Touch-a-Truck | Marion | Review

April 21, 2019

Touch-a-Truck Marion – Play & Go Review

I never took much notice of the different modes of transport around me on the road … until I had twin boys! My pair are five and I’m now like a bus tour guide en route, pointing out Mack trucks, rally cars and the like in the traffic.

So, when I read that the City of Marion was staging a (free!) school holiday event where littlies could get up-close with 40 powerful vehicles, I almost upturned my smoothie to click ‘going’ on the Facebook page.

Dubbed Touch-a-Truck, the inaugural event was staged over three hours at the Marion Sports and Community Club oval on April 16. The gods were smiling down on the organisers with an unseasonable top of 33C.

The power of social media came to life with thousands swarming on the event. There was something for every kind of motor-head, from Defence Force vehicles to a waste collection truck, crane, fire truck, historic police vehicles (with volunteers in old-fashioned getup) and even the Hallett Cove Lions’ Christmas sleigh. The occasion was also an education in just how many vehicles a council needs to do it’s work, showcasing a street-tree-watering truck and more.

Line-ups to sit in the cabs of some vehicles, or climb around them, were massive. So we stuck to the ‘wheels’ with the shorter queues.

To help children with autism enjoy the morning, a sensory hour without vehicle noise ran from 9am. After that, it was horns and sirens galore.

There were also other free activities, including a Lego play area, jumping castles and Dig-a-Dino, but if the event is held again – which I’m sure it will be – they could up the ante with even more market and food stalls and create a fair-like atmosphere on the oval.

It must have taken a truckload of effort (see what I did there?) to pull it all off. Whoever came up with the idea deserves a big thumbs-up. We thoroughly enjoyed our truck-stop!