Vital statistics

19 – the age I got my first car

6 – the number of years I've been a Toyota ambassador

The lowdown: the former AFL great loves a road trip that connects him with his ancestral past.

Career highlights: becoming a dual Brownlow Medalist, dual premiership player, four-time All-Australian, and member of the Indigenous Team of the Century; being named 2014 Australian of the Year for his community work and advocacy against racism.

Current project: being an ambassador for Toyota-sponsored National Tree Day (July 30) – Australia's largest community tree-planting and nature care event. Visit http://treeday.planetark.org/ for details.

What was your first car?

It was a Nissan Pulsar. I bought it because the Swans were sponsored by Nissan at the time. I wanted to get the Pulsar SSS, which is the sports pack, very fast, but my insurance was going to be way, way too much, so I just decided to get the Pulsar Plus. It was great. It was all I needed for zipping around town.

How did you find the whole learning to drive experience?

It took me a while to get my licence, actually. I failed my learners three times. I didn't study for the first two. I just thought if my mates can rock up and get their Ls then I could do that, too. It wasn't until I moved to Sydney that I had about six or eight lessons before I got my Ps. And then I was let loose on the roads of Sydney. If you can get around Sydney by yourself OK, you can drive anywhere else in the country I reckon.

As a Toyota ambassador, what are you driving these days?

A Camry Hybrid, which has been great. I really enjoy the technology. To think that you could power the car's electric motor through the movement and drive it around at 40 km/h or less just using the electric motor is fantastic. It's just a way of life for me now. But I actually owned Toyotas for two years before I became an ambassador. I started out with a Prius, which not only reduced my running costs, but also left a lighter carbon footprint on the environment. Then when I became a Toyota ambassador I continued to drive the Prius before I upgraded to the Camry.

What's your favourite drive?

One really memorable drive is the trip up to Wilpena Pound and the Flinders Ranges from Adelaide. That's where traditionally my people are from. To drive out of Adelaide into the flats up towards Port Augusta, and then to see the mountain range starting to build on your right the whole way for six-hours was quite beautiful. To know that's where you're from as well made it quite spectacular.

If you could go on a long road trip with absolutely anyone, who would it be?

I did this TV program called Who Do You Think You Are? and I found out that one of my ancestors was this indigenous gentleman from not too far away from where I was born on the Spencer Gulf. His name was King Tommy. So it would be incredible just for he and I to drive out of Adelaide together back to Point Pearce Mission along the Spencer Gulf and for him to just fill me in about our culture and our history. That would be pretty awesome.