Queenstown firefighters on madcap scooter mission

A crew of Queenstown firefighters has signed up to a mapcap mission traveling through Southland and into Otago on 50cc scooters.

It is all for a good cause - but not the one you would think.

Challenge instigator Chris Lindop has been here before.

This will be his second time participating in the Southern Scooter Challenge to support Hospice Southland.

And this time, he's roped in three firefighting mates to join him on the 220 kilometre road trip.

"We have a lot of people fundraise for us," firefighting station officer Mr Lindop explains, "So it's nice for us to give something back to another charity as well."

Alongside event first-timers senior firefighter Steven 'Special' Gallagher, station officer Jesse Johnston, and former chief fire officer Andrew Bary, Mr Lindop will be departing Invercargill first thing on Saturday morning and, all things going to plan, rolling into The Crown Pub and Beer Garden in Frankton in Queenstown before 5pm.

"So, you know, you're talking a good eight hours...We've got some nice cushions on the seats."

Along the way there will be official fuel stops in Winton, Lumsden and Kingston.

However, the longterm weather forecast is not looking kind, but Mr Lindop has a plan for that - the crew will be decked out in their full firefighting kit while riding.

"We'll be nice and warm, hopefully."

The men train together for the job, and haven't made any particular effort to prepare for Saturday's adventure, other than to rally support for their fundraising target, which they've already managed to slam, and borrow an additional scooter.

"Firefighter training will cut it, I think, just in terms of good sense of team spirit and morale. And everyone there pushes each other along on the way."

Hospice Southland supports people at a most vulnerable time - and its reach covers Queenstown Lakes.

For the firefighters, it is a cause well worth supporting.

"It allows people to spend their final days in a place of their choice, ideally at home, so it's a really cool charity, and one that we're passionate about."

A total 150 riders will take part in the event.

The Queenstown crew has fundraised more than $5,000 and counting. Their fundraising page is here.

Main image (Supplied/Samuel Stafford-Bush): From left, station officer Chris Lindop, senior firefighter Steven 'Special' Gallagher, and station officer Jesse Johnston (absent from photo, fourth team member, former chief fire officer Andrew Bary).