David Riley is pastor of the Wallsend Church in Newcastle, New South Wales, and author of Bubsie and the Boys. He talked about his book project, marking the centenary of this first journey around Australia by car.
When did you come across the story of Bubsie and the first big lap?
In early 2021, the Riley family were a couple of months into our two years of caravan travel around Australia. I was chatting with an old friend on a beach in Western Australia as our kids played in the water. Nick had worked at Carmel College—the school where the two young missionaries first met. After Nick shared with me the story of Bubsie as the first car to circle Australia, I looked for a book that had been written about the Bubsie story and discovered nothing had been written. One of the Citroen club presidents then suggested maybe I should write something.
What caught your imagination in this story?
It’s an incredible story of two young men setting out in faith on an adventure despite the many possible obstacles, then achieving something far bigger than they thought they could. It’s a story that encapsulates Australian determination and resilience and the need to attempt big things. It’s a story that reminds us that when we step out in faith, God can steer us in directions we weren’t intending to go, but He makes obvious along the road (literally and metaphorically). And a “big lap” around Australia has become one of the world’s great road trips. Yet the origins of this great adventure lie in Adventist mission. That’s incredible.
Tell us about your research process.
I began in 2021 with phone interviews, past magazine articles and copies of the letters Nevill Westwood wrote to his mother. In 2022, when I drove the original route, I saw a remote part of the country well removed from the highways. There is a soul-filling beauty to this continent, and I also spent time in some of the local and state libraries, as well as some of our church’s archives. I interviewed descendants, and trawled through old newspapers. And the National Museum of Australia has a well-preserved archive.
What does this story tell us about Australia 100 years ago—and now?
The pioneering spirit of Australians is on full display in this book, including the outback explorers, the motoring pioneers, the pastoralists, and those who served in the nascent communications industry as it related to the country’s overland telegraph line. One hundred years ago, Australia’s state and national policies regarding how we recognise and include the continent’s Indigenous peoples were poor. This story reminds us of how far we have come, but there’s also a nagging feeling that things haven’t changed quickly enough. We still have work to do as a nation to make amends for our past and move forward into the future together.
How does your book portray Adventist faith?
A number of aspects of Adventist faith, lifestyle and mission are important to understanding the motivations and manner of how Australia was first lapped in a car. I’ve tried to strike the right tone of explaining these beliefs in a way that’s relevant to the story without it becoming too preachy.
How does this faith help you in confronting the challenge you and your family have experienced this year?
Our 17-year-old daughter Jessica died in May this year after a brief battle with brain cancer. The faith we have in a God who has overcome death is incredible comforting. While we deeply miss Jessica’s presence every day, we know we grieve with a wonderful hope that we shall see her again one day. It’s a blessed promise Christ has given us through His words to Martha when her brother Lazarus died: “I am the resurrection and the life.”
What do you hope readers take away from this story?
I’m hoping the story inspires people to explore this wonderful country of ours. I’m hoping it reminds readers of the importance of resilience, perseverance and courage. I’m hoping the story allows people to reflect on their own faith in a higher power—and as a result live life more adventurously.
Bubsie and the Boys is available now from Adventist bookshops in Australia and New Zealand or online.
It is also available from all booksellers and as an audiobook from your favourite audiobook service.
