It was an impulse purchase after a pub session that kickstarted a memorable road trip to one of Australia's most remote towns.

Key points: Four mates from the tiny WA town of Bunjil bought a 20-year-old limo with 360,000 kilometres on the odometer for $5,000 to ferry local footy players to club functions

Four mates from the tiny WA town of Bunjil bought a 20-year-old limo with 360,000 kilometres on the odometer for $5,000 to ferry local footy players to club functions Not content to stick to local trips, the four mates, who pooled their funds to buy the car, decided to take it on a cross-country adventure to the Broome Cup — more than 2,000kms away

Not content to stick to local trips, the four mates, who pooled their funds to buy the car, decided to take it on a cross-country adventure to the Broome Cup — more than 2,000kms away With its TV and subwoofers, the limo got them there in style, in time for the races and photos on the iconic Cable Beach

Four mates have become small-town celebrities after driving their $5,000 limousine across Western Australia to attend Broome's biggest horse race.

The unorthodox adventure has been welcomed by the Country Racing Association as a way of drawing attention to the sector which has fallen on hard times in recent years.

Long odds

The 20-year-old vehicle was initially purchased in February by the four mates, who pooled their funds for the cause, in order to ferry local footy players to club functions in style.

It already had 360,000 kilometres on the odometer.

In spite of this, co-owner 'Rat' White said the opportunity for a cross-country pilgrimage was too good to pass up.

"As soon as we bought it we thought we had to find a good road trip," he said.

'Rat' White and his three mates bought the limousine for $5,000 on impulse after a few beers, to take local football players to club functions. ( ABC Kimberley: Tom Forrest )

Some wagered the ageing limo would not survive for more than half a day.

"One of the guy's girlfriends bet us each a lasagne — she said we wouldn't get further than 600 kilometres."

But the men from Bunjil had their sights set on the far-flung Kimberley pearling town, more than 2,000 km north.

They aimed to arrive in time for the Broome Cup, the town's signature horse race.

Thousands of patrons flocked to the town's biggest horse race, the Broome Cup. ( ABC Kimberley: Ben Collins )

Xbox, subwoofer, Top Gun

After strapping their swags to the roof, the men headed into the state's vast interior.

Motoring into the mining towns of Newman and Meekathara, heads began to turn.

At Karijini National Park the vehicle proved to be as popular a photo opportunity as the picturesque escarpments and plateaus.

"People stopped taking pictures of the hills and gorges and started taking pictures of us," Mr White said.

On the long stretches between towns there were plenty of ways to pass the time.

"We've got a TV and Xbox and the rest of the time we're just playing bangers on the subwoofers on the way up," Mr White said.

"Watching Top Gun on TV while getting driven through the desert in my own limo, I just thought, 'Yep I've made it'."

The limousine is fitted with a TV, Xbox and subwoofers for the long drives between country towns. ( ABC Kimberley: Tom Forrest )

Arrive in style

The day before the races, Mr White and his mates announced their arrival with a sunset lap on the sand at Cable Beach.

Beachgoers cheered and camels gawped as the men from Bunjil wrote themselves into Kimberley folklore.

"We've had a couple moments during the trip when we were like 'I'm living my best life', one of those was on Cable Beach," Mr White said.

"There's been a bit of a buzz around it, it was just everything you'd hope for.

"It's not something you see everyday, so there's constantly people taking photos … asking 'how many does it seat?' and 'can you take us home from the pub?'."

Warm welcome

The trip has been received fondly by the state's country-racing fraternity as a way of driving attention to the important economic contributor that is the races.

Rising costs, red tape and fewer race goers have been blamed for a decline across the sector in recent years.

Historic race meets have been cancelled or wound up altogether, like the Meekatharra Cup which ran its final race in 2018 after 108 years.

Country Racing Association WA President Kevin Scott said he would encourage others to embrace the spirit of adventure.

"I think we need a lot more of it and more people to do that sort of trip, I would have to say it would be entertaining," he said.

"The atmosphere is great, the people you meet up with from all walks of life, you never know who you are going to bump into on a country race track."

Remote race meets like the Birdsville Races often attract colourful punters up for an adventure. ( Supplied: Salty Dingo )

Towns turn it on

Mr Scott said country towns are always ready to show travellers a good time.

The vehicle turned heads among tourists at Karijini National Park and in the mining towns of Newman and Meekatharra. ( Supplied: Mr White )

"Community clubs really put on a big show for the people that want to be there for the locals, it's their only big show in town," he said.

After a memorable weekend, the men from Bunjil are keen to raise the bar on their next regional road trip.

"The next step is the Birdsville races or the Mt Isa rodeo, really stretch the legs on the old girl," Mr White said.

For now, the limousine will return to ferrying local football players before its next big trip.