MEET THE BOARD

Basia Kmita is an Occupational Therapist Specialist Medical Driving Assessor accredited with Transport for NSW Licence Review Medical Unit to perform Occupational Therapy medical driving assessments including complex vehicle modifications.  As an Advocate for Porsche Australia, her focus is on safe and inclusive driving.  Basia shares the same vision through Porsche which is to be “driven by your dreams”.   As a Specialist Medical Driving Assessor, Basia envisages the dreams of others through driving and to see her patients and clients continue to smile behind the wheel and granting them driving independence, means everything to her.  Basia is also an Independent Medical Consultant for MLCOA and a Medico-Legal Consultant Occupational Therapist, Medical Writer and Medical Presenter.

Driving independence is something we may all take for granted.  A sudden medical condition can arise at any time whereby on road safety becomes paramount to the individual with a medical condition and to other road users.  Some individuals are unfortunately not able to drive a car due to a medical condition and would love the opportunity to be able to experience this. For others, a sudden medical condition may have taken over their ability to be able to drive to maintain safe medical standards on road.

Other individuals may require complex vehicle modifications following a stroke or spinal injury or amputation. For example satellite/radial hand controls, left foot accelerators, accelerator rings, mini wheels/joysticks, driving via wheelchair, customised seating, 4WD lowering, raising/lowering accelerator pedals, lightening steering and manual to auto conversions. 

“To be able to maintain any form of driving independence is truly special”.

“A medical condition does not define who a person really is.  Envisaging driving aspirations and fulfilling driving independence is what makes me love the work I specialise in knowing that the possibilities are endless when it comes to safe driving and healthy ageing”.

“Wishing you all safe & inclusive driving”. 

Basia Kmita

I grew up in Gympie, Queensland, where I attended both primary and secondary school. After finishing school in 1987, I moved to Brisbane to begin my training as a dyno technician, specializing in tuning motor vehicles to enhance performance. From 1987 to 1995, I honed my skills and became deeply involved in the drag racing scene, working primarily on drag-oriented vehicles.

By 1990, I wasn’t just tuning cars but also racing them, running a highly competitive drag car until 1997. Over those years, I experimented with various makes and styles, all while maintaining a parallel interest in forest rally racing. My talent and determination led to numerous victories, establishing myself as a reliable and competitive driver.

In the early 2000s, I shifted my focus to the Australian Off-Road Series, constructing and racing a Class 3 off-road buggy. My efforts paid off when I won an Australian title in my class. Around this time, I also launched my own workshop, equipped with a dyno, and expanded into the business of importing Japanese engines and cars through my company, Oz and Jap Auto Spares. Later, I owned and operated several wrecking yards in the Wide Bay area.

In a bold move, I brought a round of the Australian Off-Road Series to the Wide Bay area. Organizing the event was challenging, but the results were outstanding. It was celebrated as one of the best in the series and brought significant attention to the Fraser Coast area, leading to the hosting of many more successful events.

Throughout these years, I continued racing off-road while remaining heavily involved in drag racing. I played a significant role in building, maintaining, tuning, and setting up numerous drag cars, off-road vehicles, speedway, and forest rally cars.

My passion for speed eventually led me to pursue boat racing. I acquired a 3,000-horsepower hydroplane from the United States, with the aim of setting a new Australian water speed record. By April 2017, I was ready to take on the challenge, but fate had other plans. One morning, I awoke to find my vision rapidly deteriorating. By the end of the day, I was completely blind.

After urgent trips to Brisbane, numerous surgeries, and consultations with specialists, it was discovered that a growth on my retinas had caused both to detach simultaneously. Despite multiple operations, I only regained about 4% of my vision. The sudden loss of sight was devastating, casting a dark shadow over my life and ending any hope of returning to competitive racing.

During the long recovery, I decided to restore a 1977 Holden Monaro, which I had seen before losing my sight. I spent the next two years painstakingly stripping the car to bare metal and rebuilding it almost entirely by myself. The project was challenging, especially given my limited vision, but it became a source of healing and purpose. With minimal assistance, I completed nearly every aspect of the restoration, except for the final coat of paint and the door cards.

In the end, the restored Monaro, which I affectionately named “Lucy,” was showcased at Summernats, Australia’s largest car show. The car was not only a testament to my skill but also a symbol of my resilience. Through this project, I learned that I could still live independently, though it required a different approach. While tasks take longer and can be frustrating, they remain achievable.

I may have built Lucy, but in many ways, Lucy rebuilt me.