Login
Login

John Mathieson

I'm Driving Change for Kids in Need on the Variety Bash as part of team Car 32 Lovers Not Mechanics


SHARE MY PAGE

Donate to John and help them hit their goal of 4250!

I'm Driving Change for Kids in Need

Hi there - Last year the Lovers Not Mechanics Crew - John Piccolo, Vince Sinni and myself headed up the centre of Australia on bitumen and gravel to Darwin in our trusty 1997 Holden Statesman on our first Variety Bash.

This year John and I return, but have exchanged Vince Sinni for Vince Scopelliti - we like to keep our names simple - and we are heading across the Nullabor to Exmouth in WA - a distance of well over 5000km

Along the way the principal role of the Lovers Not Mechanics will be to provide vital pastoral support to other crews in the event of the distress of breakdowns, accidents, or poor quality beer. The mechanical stuff we will leave up to the other 89 crews  - they are all experts at it.

The Variety Bash is in it's 51st year - it's an institution.  While there will be plenty of fun on the journey, we are also doing this to raise funds for the Variety Children's Charity.  

Along the way, we’ll stop into schools and small towns to deliver grants and equipment directly to the families who need it most. You get to see exactly where your fundraising goes - and the impact it makes. Seeing the joy that our school and community visits brought last year in remote areas was an absolute highlight of the trip. This year we will be paying even more community visits.

By supporting myself and the Lovers Not Mechanics by donating to Variety – the Children’s Charity, you’ll help:

  • Provide vital equipment like wheelchairs and communication aids

  • Build inclusive playgrounds where every kid can join in

  • Support education through programs and scholarships

  • Fund special events that bring joy and connection to families doing it tough

Every donation counts. With your support, we can help more kids gain independence, confidence, and the chance to live life to the fullest.

Back our Variety Bash car and donate to my fundraising page - let’s change lives, one town, one child, one kilometre at a time.


All the best - John 

14

bike packages for kids experiencing disadvantage

6

iPads with communication software for Autistic kids

2

Wheelchairs for kids living with mobility challenges

Please Help Me
Reach My Goal

Raised

$4,120

My Goal

$4,250

Select amount to donate

$60
$280
$600
$1500
$
Donate
All payments are secure and encrypted
Trust Badge Button

My Achievements

Sign Up to Help the Kids

Upload a Profile Pic

Share My Page on Facebook

Increase My Goal to Help Kids

Raise over $1000 to Join the Star Club

Raise over $2500 to Join the Champions Club

Raise over $5000 to Join the Hero Club

Reach My Fundraising Goal to Help Kids

My Entries

Final Wrap Up

Tuesday 8th Sep
Hi there again wonderful donors and anyone else who may accidentally come across this page.

The Bash is now over and we are finally back in Melbourne, although still suffering some lingering after effects from the Influenza A that swept the bash. Hopefully back to normal soon - my squash team needs me - well maybe it doesn't.

Our last couple of official bash days saw us continue up the WA coast from Denham to Coral Bay and finally to the finishing line at the Exmouth footy ground. We had good crowds out to welcome us as we trucked in and out of various towns, and in Coral Bay in particular they lined the footpaths to get a look at the parade on the way out. 

The final night at the Whalebone Brewery in Exmouth was a big one, and there it was announced that this years bash had broken all previous fund raising records, bringing in almost $2.7mil for Variety which will go direct to ill and disadvantaged children in the years ahead. 

The Lovers Not Mechanics team (us) have raised just over $35,500 as I type - so thank you again to each and every one of you for your contribution to our efforts. No matter how small or large every dollar counts and I am appreciative  of the support of each one of you.

In the days since the conclusion of the bash JP and I have driven the Statesman back down the coast from Exmouth to Perth, bringing our total journey to just under 7000KM.

