Queanbeyan tourism officer Deb Roberts is encouraging people to contribute messages of support for Mark Webber as he gets his Drivers' Championship campaign underway. Photo: Andrew Johnston
THE Queanbeyan community is being called upon to rally behind hometown hero Mark Webber as he attempts to become the first Australian 32 years to claim the Formula One Drivers’ Championship.
Born and raised in Queanbeyan, Webber is arguably Australia’s highest profile international athlete and already boasts an impressive career resume with nine Formula One race victories to his name.
Webber is set to begin his 12th Formula One campaign in Melbourne this weekend.
But with the 36-year-old otherwise spending much of the year travelling the world, Queanbeyan tourism officer Deb Roberts said it was important for his hometown to show its support for a favourite son.
Ms Roberts said she was hoping to collect as many good luck messages for Webber as possible over the next two weeks, with the aim of compiling them and sending them to the Red Bull Racing star.
“We’re going to have a big Good Luck Mark card here at the Visitor Information Centre for people to sign to show their support,” Ms Roberts said.
“We also welcome people to bring in their own notes or cards or drawings and we’ll package them all up and send them off to Mark to show that the people of Queanbeyan are behind him.”
Ms Roberts said she had taken inspiration for the idea from the Hero Text SMS service during the Olympic Games which allows members of the public to send messages of support to their favourite Olympians.
“I thought if we can do something like that for our Olympians, why can’t we do something like that in Queanbeyan for Mark,” she said. “Just letting him know how much we care and that we wish him all the best for the season.”
All members of the public are encouraged to add their words of support to Queanbeyan’s official Good Luck Mark card at the Visitor Information Centre on the corner of Monaro Street and Lowe Street.
All members of the public are encouraged to add their words of support to Queanbeyan’s official Good Luck Mark card at the Visitor Information Centre on the corner of Monaro Street and Lowe Street.
Members of the public can also drop off their notes, letters or pictures of support for Mark Webber at either the Visitor’s Information Centre or at the Queanbeyan Age office at 108 Monaro Street between now and the end of March.
Members of the public can also drop off their notes, letters or pictures of support for Mark Webber at either the Visitor’s Information Centre or at the Queanbeyan Age office at 108 Monaro Street between now and the end of March.