This is the world’s biggest selling annual book. It’s a record holder – The Guinness World Records book. It’s translated into more than 40 languages, and more than 150 million books have been sold since it was first released in 1955.
It covers all types of records about people and the world. It keeps tabs on over 65,000 active world records. The records cover everything from longest hair, most Big Macs eaten in a lifetime, the longest video gaming session, the smallest living dog, the largest bubblegum bubble, most snails on a face, the highest vehicle mileage… and on and on they go.
It seems that everyone wants to make history, to have their achievements recognised and preserved, no matter how ridiculous they are.
Most of these records change regularly. The Guinness World Records database is updated annually, with about 80% of the records being new or updated each year. But some records will last forever. And one of those records is held by Nevill Westwood.
His story and achievements are amazing. He was an adventurer and a record breaker. And most of his records were made in a car just like this one – a 1923 Citroen 5CV – that Nevill affectionately nicknamed ‘Bubsie.’
So buckle up and join me, Gary Kent, on an incredible journey right around Australia in the tyre tracks of Nevill Westwood. Let his story inspire you to dream big, to persevere in the face of adversity, to appreciate the indomitable spirit of adventure, and to value your faith.
– Title block –
INVESTING IN LIVES
Nevill Westwood was born in 1903 and grew up in the goldfields of Western Australia. When he was 18 he attended a series of Bible lectures. The story and message of Jesus changed his life. Now he wanted to invest in the lives of others, share hope, and make the world a better place. He was baptised and became a committed Christian and a member of the Cottesloe [SDA] church.
He attended a 2-year training course for missionaries at the Darling Range Bible School, that became today’s Carmel College. After he graduated, he attended a ‘camp meeting’ where he responded to an appeal to share the Gospel with people in the remote stations and communities of the Outback.
TOUGH GOING
So he set out walking and travelling on a bicycle from town to town and cattle station to cattle station selling books – and in particular the book Our Day in the Light of Prophecy.
It was tough going, and at times he had to use a variety of transport to reach his destination. He wrote:
“There were also times when I travelled by horseback, camel cart, and camel-back; whatever means were available to get to the place I wanted to go.”
And he met plenty of interesting people, from drovers, to book-keepers, to station owners. Nevill rode his push bike over 1600 kms, or 1000 miles during the trip, and earned enough money selling books to exchange his push bike for a motor bike which would help him cover more ground.
He travelled over 10,000 kms on the motorbike, covering a lot of outback territory in the north-west of the state of Western Australia. It was tough going for man and motorbike. Eventually the motorbike gave up and Nevill had to abandon it and walk 100 kms to the nearest town.
UPGRADING TRANSPORT
When Nevill got back to Perth he began planning his next trip. He’d tried walking, he’d tried a bicycle, he’d tried a motor-bike. All had proved unsatisfactory. So, this time he decided on a car.
Now, at this time the population of Australia was 6 million people. But only 100,000 people had cars – that’s one car owner for every 60 people. One hundred years ago, everyone owned a horse, and only rich people owned a car. One hundred years later, today, everyone owns a car and only the rich own horses. Oh, how the stables…I mean tables, have turned!
Buying a car was a big step for Nevill, but he was determined to find the best way to reach as many people in the Outback and remote Australia with the Good News about Jesus.
He bought a small reddish-brown Citroen 5CV that had been made in France. It was 2 years old and had already travelled 48,000kms. Nevill named it ‘Bubsie’. It had a top speed of 50kph. And just 5 horsepower. Now, the average car today is 200hp. But, now that he had a vehicle, he was ready to set out again, but this time he invited his friend, Greg Davies, a fellow Bible student and missionary, to join him.
BICKLEY TO MARBLE BAR
The two adventurous missionaries planned to drive from Bickley to Darwin. No one had ever done that before. But, they were so certain of success that they posed for a photograph clearly stating their intentions, before taking off.
However, they faced a challenge before they even got started. You see, Nevill was 190cm or 6ft 3in tall, and Greg was an inch taller. They were big men, but somehow they managed to squeeze themselves into the cramped cab and set off on an Incredible Journey on 4 August, 1925.