Doing it on your own timetable post Bash means you can stop and look at a few more things. JP, Jim and I had a crack at swimming with the whale sharks in Exmouth which may have been a step too far in the strenuousness stakes given our health, but we got there. It's remarkable how these massive fish (6 metres plus) are so predictable that they can be relied upon to swim in a straight line between two small columns of humans about 10 metres apart. I have to say I have far more confidence in a shark that swims in straight lines rather than in circles.

We also got a bonus when 2 humpback whales surfaced simultaneously about 20 metres from our boat - what a sight. 

Driving back to Perth we stopped in at Carnarvon, Kalbarri/Murchison Gorge and Jurien Bay, before finally hitting Perth and dropping in or some viewing action at the World Masters Squash. Championships. Our entries for the event must have got lost in the post, but it was good to catch up with many we knew who were competing. 

So that's it for another year - it was certainly an experience that had it all. Whether we are back again remains up in the air, but the last 2 years has seen the Lovers Not Mechanics raise $55,000 for Variety and brought many many memories that will last a lifetime

All the best and thank you

John

We have crossed the continent - what an adventure !

Wednesday 26th Aug
Apologies to my donors for the sparseness of my blog posts but there are three very good reasons. Firstly the schedule is hectic - it's a very long drive in a short time and a lot of it on dirt. Second, internet connection (if you don't have starlink) across much of outback WA is unreliable to non existent), and finally and most importantly Influenza A has swept through Car 32. John P has had a really tough time of it and still is. I tested positive after a lousy day on Saturday, and while the speed of my recovery has very much surprised the Variety Medics, you still end every day exhausted.

Hopefully not for much longer!

As for the trip we have detoured a couple of times  from the official bash route in order to find our sick crew members at least a private bed rather than camp on a packed football ground. To that end we have had bonus stays at Mundrabilla Roadhouse (the staff were fantastic there) and at Mount Magnet Caravan Park. Mount Magnet is a really neat little town - although in the middle of nowhere like most of these towns - and Jim and I would heartliy recommend the Commercial Club Hotel. Just loved the vibe even though I wasn't really up for eating.

The countryside has been amazingly green, through Vic, SA and even outback WA.  It’s the tail end of wildflower season in inland WA too, which makes quite a sight There has been plenty of rain in recent weeks, meaning that many of our dirt road routes have had to be amended at the last minute as they have been deemed impassable by Holden Statesmans etc

The other thing we need to talk about is the extraordinary work we are seeing at many remote schools by the teaching teams. I have featured a photo of Ash Ferguson fom Kalgoorlie PS - I will fix the orientation when I have had some sleep - and mentioned the amazing work he and his team are doing.   I could mention many others. Today we visited Pia Wadjarri Indigenous School between Cue and Murchison. Principal Peta Newbound is a Canadian who has been in Australia for 36 years and taught in every corner of the country. She has 20 official enrolments, but only 8 that she would say attended very regularly. A bunch of others attend from time to time. There were children there today for our visit that she hadn't seen in months. It was similar in the Territory last year

Tonight we hit the West Coast at Denham / Shark Bay and over the next 2 days we will be heading north to Coral Bay and then Exmouth

Again many thanks to everyone for their support - all questions are welcome, not to mention any new supporters 

PS Special thanks to Christine and Carol who offered to sponsor the team if we headed down to the shark infested waters of Smoky Bay for a dip last Thursday. Vinny and I were still in good health then and dropped our oysters and went straight to a lonely beach in Smoky Bay ~photo proof of us climbing back towards the pier provided below


John

4 days on the road and tomorrow night we camp

Thursday 20th Aug
Been a hectic few days as since Tuesday morning we have moved from Halls Gap  to Ceduna in the far west of SA. Tomorrow we start across the Nullabor and head for our first night of camping.

Our Holden Statesman continues to perform magnificently, but of course it has many more miles to go.

A number of our off road routes have been affected by the recent very wet weather meaning more time on the bitumen than originally envisaged 

Unfortunately one of our Car 32 team has gone down with a nasty bug, which we hope will be short lived. Not sure whether we will be heading out with everyone else in the morning or looking for a GP.

