This was supposed to be an easy run up the Hume Highway to break the six year old record of 12 hours 48 minutes for the 868 kilometre journey from Melbourne to Sydney. It wasn’t.

But the record was broken if not smashed. 887 km in 12 hours and 15 minutes. An average speed of 72.4 km/h.

The journey was between 101 Collins Street in Melbourne’s financial district to Aurora Place in the heart of Sydney’s financial district. A total of 887 kilometres, 19 kilometres longer than the mark set in 2000 due to the construction of the M5 Motorway and Eastern Distributor allowing a freeway run to the heart of Sydney.

The six person Aurora 101 team consisting of drivers Ian Dyk and Derrick Rodgers as well as strategist and road manager Peter Pudney and Andrew Lamb, Dennis Trewhella and David Fewchuk assembled at 5.30 AM at 101 Collins Street to wait for enough light to set off without the use of headlights [the solar car does not have them yet] Peter Young of 101 Collins Street flagged the team away at 6.25 AM.

Derrick negotiated the Melbourne exit, a short run to the start of the Tullamarine Freeway, across the Western Ring Road on to the new Craigieburn Bypass and finally on to the dual lane Hume Highway to Albury. Aurora 101 set an optimistic pace averaging 100 km/h to Albury for the first driver change.

Ian Dyk, one of Australia’s promising open wheeler race car prospects took over steering the solar car to meet the ‘Dog On The Tuckerbox’ at Gundagai. It’s a small dog but must be wise. Already the speed was slowing as the bushfire smoke from the Victorian fires had blown north and were making the skies progressively more hazy.

Things got worse for getting sunshine and the second half of the trip turned from haze to cloud to light rain. Energy conservation was the only alternative as speeds dropped to 60 km/h. Fortunately the final 150 km into Sydney is officially downhill.

Just after 6.15 PM the Aurora 101 solar car joined the Sydney rush hour through the 7 km M5 tunnel [a test of narrow lane negotiation] on to the Eastern Distributor and off on the Macquarie Street Exit in rain and a traffic jam. One block to go before parking at Phillip and Bent Streets opposite the magnificent Aurora Place. Just enough battery to complete a half block and no more. Aurora 101 had achieved a new record; just.

The solar car ran without a problem. Its special low rolling resistance Michelin tyres are ready for a return trip.

The display and demonstration of Aurora 101 at the Australia Day celebrations in Sydney’s Centennial Park should be less stressful.