Their plan was to stop at the pastoral stations along the way to make friends, share the gospel, sell their books and find a place to stay for the night. Once they left Perth and the outlying settlements and got underway, they soon discovered many challenges.
There were no roads, no petrol stations, no mechanical or motor repair shops, no tyre shops, no supermarkets, no roadside motels, no GPS or even proper maps!
But there were snakes, spiders, man-eating crocodiles, wild buffalo, bush, desert, rivers with no bridges, and lots of sand!
Now, let’s just consider the snakes for a moment. Australia has about 170 species of snakes. 100 of these are considered venomous. The deadliest snake in the Outback is the Fierce Snake, or inland Taipan. Just one single bite from one of these snakes has enough venom to kill 100 adult people. By volume, it’s the most venomous creature in the world to humans.
But not even Fierce Snakes could deter Nevill and Greg. They were on an adventure and a mission! A mission to share the Good News of Jesus and make the world a better place. They went from station to station and visited Outback communities, making friends and selling their books.
At each stop, Nevill sold books, his favourite being a book on Bible prophecy that had been instrumental in his own conversion. The books were a means of sharing a message that mattered deeply to him, but also a means of earning an income that would support him and Greg on their travels.
WORKING HOLIDAY
The money he earned kept them stocked with petrol, supplies and food, while paying for their accommodation as well. This made them unique explorers. Most Australian travellers who explored the outback at this time were either sponsored or independently wealthy.
A working holiday adventure was a rarity in the 1920’s, but this proved to be the ideal arrangement for Nevill and Greg. It allowed them to see the outback, while making a meaningful impact on the lives of those they encountered, by sharing literature that had touched their own lives.
They had vast areas of bush and sand to cover and often had to camp in the open beside their car. But it was all part of the great adventure – as was weaving their way through stampeding herds of cattle and finding themselves surrounded by the great mob of bawling bovines, not knowing whether to relax or prepare to defend themselves.
In one area they had to cross 3 rivers. Now, remember, there were no bridges. So, if there was water in the river, they had to negotiate it, and if the river was dry, they had to pull and push the vehicle across the sandy riverbed.
But despite all the challenges, they finally made it to Marble Bar. Now, I’m not sure whether that brought relief or fear. You see, Marble Bar is in the Guinness Book of Records. It has the dubious record of being the hottest town in Australia.
In 1924, the year before Bubsie arrived, Marble Bar experienced a 161-day heat wave, during which the temperature never dipped below 37.8 degrees Celsius!
MARBLE BAR TO DERBY
Anyhow, Nevill and Greg survived their visit to Marble Bar, packed up their little car and continued on their way, visiting more stations on their journey. They tackled the Madman’s Track here. It’s a sandy trail snaking through the Outback towards the northern coast in Western Australia.
It was named the Madman’s Track when gold was discovered in the Pilbara and it attracted a lot of miners seeking their fortune. But the track took its toll. It was blistering hot and had no fresh water, and it drove many of the desperate fortune seekers mad. Quite a few died along the way, mostly from starvation and dehydration.
And Nevill and Greg had a close shave with disaster themselves, here on the Madman’s Track. The terrain caused a leak in an obscure part of Bubsie’s petrol tank. Our missionaries were resilient and creative men and they tried several ways to mend the leak, but without success, and so with their precious fuel disappearing into the sand they had to resort to desperate measures.
Nevill had to reach under the dashboard and use his finger to plug the hole. But it meant he couldn’t see where he was driving. So, Greg had to navigate and call out instructions and direct Nevill where to steer the vehicle.
But they were still leaking petrol and soon the tank was dry. Now they were in serious trouble. They were stranded on the Madman’s Track in the scorching heat, likely teetering close to the edge of insanity themselves.
No one knew where they were or the trouble they were in. And so they temporarily abandoned the car and set out on foot looking for help. They had no fresh water, but they did have their trusted compass with them.
They ended up walking 32 kms through the oppressive heat, sand and bush, and thanks to their trusty compass they finally made it to Anna Plains station. The next day the station manager assisted them in returning to their vehicle and Nevill who was a genius with cars managed to repair Bubsie with borrowed tools.
