NRMA celebrates 90 years in Inverell with F Gaukrogers and Sons

The crew celebrated their nine decades in town on Thursday, something lauded as quite the achievement with many smaller regional centres come and gone.

It is now the longest serving, locally owned NRMA centre in the country.

F Gaukrogers and Sons started by selling General Motors vehicles in 1928 at the original dealership on Byron Street, and began its association with the NRMA in 1931.

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The business now employs 36 staff, including four patrols.

Mick Kennedy has been a patrolman there for almost half of that time, and has yarns to rival the best of them.

"I remember one job I went out to, this lady had about 100 cats," he began.

"She would feed them and throw the cans in the corner of the shed. Well, I went there to change her gear leaver, when I started to feel something crawl up my trousers.

"It kept going, up into my shirt then out again, and it was a six foot long brown snake, sitting just above me in the car.

"Well I counted to 2001, 2002, 2003 before I high tailed it out from under the car. The lady was standing there right at the foot, and she says to me, 'that was a big one!'."

Another remembered tale was provided by a city-sider, who called him out to Copeton Dam after he lost his keys, water skiing with them in his pocket.

"He wanted me to get in the boat where he hit a big wave, put a GPS location on the spot, and then retrieve them when the water level went down," Mr Kennedy laughed.

Mr Kennedy began his journey with the NRMA at the tender age of 11, helping his step-father, who owned Gaukrogers at the time, by answering phones and calling remote patrols via two-way radio to send help.

He has now been a patrol for 35 years and said rescuing kids locked in cars, replacing flat batteries, fixing oil leaks and working on overheated motors were all in a day's work.

Joined by fellow patrolmen Zac Bonsor, with five years under his belt and Warren Purvis, with 20 years under his, tales were told of marriage proposals, Ford Falcon EBs with haunted locking systems, and the run of the mill flat batteries and flat tires.

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But Mr Kennedy is not the only long serving member, with Dealer Principal Mark Palmer joining the business more than 40 years ago himself.

Starting out pumping fuel, moving to become apprentice mechanic and later roadside patrol officer, he said while there could be hairy stories, the most rewarding ones came when they helped people in need.

"Basically 93 out of 100 people we help we are able to get their car going roadside," he said.

And while there wasn't a 'Bermuda Triangle' road so much now, he said back in the day they'd get numerous calls from the "notorious" Guyra road before it was sealed.

In to contrasting stages of their journey, you'll find Deborah Bartlett and Stacey Arnold manning the front desk.

Ms Bartlett has been there for 18 years, and Ms Arnold just four weeks.

"If I could give any advice, I think if you can give people good customer service and help them as best as you can, you'll survive," Ms Bartlett stated.

NRMA General Manager of Roadside Delivery Simon Denic said the NRMA was proud of the work the Inverell team continue to do.

"More than half of the NRMA's 2.6 million Members live in regional areas, and we know that many of our city members are hitting the road for regional road trips this year for family holidays, so the work of our team in towns like Inverell is at the core of what we do," Mr Denic said.

"As we reflect on an outstanding 90 years in Inverell we look forward to helping our members prepare for the changes in motoring and mobility for many more years to come."

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