In days gone by, competitors and spectators of the Avon Descent were aware of the enormous part that Westrail played in the support of the white water event. Today, WestNet Rail's presence is less noticeable yet still just as vital.
By far Westrail's largest and most visible contingent involved in the Avon Descent was in the form of the rescue crew. For 16 years this was under the guidance of Kevin Walker, head of the Midland Workshops' Rescue Team. This team was one of the best rescue crews in the state, winning competitions and providing crucial assistance to the SES in various emergency situations.
As well as having weekly training sessions in rescue techniques and situations, the team would start training on the river itself up to eight weeks before the event.
"It was a big responsibility and we took it very seriously… You could trust us with your life… and that's all!" recalls Kevin Walker.
Equipment for the event used to be sourced in some rather unorthodox ways, but the job was always done to the best ability of the team and no questions were asked.
Except for the year when one of the rescue team drove a "borrowed" 4WD through a river crossing and ended up needing to be rescued. Even the big bonfire in the middle of the campground at Cobblers Pool was thanks to Westrail as any old wooden sleepers that were replaced throughout the year would be conveniently 'stored' in the paddock.
Sadly, the closure of the Midland Railway Workshops signalled the end of the Westrail rescue team.
"The best thing about the team is that it was pretty much the same group of core people all the way through.
"At the end most of us had done at least 10 years".
Not only was it the continuity of the team, which made it so successful, it was the comradery and the entire family involvement. Wives were involved as members of the rescue team to help out with cooking, the first aid post and helping to get everyone out onto the river by the start of each day's event.
In the first year that the Westrail rescue team, was involved in the Avon Descent, there was very limited equipment and they were the only first aid on site. Then Commissioner of rail donated is own road rail vehicle, which was then kitted out with rescue equipment. The crew would transport any major injuries to the Northam hospital and then drive back to the valley to collect any other injured people. In the peak of the Westrail rescue team career, there were 100 people involved in the team, including SES volunteers, first aiders, ambulance crew and the Underwater Explorers Club who all came under the guidance of Kevin Walker.
It wasn't just the partying spectators who had all the fun; with an official song book printed for Saturday night sing along, the rescue team would ward of the cold until their self imposed 10pm curfew when there would be a port for everyone in the team before they went to bed.
One year the army artillery unit was invited with the idea to start the race on the second day with cannon fire. However, it never got used for its intended purpose as it mysteriously went off a few hours early and woke everyone in the campsite up at 4.30am with an enormous Boom.
For nearly 360 days of the year, access to the Avon Valley is closed to the general public. The only people allowed on the land are landowners whose property is adjacent to the area and those working on the rail itself. A limited number of keys are provided to race officials who literally unlock the gates to open the valley on Friday afternoon.
Once the race is over, and the last remnants of various broken craft are collected the gates are locked and the fields lay undisturbed once more.
As well as allowing competitors, support crew and spectators into the rail reserve area, WestNet Rail supplies vital sponsorship by providing rail safety workers. Every year for the past 35 years at least six members of railway staff have volunteered their time to ensure that people can travel safely across the rail crossings over the course of the weekend.
Malcolm Searle was Senior Safeworking Manager in 1984 when he first became involved in the Avon Descent. "Every year I said I'd never, never go back, but I went back for 11 years!"
One of the primary sites where the safe working crew needed to be especially vigilant was (and still is) at the camping grounds at Cobblers Pool. "There'd be 12,000 people camped on the site where the previous day there had been nothing but mushrooms".
During the event the WestNet Rail volunteers would be in constant radio contact with train control who would give notice when a freight train was due through the area and they would place themselves down the line to ensure no campers would accidentally walk into the path of the train. One year, the importance of checking the line before the train came through was highlighted, when a drunken spectator was found passed out on the rails.
WestNet Rail provides access to Avon Valley as well as safe working volunteers, so if you are heading down to see the Avon Descent this year, say "G'day" and "Thanks" to the WestNet Rail volunteer crew at the level crossings, and don't forget to watch out for trains.