TARGA Official Spotlight: Courtney Hill

Josh Hill has become a name synonymous with TARGA as our very own Operations Manager started volunteering almost two decades ago, as a Time Card Runner back in 2004.

He became the TARGA Operations Manager in March 2022, but recruited his younger sister Courtney to join the TARGA volunteer family well before then.

Courtney’s bubbly personality and smiling face has become a highlight for drivers and navigators in her roles as a Vehicle Tracker and Assistant Safety Manager over the past 10 years.

At TARGA Tasmania this year, Courtney will step into a new role as a Deputy Stage Director.

We recently caught up with Courtney to reflect on her favourite TARGA memories, which include an awkward encounter with Grant Denyer and making memories with her brother Josh.

What was your very first TARGA event like & how did you get involved? 

So I was 18 when I first started doing TARGA. Josh was the stage director and I thought why not? I get to meet new people and annoy my brother for a week, 10 years later and I’m still kicking about.

What is your fondest memory of TARGA? 

My fondest memory of TARGA is when the team gets back together for one massive week. I’ve tried explaining to people who don’t do TARGA and it’s like this is your job and your family, you’re just finding something to do in between till we get together again.

And probably our famous dress ups on Arrowsmith as a send-off for the drivers and navigators on their last day.

What is a TARGA moment or story you’ll never forget?

One moment I won’t ever forget and get reminded of quite often is when it was my first year, I was doing TC in. I saw Grant Denyer pull up and we exchanged hellos. Not long after he came over to me and said, “you know your flys undone?”  I had to explain it was broken and that’s as good as it was going to get. Every day for the rest of the week he’d greet me with “good morning zip!”

Are there any significant people who have played an important role in your TARGA experiences?

My most significant person who played a massive role in my experience is definitely my brother, Joshy. We’ve obviously been through thick and thin as siblings but we grew to be more like best mates. He’s been there for me for everything in my TARGA career and also our personal lives. He’s been my rock and supported me so much, I couldn’t do most things now if it wasn’t for his love and support. And also the shenanigans we got up to!

What was your first car like? 

My first car was a Kia Rio. It was so reliable until its last service and not long after picking it up from the mechanic, it caught on fire. I wasn’t in the car at the time because I left it for dead but got a call about it. Myself and my eldest child were in it 20 minutes before the call so I went into typical mum mode and counted our lucky stars.

You have two empty spots in your dream garage; name one classic car and one modern car that you’d park there.

One would be a ’69 Mustang and the other a Raptor F150

Describe your driving style in three words. 

Mum gone wild