The 2017 Variety Bash is hitting the north west for the start of Mount Isa Rodeo Week.
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The Bash leaves Sydney August 3 and takes ten days to get to Darwin via Winton and Mount Isa.
Organiser say the Bash is not a race or a rally but rather an adventure with mates, driving cars from 1978 or older through regional parts of Australia in support of Variety, the Children’s Charity.
More than 300 Bashers can expect Outback dirt roads, creek crossings, bush tracks, camaradarie, fun and entertainment and highlights this year include include a day off in Mount Isa to take in the mining history and a visit to Kakadu for the first time.
The Variety Bash starts in Belmore, NSW and travels through Wellington, Bourke, Hungerford, Thargomindah, Adavale, Blackall, Winton, Mount Isa, Avon Downs, Tennant Creek, Spell Paddock Bore, Katherine, Jabiru and finishes at Buffalo Creek (a suburb of Darwin) on August 13 covering 4800km at around 400km a day.
The Bash arrives in Winton on Sunday August 6, staying overnight before breakfast at Winton State School where they will grant the school new equipment.
Then on Monday August 7 they arrive at Mount Isa and will be hosted by the Mount Isa State Special School.
Tuesday will be the first layover day of the Bash and they will spend a day in town, including granting some new equipment to Special School and Barkly Highway State School.
The Bash leaves Isa on Wednesday August 9 heading to Avon Downs and Tennant Creek.
The Variety Bash is a celebration of the Bashers hard work fundraising more than $2 million throughout the year prior to the event.
The event was inspired by Dick Smith in 1985 and visits schools along the way, entertaining the kids and donating educational, health and mobility equipment to the schools.
The Variety Bash not only helps kids across Australia, but supports local towns en route with around $90,000 directly spent in each town with hundreds of Bashers purchasing food, accommodation, entertainment and services.
Variety – the Children’s Charity NSW Motoring Events Manager Stuart Telfer said the Bash was an iconic event that changed the lives of Australian children and their families.
“The Variety Brydens Lawyers B to B Bash is a chance for mates, colleagues or family to share an adventure by driving a pre-1976 car through NSW, Queensland and the Northern Territory over 11 days - all for a good cause,” Mr Telfer said.
“We have a lot of fun on the road, but at the heart of the trip is the chance to help children in need overcome the challenges in their lives and reach their full potential.”
Each Bash team raise a minimum of $8,500 to take part in the Bash. To make a donation to support your local Bashers and help Aussie kids go to varietybashnsw.org.au
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