They were able to continue their journey and mercifully were able to navigate the final 200 kilometres to Broome. They spent a week in Broome recovering from their near-death march along the Madman’s Track, and also sharing the Gospel and selling books. From Broome they drove to Derby.
DERBY TO HALLS CREEK
When Nevill and Greg left Derby the first major hurdle they faced was crossing the Fitzroy River. Now, it would have been difficult enough to cross the river once, but they were forced to repeat the feat three times.
Now, with no bridges, crossing rivers on foot presents its own challenges, but crossing rivers in a car is an entirely different task. Rushing water, narrow tyres and a sandy riverbed are a trifecta for all kinds of mishaps.
When they reached the Fitzroy River, they were grateful that the water level was low. But their tyres were narrow and the sand was soft, and Bubsie got bogged in the middle of the river and just refused to budge!
There was no help in sight and they were in serious trouble again. Using their trusty compass, they were able to make their way to a nearby settlement and found the local constable. He couldn’t help them out, but he was able to recruit help from a nearby Aboriginal community.
With the help of a thick rope, a group of men and women formed a long line and pulled the car out of the river. Bubsie was back on its way through the sand again, but a short distance out of Derby they struck serious trouble again when the gearbox gave up with stripped gears.
BUSH MECHANICS
They left the car, and with the guidance of their compass walked the rest of the way to Halls Creek, but they couldn’t get any help there. So they hired two horses and rode to Moola Bulla cattle station, where the resident blacksmith helped them patch up the gearbox. But unfortunately, it broke down again before they reached Halls Creek.
Now, they were in real trouble. They removed the gearbox and walked back into Halls Creek. But, again, there was no help there. And so, they returned to Moola Bulla Station and spoke to the blacksmith, who once again agreed to work on the stripped gearbox.
While at Moola Bulla station Nevill and Greg had the privilege of attending a corroboree – a traditional aboriginal ceremony. There were about 300 Aboriginals involved in traditional dancing, music, storytelling, and body painting that were used to celebrate and pass down their cultural knowledge, dreamtime stories and beliefs.
Nevill and Greg respected the wisdom and culture of the Indigenous people and valued the assistance they provided on their journey through the Outback. Nevill established friendships with the locals and recognised their needs, which would result in him returning with medical assistance and support at a later time.
The repair of the gearbox was a lengthy job and so Nevill and Greg left it at the station and returned to Halls Creek. They didn’t waste their time while they waited for the gearbox to be repaired. They made new friends with the locals, shared the gospel, sold books, and did whatever they could to assist the local people, which included repairing the car of the local hotel owner.
HALLS CREEK TO EMUNGALAN
Once the gearbox was repaired, they were on their way again. They headed out into a thousand kilometres of unknown territory. The land became steadily rougher, and the heat began to increase and the distance they were able to cover each day decreased.
Often the passenger at the time had to climb out of the vehicle and push fallen trees and slabs of rock out of the way. There were numerous creek beds and gullies that had to be crossed. Stream and river banks had to be broken down with picks and shovels and cleared of scrub, then their block and tackle was used to drag the car out.
In these difficult conditions their average speed was reduced to less than walking pace, because if they hit one of the rocky outcrops at any greater speed, a tire could be torn clean off the wheel. In this rugged terrain with little or no roads they had ongoing challenges with the car tires.
Punctures were a never-ending problem, and as they ran out of repair patches they had to resort to stuffing their tyres with dry grass, leaves and sticks. Legend says that on one occasion they even used a dead snake to fill a flat tyre. But despite all the challenges they progressed slowly eastwards.
When they reached the Northern Territory border on the 22 September 1925 they took a photo of Bubsie parked half in Western Australia and half in the Northern Territory. Bubsie was the first car to make it from Perth to the Northern Territory.
With the guidance of their compass they travelled from one cattle station to the next. One of them was Victoria Downs station, which at the time was the largest cattle station in the world.
Australian Cattle Stations are unique. Some of them are so large they are bigger in size than some countries. For example, Australia’s largest cattle station today is Anna Creek station. It covers over 24,000 square kms, or 6 million acres. It’s bigger than Israel and some small European countries!
