Show’s new attraction is big, yellow, and monstrous
MONSTER truck driver Clive Featherby is bringing one of Australia’s biggest and best nights out for the whole family to the Bendigo Show.
His pride and joy is the massive monster truck known as Outback Thunda.
He and his crew have been thrilling audiences for twenty years making huge jumps, crushing cars, and generally having as much fun as you can on four gigantic wheels.
Although, it not like Mr Featherby puts his feet up on the dash when they’re not performing, he and his team update Outback Thunda every few years to keep up with technology.
“This one’s a brand new one that we got form the states,” he said.
“It cost $780,000, it’s a top of the range monster truck with chevy big block motors, and 1500 horsepower.”
The yellow horse concept of the outer shell came from Outback Thunda’s first gig as mascot for Brisbane rugby team the Broncos, where it was known as Bronco Magic.
“We keep the body of the truck, which is the shape of the horse, the yellow fluorescent horse, and we put a new truck under it all the time so we keep it current,” Mr Featherby said.
Outback Thunda is known globally, being the only Australian truck to return to the US to compete and the first to make the trip to China.
Mr Featherby said the truck was popular among kids, with families making up the bulk of the audience when Outback Thunda rolls into town.
“It’s cool, they play with little trucks in the sandpit and all of a sudden, they come to a show and see this big, giant thing flying through the sky,” he said.
“To them it’s magic, it’s all the things they smash, crash and, bash and we come to do it at a giant scale.
Outback Thunda will perform nightly at the Bendigo Show, and will return to town in January where it will compete in the Victorian Monster Truck Championships.
The Bendigo Show runs on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 October with tickets and more information available via bendigoshow.com.au.