rd Sporting Complex to make way for the Albion Park Bypass.

At the launch, i98FM Illawarra Convoy Manager Mark Rigby said “We are very excited to be moving the end location of event to the Illawarra Regional Airport. It is a fantastic venue for our free family fun day, and as we have seen during Wings over Illawarra, the venue can handle thousands of people affectively, and getting to the venue is made much easier being directly across the road from Albion Park Rail train station. The i98FM Illawarra Convoy team would like to thank everyone that has assisted to make this move possible including; Shellharbour City Council & their staff, Mayor Maryanne Saliba, Illawarra Regional Airport Manager John Barnden, Roads and Maritime Services, NSW Police, Sets Consultants, Remondis, and Traffic Logistics. We’ve got a massive day planned and look forward to seeing the Illawarra come out in force to support other families who are doing it tough due to life threatening medical conditions. We have some world class entertainment booked for the event that we will also launch very soon. So stay tuned to i98FM!” says Mark.

The 2017 Convoy which was held on Sunday, November 19, raised an astounding total of $1,928,492 for The Illawarra Community Foundation.

In 2017 the event saw 714 trucks and 931 motorbikes travel 70 kilometres from Illawarra Coal’s West Cliff Colliery at Appin, through the streets of the Illawarra, to finish up at the Croome Road Sporting Complex in Albion Park Rail. Registrations are open to all Truck and Motorbike enthusiasts who can take part for a $30 donation. The coveted position as the lead truck in the Convoy was fought out live on air with Marty, Christie and Crammy. Winning top spot with a bid of $302,000 was the ‘Dandaloo Boys’, a group consisting of local businesses, The Dandaloo Hotel, Coastal Windows & Doors, Doherty Transport, Illawarra ngineering Services and Snare Fabrication.

In addition to the $302,000 winning donation, MJ Rowles contributed $213,447, Derek McMahon from the People’s Truck also contributed $172,000, along with Bingo Industries $100,000 and Illawarra Truck Repairs and Spares $90,000. Leading the motorbikes in the Convoy with the winning amount of $70,513 was Carr brothers Motorcycles, followed by Caltex Illawarra at $42,000, Park Custom Bike & Tattoo Show $26,000 and the Mount Kembla & City Coast Motorcycles bid of $17,242.

A total of $11,450,158 has been raised in the Convoy’s 13 year history.

This year's i98FM Illawarra Convoy will be held on Sunday, November 18. The Convoy will depart under police escort from the Illawarra Coal's West Cliff Colliery on Appin Rd at about 8am and follow a route that will take them down Mt Ousley through Warrawong and past Stockland Shellharbour, then into the Illawarra Regional Airport for a free family fun day with entertainment, kids rides, market stalls, motocross demonstrations and the arrival of the truck and bike convoy from 830am.

“Truck and Motorbike registrations are now open online at the www.illawarraconvoy.com.au website, costing $30 which includes a complimentary Convoy t-shirt,’ says Marty Haynes i98FM Breakfast Host. “The Convoy office; Corner of Airport Rd and Princes Highway Albion Park Rail, is also now open for business from 10am-6pm Monday to Friday, where you can also register a truck or bike, and get your hands on this year’s new merchandise range. It’s going to be another huge year, and thanks to Illawarra Regional Airport & Shellharbour Council, we’ve got ourselves a Convoy!”