Issue 1,236
Local News for Local Communities
Friday 5th June 2026
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Selwyn Art Show Page 2
The Weed Eater Page 14
Darfield Bowlers win Prestigious Awards Page 16
DARFIELD LOCALS SET FOR ICONIC FINKE DESERT RACE With the start line almost in sight, Alice Springs is in full pre-race mode ahead of the Tatts Finke Desert Race 2026, the event’s 50th anniversary edition, running June 5–8. Known simply as “Finke”, the iconic multiterrain, two-day race sends bikes, cars and buggies through desert country between Alice Springs and the Aputula (Finke) community. It is one of the Northern Territory’s biggest annual sporting events, and for riders it remains “the most fun you can have with a helmet on” while maintaining a reputation as one of the toughest off-road courses in one of the most
remote places in the world. New Zealand will again be represented, with three Kiwis competing in Australia, including two Darfield locals who have been preparing intensely for the challenge. Mark Terry, of Darfield, is set to make his Finke debut in Class 8 Veterans (55 years and over), racing number 879 on a Sherco 500 (2026). Mark decided to add Finke to his "must do" list after following his fellow Darfield rider Tom Plunkett last year. His journey to the start line follows a significant recovery; at the World Vet MX Champs in 2024, Mark was taken out by a Swiss rider and required full shoulder reconstruction surgery, which sidelined him for nearly 10 months. Despite this, he remains a high-level competitor, traveling to the United States in 2024 and 2025 for the World Vet MX Champs at Glen Helen Raceway, where he achieved an impressive third in the
world in his class last year. He also continues to compete in motocross both locally and nationally. Joining him is Tom Plunkett, also of Darfield, who is
entering Finke for the second time in Class 2 – 451cc and above Four Stroke, riding a Sherco 500 (racing number 221).
Continued on page 16…..
Tom Plunkett and Mark Terry prior to travelling to Australia for the Tatts Finke Desert Race.
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