A road trip like no other has been launched at Brimbank Park.
More than 260 Variety Bash entrants and officials started their engines last Thursday for a 10-day fund-raising trek to Noosa.
The annual event features outrageously themed cars and crews, and this year’s group is no exception. Batman, Spiderman, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Woody from Toy Story and even some Smurfs joined in on the fun.
Glen Turnbull and Andrew Cummings, who dressed as dalmatians, have already raised more than $15,000 for the children’s charity.
“You see parts of Australia that you’d never otherwise see and you get to help kids,” Mr Turnbull says. “It’s good fun.”
David Hobbs, taking part in his eighth bash this year, dressed up as Elvis for the occasion.
Mr Hobbs will ride with three other Elvis impersonators, playing The King’s tunes all the way up the east coast. “We came up with the theme one year and have built on it every year since.”
On their way to Noosa, entrants will visit children who Variety has helped. Drivers got their first taste of gratitude at last week’s launch when Nakul, 11, who has a skeletal muscle disorder, was presented with a lightweight wheelchair.
Since 1992, the Victorian Variety Bash has covered 93,288 kilometres and raised more than $18 million for children who are sick, disadvantaged or have special needs.
This year’s bash finishes on Saturday.
