Barry Nancarrow

Barry Nancarrow filming in Bega

A story from Barry Nancarrow - NBN Television cameraman

(Part of Barry's Memoirs)

Rollands Plains is somewhere west of Telegraph Point on the NSW Mid North Coast. The 1971 Southern Cross Rally was to pass somewhere through that area. So on the Friday night having filmed the trots at Broadmeadow I picked up my lifelong friend Greg Harman, he had stuck with me despite his unnerving initial experiences in the Hillman, and headed north in search of the Southern Cross- rally that is ….. still in the Hillman.

(SEE BARRY CHECKING THE NBN HILLMAN)

In Port Macquarie we were given directions which would hopefully lead us to the competing cars. Luck was again on our side and in the grey and overcast dawn I was able to capture a shot of Fin (Murray Finaly) in full flight negotiating a downhill left hander. In the hope of capturing more action we joined the rally route – some lessons I never learned. Having selected a potential action spot I secured the Hillman in a 'safe' location and waited in the gravel of a downhill left hander. Unfortunately it was all a bit pedestrian until a guy in a Colt arrived on the scene. As he did I zoomed out and waited for him to pass by. Then came the sickening sound of locked wheels on gravel. I was more than familiar with the experience from the driver’s seat, but when you’re huddled on the point of impact it has a whole different feel to it. Now a Colt was not a big car but when the front wheel fills the frame on a wide angle lens it is big, accordingly impressive and creates one of those ‘underwear moments’. And good for the adrenalin.

(SEE VIDEO CLICK HERE)

Fortunately the driver managed to stay on the road. Covered with dust and some incidental flora I had nevertheless survived what was to become one of several interesting incidents that were to distinguish my involvement with motorsport and cause people to question my sanity…… with some validation. It wasn’t until after the footage was aired on the Saturday night bulletin, along with the trots, that I realised that I hadn’t been to bed since Thursday night. It was to become a template for the next twenty five years of my career.

Barry Nancarrow