I have attached a bunch of photos below - I have many more of course. A tour highlight has been of course the visit to the Big Galah in Kimba. Also meeting today Phil McEvoy who runs the Streaky Bay Hotel. More importantly he is a former top SA jockey,  father of 3 time Melbourne Cup winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy, and the brother (I believe) of last year's Melbourne Cup winning trainer Tony McEvoy. The MCEvoy's are all originally from Streaky Bay.

One thing I have been surprised by is just how green and fertile looking much of south western SA looks. Clearly a product of good rainfall this winter but the crops look great with canola seemingly as fas as the eye can see. 

The school visits and presentations have of course been wonderful. One of the photos below features young Ayla who has cerebral palsy and her mother Linley. Ayla also now has courtesy of a Variety Grant a specially designed $7000 trike which will allow her to integrate so much better with her friends and their activities. Ayla had apparently been looking forward to this day for weeks, and you could feel the crowd melt when  she took the microphone and said thank you.

There have been a number of stories like this and there are no doubt more to come.

In another photo below Vinny and I dived into the chilly waters of Smoky Bay in our undies today to raise $400 for Variety.  We now have a 2 minute video on pay per view at the Bash

Tomorrow we are off to Madura and who knows what else


All the best

John

Day Zero of the Bash

Monday 17th Aug
While the Bash officially starts tomorrow from Hall's Gap, day zero is about everyone getting to Hall's Gap to be ready for the starters gun bright and early in the morning.

To that end the easiest day's driving we will see on this trip, but still an important day as we saw the awarding of the 2026 Bash's first school grants.

Many stopped in to the Ballarat Specialist School to witness the handover of a $50,000 cheque to support the construction of a special needs playground. The principal said that the grant had brought the project forward by 2 years, so a great start to the Bash.

This evening we have seen 200 plus packed into the Halls Gap pub with old and new bashers in lively attendance. I can report though that it is bloody freezing here and I certainly hope it is the coldest night of the trip. 

Hall's Gap is a town I have not been to for many years. It is a pleasing little place, although I am amazed at just how many accommodation options there are. The town must really jump in the summer. 

It is the archetypal Australian town as seen by many from overseas - the first one I can recall where the main street seems to have as many kangaroos as people

Thank you to my Sponsors

$60

Rick Woodstock

Well done mate and apologies for the lateness

$60

Cait

$275

Robert Boscarato

Congrats to Lovers'team on reaching your donation target. Well done and keep up the great work. Ciao, RB

$250

Anthony Torney

Keep going John ...😎

$200

Carol Johnson

Impressed you would follow that dare for $200!!

$60

Fiona

$50

David Perry

A name close to my heart - Mechanics not lovers. My dad was a mechanic and my ex called me a real tool, which I think she meant a mechanic

$100

Jo

Good luck John!

$60

Paul Retter

A worthy cause John - Best of luck

$150

Ken Tregonning

Hey Johnny, hope this helps get you a bit closer to your target. Good luck on the trip and enjoy the journey! Ken

$25

Wayne And Jenny

$100

Margaret Mathieson

$50

Golden

$500

Anthony & Amelia Natoli

You are a star JM. Enjoy the ride.

$100

Carol Johnson

$100

Tony Bocquet

Good luck, Lover

$100

Peter Gooding

Great stuff John. Enjoy!

$250

Tabcrew

All the best John from the Tabcrew members.

$50

Ann & Peter Lindsey

Great job John. Drive safely

$60

Denis Smith

All the best John

$200

Tony Noonan

Happy to contribute to such a great cause. Good luck to all involved.

$60

John Bailey

$500

Ashley Voigt

$100

Colin Gooding

fantastic work John for a great cause!

$60

Richard Horseman

$100

Peter Werner

$20

Jenny M

Sounds great John. Good on you and good luck

$100

Martin & Cheryl

Well done John and good luck with the drive

$100

Ian Hyland

$280

Matho

We are leaving in less than 3 weeks - it's time to get this show on the road

Our Team Members