EVERY year, volunteers travel several hours to the William Creek bronco branding and gymkhana competitions simply to lend a hand.
Among the happy helpers in John 'Hobbsy' Hobbs, who makes the annual pilgrimage to the tiny outback town to cook-up delicious steak sandwiches and sausages for hungry competitors and visitors.
Hobbsy first travelled to the far north more than 50 years ago, and has made the trip several times since - first as a visitor, then as a volunteer.
"The first time I came up here was in 1959, setting rabbit traps for several weeks. We'd push our Vanguard ute up the hill and let it roll down," he said.
"We'd catch a hundred pairs a night, south west of William Creek."
After his stint at rabbit trapping, Hobbsy worked as a mail run from Wilmington until 1972 before becoming an engine driver along the old Ghan line.
But he soon found this did not suit him.
"I couldn't talk to people as an engine driver so I took up a job as bus driver at Alice Springs and travelled around the country," he said.
Hobbsy was later employed worked with the Port Augusta council and his work included the first project at the arid lands botanic gardens, and a new mall in the town.
He retired at Port Broughton in the Yorke Peninsula together with his wife but after a lifetime of travel and work, the 70-year-old found it hard to stay in one place for too long.
Instead, he decided to spend time volunteering.
"You can't go fishing and crabbing every day," he said.
Hobbsy began volunteering at the William Creek gymkhana and bronco branding days as a cook in 1980 and makes it a point to go back every year.
Not only does he pull-on his apron and whip out his tongs in time for the event, he hits the road from Port Broughton a few days early to ensure everything is spick and span and ready to go.
"It keeps the aches and pains away," he said.
"I still enjoy a sherbert at the end of the day but the dancing part has deteriorated."
No matter how busy the lunch run, Hobbsy and his kitchen helpers continue to deliver service with a smile. He has been the main cook since 1990 and was thrilled to be made a life member in 1998.
Particular about kitchen hygiene, Hobbsy organised for stainless steel benches in the old kitchen which has since been upgraded.
The cook who can create tasty steak sandwiches by the dozen is just as well known for his colourful outfits.
At the William Creek bronco branding in August this year, he had brightly patterned striped pants, an equally colourful apron, and his 'Hobbsy' hat not that any of the locals are likely to forget his name.
At the rodeo circuit - where he has volunteered regularly for the past 40 years - Hobbsy can be spotted by his red hat and bright shirts, a habit he has continued since the night rodeos of the 1980s.
"Elaine makes a new rodeo shirt for me every year and I do a lap around the country with that," he said.
His wife used to travel to the events regularly but now prefers to stay at home though she still finds time for the occasional trip.
During his time volunteering at William Creek, Hobbsy has met everyone from station managers to employees at the local hotel. He said he was amazed to see that many gave him a call every now and then simply to say hello and even offered to let him stay in their homes.
With plenty of memories to reflect on, and many friends across Australia, Hobbsy has no plans to retire from volunteering any time soon.
He hopes to return to William Creek in the coming weeks to hang a new membership board and will be back at the hotplate for the William Creek gymkhana and bronco branding next year.
The event has raised thousands of dollars for charities such as the Royal Flying Doctor Service and Angel Flight.
*Full report in Stock Journal, September 29 issue, 2011.