Almost 80 years on, five of his grandchildren are re-enacting the route. Ron, Steve, Bob and Doug Heard and their sister Anne Cole have squashed themselves in to the 1929 Essex they are driving.

“After doing a bit of research and checking the world book of records it looks to be the longest continuous taxi fare in the world, we are re-enacting Australian history,” Steve said.

Leaving on the exact date, June 20, from the same Geelong address, the siblings will travel the 7003 miles or 11,500 kilometres covered by their grandfather. The Essex, which is almost identical to the one driven by their grandfather, has had its engine completely rebuilt.

“We are going exactly where he went and stopping off where he did,” Steve said.

“We have had a ball, so much great stuff has happened, it’s been great fun,” Anne said.

The crew stopped briefly in Clare last Tuesday to meet another long distance vintage traveller, Peter Eaton, and to see his pair of vintage Whippets which have traversed outback Australia from south to north and back again.

From Clare the team went to Coober Pedy, Oodnadatta, Alice Springs, Brisbane, Sydney and will finish in Geelong on about June 30.