Their other purpose was to present a $20,000 cheque to Westpac Helicopter Rescue Hunter Region general manager Richard Jones. He was joined on the Inverell visit by Tamworth-based Westpac helicopter events co-ordinator Jeff Galbraith.

Mr Galbraith works with the Tamworth Westpac Helicopter office. He explained his role was to help realise the vision of groups and individuals who want to stage a fundraising effort for the service.

He said the money received from the Post2Coast ride would stay local for locals.

“For starters, that 20 grand stays completely in the New England Northwest budget, so it doesn’t go to Newcastle. Everything raised in this area, stays in this area,” he said.

Besides local fundraising events and efforts riders staged to raise money, along the route, $20 or $50 bills were frequently thrust into their hands at traffic lights and service stations.

Mr Jones felt awed by the good intentions of those donors. 

“That’s quite humbling for us to know the service is held in that high regard,” he said.

As questions frequently arise about how the Westpac Helicopters keep aloft and aiding the region, Mr Jones wanted to give a picture of how that money is applied and how service is funded.

“Our budget last year was $14 million. We receive approximately 50 per cent from the government. So the balance we have we obviously raise through sponsorship and communities,” Mr Jones explained.

“That $14 million, that’s the whole service, Newcastle and Tamworth. Tamworth alone is probably $3.4 (million),” Mr Galbraith added.

Mr Galbraith said the generous community support was the reason behind the existence of a local access to the helicopters which make about 260 trips a year.

“If we weren’t a community-based company, it would probably be fair to say that there wouldn’t be a Tamworth service. It’d be based out of Newcastle. So it’s because of the community support, because it is a community organisation, that we do have a base in Tamworth,” he said.

The rescue chopper history in the Hunter region began in 1975 with Newcastle’s Surf Lifesaving Club with a single helicopter. 

The service was soon partnered with the Bank of NSW, now known as Westpac bank which has been the naming rights sponsor since 1973 in Sydney.

In 1980, the first trained paramedic travelled with Newcastle’s Bell 47, and the service began to grow. The Hunter Region service is entirely autonomous; community-owned and cost-free. 

Mr Jones said the gathering at the Royal was like a family reunion, reuniting riders and their partners, children and friends from as far away as Tamworth for the occasion. A slide show of photos moved the group as they relived the five day trip that exceeded all expectations.

“There was a lot of pride and emotion. They had no idea how good that was going to be. It came from an idea and it just blew them out of the water how successful it was,” Mr Galbraith said.

“We sat there last night and just felt the community spirit, really,” Mr Jones said.

He and Mr Galbraith both said the integrity of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service was one quality they stand behind and maintain. Besides the generous gifts from strangers during the ride, Mr Jones recalled a moment from the Saturday night celebration as an example of that credibility.

A rugby player had wandered back into the Post2Coast celebration and had a look around and the room fell quiet.

“(He said) ‘What’s going on?’

“‘Function mate.’

“‘Oh, for the helicopter?’

“And he pulled his wallet out, took 20 bucks out and put it in the table and said ‘Good job!’” Mr Jones recounted, laughing.

Clint McSpedden organised the Post2Coast ride with friend Stuart Griffin. He said the Royal reunion brought a sweet closure to the effort.

“It concreted what the whole event was about. The  night was sort of the icing on the cake, and really brought home what we achieved and what we have all done together.”