History
How it all started
Back in 1985, Aussie adventurer Dick Smith had a cracking idea: take a bunch of old cars, grab a few mates, and hit the outback for a good cause. That first run kicked off in Bourke, NSW, and finished in Burketown, QLD - raising a massive $250,000 for kids who needed a hand.
The cars were old-school and full of character. The crew? Dick was after a leveller - bringing together mates from all walks of life, all there for the same reason: to give back and have a great time doing it.
He called it “a drive in the outback with a few mates,” and that spirit still fuels the Variety Bash today. No souped-up engines, no flash upgrades - just 25+ year-old cars, plenty of laughs, and a shared mission to help local kids doing it tough.
In 1991, the Variety Victoria Bash was born!
After the first event in New South Wales kicked things off with a bang, the Bash idea took off right across the country - and it wasn’t long before each state was running its own version of the adventure.
In 1991, Variety Victoria hit the road for the very first time, rolling out a 3,550-kilometre trek from Melbourne to Uluru. They called it Heart to Heart, and with 27 cars in convoy, they raised $20,000 for kids who needed a hand.
That first Vic Bash was built on passion, mateship and a love of the open road - and the best part? Three of the original crew are still bashing to this day. Now that’s what you call commitment.
We've been everywhere, man!
Since 1991, the Variety Vic Bash has racked up over 130,000 kilometres across Australia - and raised more than $33 million for kids who need it most.
Every year, the Variety Bash takes a different route, winding through everything from coastal gems to outback towns, giving crews a front-row seat to some of the best this country has to offer. No two Variety Bash events are the same - and that’s half the fun. It’s all about hitting the road, exploring new places, and backing a great cause while you're at it.
Here's a look at where we've been so far...
1991: Heart to Heart
3,550 kms | 27 Cars | $20,000
Melbourne, Broken Hill, Tibooburra, Arkaroola, Wilpena Pound, Roxby Downs, Coober Pedy, Oodnadatta, Erldunda, Uluru
1992: Melbourne to Swan Hill
3,180 kms | 35 Cars | $125,000
Doncaster, Mansfield, Maffra, Dartmouth, Deniliquin, Hillston, Mildura, Swan Hill
1993: Melbourne to Ballarat
3,632 kms | 34 Cars | $90,000
Melbourne, Torquay, Warrnambool, Mt Gambier, Robe, Renmark, Nuriootpa, Horsham, Ballarat
1994: Melbourne to Echuca
Eastland Shopping Centre, Cowes, Traralgon, Lakes Entrance, Jindabyne, Eden, Narooma, Cooma, Bright, Echuca
3,255 kms | 23 Cars | $80,000
1995: Richmond to Reef
4,415 kms | 50 Cars | $250,000
Melbourne, Mildura, Tibooburra, Birdsville, Mt Isa, Burketown, Georgetown, Cairns, Great Barrier Reef
1996: Chadstone to Kakadu
5,419 kms | 68 Cars | $360,000
Melbourne, Deniliquin, Cobar, Quilpie, Longreach, Cloncurry, Barkly Homestead, Daly Waters, Victoria River Crossing, Katherine, Darwin
1997: Hawthorn to Hunter
3,247 kms | 35 Cars | $180,000
Melbourne, Spirit of Tasmania, Strahan, Hobart, Launceston, Spirit of Tasmania, Tumut, Katoomba, Muswellbrook, Coffs Harbour
1998: Burnley to Broome
5,203 kms | 78 Cars | $420,000
Melbourne, Murrayville, Hawker, Coober Pedy, Ross River, Tilmouth Roadhouse, Halls Creek, El Questro, Mt Barnett, Broome
1999: Albert to Airlie
3,794 kms | 73 Cars | $520,000
Melbourne, Swan Hill, Menindee, Tibooburra, Innamincka, Windorah, Blackall, Capella, Airlie Beach
2000: Docklands to Kalgoorlie
3,699 kms | 63 Cars | $460,000
Melbourne, Ouyen, Tanunda, El Alamein, Ceduna, Eucla, Madura, Esperance, Norseman, Kalgoorlie
2001: Dockside to Surfside
3,777 kms | 98 Cars | $750,000
Melbourne, Charlton, Morgan, Arkaroola, Innamincka, Thargomindah, St George, Tenterfield, Tweed Heads, Surfers Paradise
2002: Albert to Alice
3,535 kms | 112 Cars | $1,000,000
Melbourne, Mildura, Tibooburra, Arkaroola, Roxby Downs, Coober Pedy, Cadney Homestead, Kulgera, Alice Springs