These huge stations were small self-contained communities and were essential to Bubsie’s journey through the outback and remote areas of Australia. They provided food, fuel, accommodation, mechanical help, and supplies to Nevill and Greg, and also provided an opportunity to share their message and sell their books.
EMUNGALAN TO DARWIN, THEN QUEENSLAND
When our missionaries reached Emungalan on the outskirts of Catherine, they desperately needed new tyres, tubes and some spare parts. They decided to give Bubsie a rest, and so left the car and caught the train to Darwin. In Darwin our missionaries continued sharing the Good News about Jesus and selling their books.
While in Darwin Nevill made a decision that would set new records and etch his name in the history books. He decided to do something that had never been done before. He decided to go beyond his original plan of driving from Bickley to Darwin. He now set his sights on driving right around Australia.
So Nevill and Greg returned to Bubsie and set off for the Queensland border. One of their first stops was near Elsey Station where they visited the grave of Mr Aeneus Gunn. He had been the manager of Elsey Station which had been made famous by his wife’s books. Jeannie Gunn wrote two famous books, We of the Never Never and The Little Black Princess.
Our adventurous missionaries continued on their way from station to station selling books, befriending people along the way and assisting those they met who were in need.
In some of the areas they travelled through there were no proper roads at all – only tracks. Many of the tracks were confusing to navigate and there were no signs or landmarks. During these challenging times they were so grateful for their trusted compass.
At times it was a lifesaver. It always guided them and pointed them in the right direction. The compass never failed them. When they were lost or confused, it pointed them in the right direction. It was reassuring to Nevill and Greg to know that wherever they were and whatever situation they found themselves in, their compass would never let them down.
RABBIT-PROOF FENCE
As they continued their journey they came to the rabbit-proof fence and crossed the border into Queensland. Bubsie was the first car to travel from Perth to Queensland, giving Nevill yet another spot in the record books.
Now, what was this rabbit-proof fence? Well, in Australia today there are over 250 million rabbits. That’s more than ten times the number of people that live here. Now, that sounds like a lot of rabbits. But back in 1925 – 100 years ago – when Bubsie crossed the fence, there were 10 billion rabbits. And to prevent the spread of rabbits several rabbit-proof fences were erected in Australia in the early 1900’s. The most famous ones were in Western Australia. They made up the longest of all the rabbit-proof fences, stretching over 3000 kms, or about 2000 miles.
However, there were other rabbit-proof fences, including some in Queensland that ran along sections of the Northern Territory and Queensland border.
But they forgot that rabbits dig as well as hop, and so had no trouble burrowing under the fence!
TO BRISBANE AND THE PRESS
Well, the fence didn’t stop the rabbits, and it didn’t stop Bubsie. Nevill and Greg were soon on their way through Queensland, and pushed on past Mt. Isa, Winton, Longreach, Blackall, Roma, [until] in early November they reached Dalby.
Then it was on to Toowoomba where they spent some time giving Bubsie a bit of TLC. The little car was in desperate need of a tune-up, new tires and tubes. Refreshed and rested, Nevill and Greg then headed for Brisbane.
By the time they reached Brisbane the press was waiting for them. Newspapers all over the country had picked up the story of the little car and its intrepid drivers, who were bent on circumnavigating Australia against the odds.
Almost overnight, Nevill Westwood became a household name. The press wanted his story, and clamoured for his photograph.
MAN IN A HURRY
After picking up supplies, Bubsie was on its way to Sydney. Now, Nevill was on a mission to complete the journey. The roads were better, and he was in a hurry to get home to Perth. The frequent letters detailing his exploits kind of peter out now. So, we don’t have a lot of information about his journey from here on.
But we know that he spent some time in Sydney before continuing through Goulburn, Yass, Gundagai and Albury. At Albury Greg said goodbye and Nevill continued on alone.
He drove on to Warburton, Melbourne, and Adelaide. Then on to Port Augusta and west along the Great Australian Bight. Finally, the challenge of the Nullarbor Plain was before him.
SOLO ACROSS THE NULLABOR
He’d been warned against crossing the Nullarbor alone in the heat of summer. But now, Nevill had another incentive to keep going and get to Perth as quickly as he could. You see, another car was being driven around Australia at the same time, trailing him by only 900 kms. Spurred on by the competition, Nevill headed west.
