WHILE a sawmill tour is not the usual way to celebrate a milestone, one Victorian family travelled about 3500km in a round trip to do just that.

After seeing Ralph Affleck’s sawmill on television, Sandy Hill decided the one-man, home-made sawmill tour was the perfect birthday present for her dad, Robert Kimm, with the pair travelling with their spouses from near Melbourne to Legume specially for the tour.

“I saw it on Channel 7 Sunrise, searched on the internet and found it,” she said.

“My father had worked in sawmills since he was 15 so we thought it was perfect, given that he’s turning 65 and about to retire.”

Sandy said the group enjoyed the tour immensely and would recommend it to others.

“We literally went to the tour and drove home again,” Sandy said.

“I don’t regret it at all – it was well worth it and dad thought it was great.

“I thought it was wonderful how he had done all that by himself.”

Sandy said Ralph’s personality was one of a kind.

“The tour was fantastic and Ralph is such a character,” she said.

Sandy said seeing Ralph on his “Popeye” machine was fantastic.

“His eyes lit up and off he went around the paddock,” she said.

“I think he forgets his own age at times.”

Once the shock of the surprise trip wore off, Sandy said her father was excited.

“I presented him with the RM Williams magazine with Ralph’s article in it,” she said.

“He said ‘Look Sue, it’s the old guy from Landline’. I didn’t realise he knew all about it.

“He was quite excited once the shock of having to have time off work wore off.”

Sandy said despite growing up next to a sawmill, she had never been in one.

“Not only were we in one but it was operating,” she said.

“It would be great to see it continue.”