2003: Melbourne to Mission
4,140 kms | 118 Cars | $1,250,000
Melbourne, Warracknabeal, Peterborough, Parachilna, Birdsville, Longreach, Charters Towers, Ingham, Mission Beach
2004: Melbourne to Darwin
5,176 kms | 120 Cars | $1,385,000
Melbourne, Yarrawonga, Bourke, Charleville, Barcaldine, Winton, Mt Isa, Tennant Creek, Mataranka, Katherine, Darwin
2005: Geelong to Caloundra
3,771 kms | 124 Cars | $1,390,000
Melbourne, Warrnambool, Naracoorte, Adelaide, Mildura, Cobar, Moree, Roma, Dalby, Caloundra
2006: Melbourne to Cairns
4,791 kms | 127 Cars | $1,460,000
Bulleen, Albury, Bathurst, Inverell, Gympie, Bundaberg, Yeppoon, Bowen, Ingham, Atherton, Cairns
2007: Melbourne to Byron Bay
3,794 kms | 90 Cars | $1,390,000
Melbourne, Nhill, Swan Hill, Broken Hill, Tibooburra, Cobar, Lighting Ridge, Tamworth, Casino, Byron Bay
2008: Melbourne to Yepoon
3,508 kms | 92 Cars | $1,340,000
Melbourne, Corowa, Nyngan, Moree, Charleville, Barcaldine, Emerald, Yeppoon
2009: Bendigo to Alice Springs
3,395 kms | 97 Cars | $1,350,000
Bendigo, Wentworth, Clare, Wilpena Pound, Glendambo, Coober Pedy, Erldunda, Ayers Rock, Alice Springs
2010: Ballarat to Margaret River
4,900 kms | 95 Cars | $1,300,000
Ballarat, Mount Gambier, Tanunda, Quorn, Streaky Bay, Eucla, Esperance, Kalgoorlie, Albany, Margaret River
2011: Bash Across Bass Strait
3,131 kms | 75 Cars | $1,150,000
Melbourne, Warragul, Port Melbourne, Devonport, Stanley, Smithton, Strahan, Hobart, Freycinet, Launceston, Devonport
2012: Shepparton to Hamilton Isl
4,608 kms | 83 Cars | $1,250,000
Shepparton, Deniliquin, Broken Hill, Marree, Birdsville, Mt Isa, Richmond, Charters Towers, Airlie Beach, Hamilton Island
2013: Echuca to Broome
5,252 kms| 83 Cars | $1,460,000
Echuca, Cobar, Quilpie, Winton, Burketown, Borroloola, Top Springs, Kununurra, Home Valley, Mt Barnett, Broome
2014: Melbourne to Noosa
3,138 kms | 67 Cars | $1,210,000
Melbourne, Wangaratta, Corryong, Bowral, Sydney, Singleton, Armidale, Tenterfield, Kingaroy, Noosa
2015: Melbourne to Port Douglas
4,567 kms | 83 Cars | $1,540,000
Melbourne, Wagga Wagga, Coonabarabran, St George, Charleville, Longreach, Hughenden, Cobbold Gorge, Cooktown, Port Douglas
2016: Melbourne to Darwin
4,694 kms | 67 Cars | $1,286,000
Melbourne, Mildura, Wilpena Pound, Coober Pedy, Erldunda, Kings Canyon, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine, Darwin
2017: Melbourne to Fraser Island
3,233 kms | 67 Cars | $1,310,000
Melbourne, Traralgon, Lakes Entrance, Narooma, Canberra, Newcastle, Coffs Harbour, Toowoomba, Fraser Island
2018: Geelong to Townsville
4,098 kms | 85 Cars | $1,720,000
Geelong, Horsham, Swan Hill, Broken Hill, Silverton, Tibooburra, Cunnamulla, Emerald, Charter Towers, Townsville
2019: Melbourne to Geraldton
5,102 kms | 92 Cars | $1,884,539
Melbourne, Warrnambool, Hahndorf, Whyalla, Ceduna, Madura, Kalgoorlie, Leonora, Mount Magnet, Geraldton
2022: Melbourne to Cairns
5,106 kms | 100 Cars | $1,900,000
Melbourne, Beechworth, Cobar, Broken Hill, Marree, Birdsville, Mount Isa, Cloncurry, Karumba, Artherton, Cairns
2023: Melbourne to Gold Coast
3,703 kms | 89 Cars | $1,400,000
Melbourne, Phillip Island, Benalla, Shepparton, Yass, Dubbo, Nelson Bay, Coffs Harbour, Gold Coast
2024: Swan Hill to Airley
3,332 kms | 89 Cars | $1,600,320
Swan Hill
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FUNDRAISING TIPS
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RESOURCES
Check out our Resource page to download social media pics to share, posters and more to help you on your way!
Need a hand? The Variety team is here to help! Get in touch at 03 8698 3900 or via email at motoringevents@varietyvic.org.au
Every dollar you raise helps change a child’s life - so let’s make this the best Variety Bash yet!
Start Your Engines
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Join the Support Crew
Make a direct donation or sponsor a friend in their drive to help kids