Although he was willing to risk his own safety to reach his goal, he was sensitive to the needs of others, despite the potential delays. He encountered a broken-down car with two women and a man huddled beside it, trying to find shelter from the summer heat. Nevill stopped and gave them water and got their car started. His assistance probably saved their lives.
Neville spent Christmas with his brother at Widgiemooltha and made it back to Perth on December 30, 1925.
The journey that had begun with a simple idea of selling books from Bickley to Darwin had turned into a trip around Australia that had broken a lot of records, and earnt Nevill a place in the history books: the first person to circumnavigate Australia in a car.
MORE THAN A WORLD RECORD
But Nevill Westwood didn’t simply circumnavigate Australia in a car. He went around the continent to share the Good News of Jesus and [was] determined to invest in the lives of others. Perhaps that’s the most important element of this remarkable story. Neville made a difference.
Now, there’s one more world record that Nevill contributed to. The Guinness World Book of Records lists the most popular book of all time. It’s the Bible. According to Guinness World Records over 5 billion copies of the Bible have been sold, making it the best-selling book of all time.
The Bible was the most important book in the world to Nevill Westwood. He bought and sold Bibles. Nevill bought some of those 5 billion Bibles. The Bible is the book that changed his life – brought him peace and happiness. He contributed to that record 5 billion Bibles.
And so can you. And the Bible can change your life too. It can bring meaning and purpose to your life. It can bring you peace and happiness.
THE JOURNEY OF LIFE
You see, Neville was not only on a journey around Australia. He was, like all of us, on the journey of life. And we all experience challenges and difficulties on this journey. And there are times that we get off track and we need to recalibrate and reset our lives.
God has given us a compass to direct us and set us on the right track in our journey through life. That compass is the Bible. The Bible is the authoritative standard for our lives: the compass we rely on for direction, the counsel we listen to for making wise decisions, and the benchmark we use for evaluating everything.
That’s how God keeps us on track. Making changes in our lives will always require us to know God’s Word. It’s the compass, the manual, the road-map for resetting our lives.
NEEDING A COMPASS
When you decide that you don’t like the way you’re living and the decisions you’ve made are just not working anymore, then you need to go to God’s Word. It’s going to help you in very practical ways. Notice this:
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT).
And there’s more:
“Your Word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path”. (Ps. 119:105)
You see, the Bible shows you the path to walk on. It shows you where you got off the path. It shows you how to get back on the path. And it shows you how to stay on the path.
The Bible says:
“He restores my soul: He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. (Ps 23:3)
Clearly, God wants to lead us in the paths of righteousness. This is important to understand, because God never intended for you to figure out the steps of your journey without him. Jesus prayed for us:
“Sanctify them through your truth, your word is truth.” (John 17:17)
In his Word, God has given you everything you need to make changes and then stay on the right path. This is why a daily quiet time of Bible study and prayer is so important. If you’re going to change, then you’ve got to face the truth. And where is the truth? It’s God’s Word, the Bible. When you’re not in God’s Word, you’re not learning and facing the truth on a daily basis.
The Bible is a mirror that will reflect the good, the bad, and those areas that need to change in your life. Let God show you all the truth he offers in his Word so you can make changes that will lead to a life of purpose and joy.
SPECIAL OFFER AND CLOSING PRAYER
If you would like to learn more about Nevill’s amazing journey and how the Bible impacted his life, then I’d like to recommend the free gift we have for all our Incredible Journey viewers today.
It’s the booklet The Overlander, which shares Nevill’s story and how the Bible changed his life. This booklet is our gift to you and is absolutely free. I guarantee there are no costs or obligations whatsoever. So, make the most of this wonderful opportunity to receive the gift we have for you today.
– Contact details –
If you’ve enjoyed our journey right around Australia with Nevill and Bubsie, and our reflections on the importance of the Bible in our lives, then be sure to join us again next week when we will share another of life’s journeys together. Until then, let’s pray to the great God of Heaven.
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for the inspiring story of Nevill Westwood and his epic journey right around Australia to share the Good News of Jesus. May his story inspire and move us to study the Bible and draw closer to you. Please bless us and our families, we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
