It is one of the toughest off-road races in Australia, attracting adrenaline junkies from all over the world to the undulating red dirt track through the bush.
But for Queensland man Ben Rawcliffe, the Tatts Finke Desert Race, a 460-kilometre motorbike, car and buggy race now in its 50th year, presented another opportunity: a race to find love.
Last year, tired of navigating dating apps and balancing his FIFO work, Mr Rawcliffe decided to post on a local Finke Desert Race group, sharing a picture of an empty camp chair in front of a fire, with the words “Position vacant, future wife”.
Ben Rawcliffe had no idea how successful his post about finding a future partner would be. (Supplied/ABC News: Xavier Martin)
“It just went nuts,” Mr Rawcliffe said.
“I think the original post had 400 comments … it then developed into something that was being shared across multiple other platforms and other groups and pages and whatnot.
“Because not only was I getting people that were related to [Finke Desert Race], I was just getting random women from all over Australia messaging me.“
The post garnered hundreds of comments and messages from women all over the country, including from his now-partner, Naomi Findlay.
Naomi Findlay says the first time she and Ben Rawcliffe spoke on the phone, she loved the sound of his voice. (ABC News: Xavier Martin)
Now, they are back for this year’s race, with Ms Findlay taking to the track again.
“I’d been single for a few years, and I put a fair bit of effort into the dating apps and got pretty disheartened,” she said.
“I really got more into the bikes when I was single … I hoped through that community I’d meet someone, and here I was lining up for my third Finke after a lot of racing, and I hadn’t met anyone yet.
“Then this guy put up a post after the event, and I was really not sure, but I [thought] look, I’ve got to be open-minded here, and message him and see what happens.”
Naomi Findlay says having her partner by her side for the race feels “absolutely amazing”. (ABC News: Xavier Martin)
When she did message him, they were both living busy lives. She was working as a remote community teacher and he as a mine worker in Western Australia.
“[By] probably our third phone call, I was pretty much like, ‘Do you want to meet me next weekend halfway across Australia?'” Ms Findlay said.
“Because if you don’t, there’s probably not going to be another opportunity for at least a few months.”
Ben Rawcliffe says Naomi Findlay is the kind of woman he had hoped to meet when he made his initial social media post. (ABC News: Xavier Martin)
Mr Rawcliffe made the journey down to South Australia, where they spent their first date whale watching and motorbike riding.
“Naomi was pretty much the person I was trying to find,”
he said.
Since they met, they have travelled the country on motorbikes. Ms Findlay now lives with him in Queensland in between stints working at remote schools.
Ben Rawcliffe says it feels “amazing” to be back in the desert supporting his partner through the race. (ABC News: Xavier Martin)
For this year’s race, which begins tomorrow, Ms Findlay is raising money for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in honour of her late father.
Her number is 927, a nod to her dad’s birthday.
And she says having her partner by her side has made her feel “like a queen”.
“This is my fifth season racing, and I’ve never had a partner pit crew, and to have someone there supporting you, who’s got your back, who knows how to work on the bike as well … he’s been my rock,” she said.
