Down the Road from Port Campbell
Phase One XF, IQ4 150MP, 55mm Schneider Kreuznach, f11 @ 1/30 second, ISO 50

There are some really nice people in this world! Let me tell you a story about Tony.

A couple of weeks back, I was driving down to Port Campbell in Victoria for a photo workshop with Len Metcalf. It was over 1,000 kilometres from Sydney, but I quite enjoy a drive.

Unless I get a flat tyre of course. And as luck would have it, just north of Benalla on the Hume Highway, my front left tyre went flat. Did I have a spare? It wouldn’t have mattered if I did because I had so much ‘stuff’ in the boot and cabin, there was no way I could take it all out on the side of the busy freeway to access a spare. But my car doesn’t have a spare anyway, so I needed to organise a tow truck.

Within an hour, the RACV turned up and, with typical laconic humour, Tony loaded my car and we were driven to the local Goodyear Tyre garage in Benalla. As it was nearing midday and country Victoria closes up shop for the afternoon, I asked if Tony could ring ahead, just in case they could repair my tyre. Tony explained they’d be open because he was the owner!

In a nutshell, my tyre was cactus and couldn’t be repaired, the replacement would have to be ordered up from Melbourne and would take a couple of days; it was after midday on a Saturday and all the car hire offices were closed for the rest of the weekend; and I had to be in Port Campbell, preferably today or at the worst, the following morning!

Seeing my predicament, Tony offered to lend me his RACV van (not the truck). The bright yellow vehicle with the flashing lights was ready to go, all I had to do was transfer my considerable luggage from one vehicle to his. I would be gone a week, I explained. No problem. Can I pay to hire the car. No need. Do you want my name and details. No, I have your car.

To say I was grateful is an understatement. And as all my tyres were getting towards the end of their life, I suggested he replace all four – at least I could reciprocate in some small way for his largesse.

On my drive to and from Port Campbell, I refrained from turning on the flashing lights, but I did get lots of friendly waves. One gentleman even came up to me and explained how he’d also been an RACV mechanic for thirty years! I was definitely a fraud.

So, if you ever need a tyre repaired or replaced, I can strongly recommend Goodyear Tyres in Benalla. What wonderful hospitality. What a great story to tell. Thanks Tony!