Two local women with an eye for adventure and a desire to help make life better for Aussie kids will see Barbara Swain and Julie Mammen join a group of like-minded adventurers in the 2025 NSW Variety Bash from May 18-24 starting out in Bathurst.
All vehicles entered in the Bash must have been manufactured 25 years or more before the event. This excludes those bringing a 4WD which will need to be 30 years or more.
The two friends came up with the idea last year after Julie saw the Variety Bash rally go past her property and rang Barbara to ask if she was interested.
Barbara dropped in to Mullaley Public School to look at the Variety cars gathered during a stopover, and soon after sourced and purchased a suitable vehicle – a previous rally car – from John at Jac’s Auto Electrics in Gunnedah, then spent 12 months getting it ready.
Barbara’s granddaughter Emily set the scene by hand painting the car, with the entrants adopting the team name ‘dirtgirlworld’ after a television series aimed at introducing children to the joys of outdoor play and sustainable, green living. The series features ‘dirtgirl’, a gumboot-wearing girl who grows tomatoes and drives a big orange tractor, and her backyard full of friends.
The skull on the front of the car was Glen Swain’s touch for the 1991 Holden Commodore, nicknamed ‘John’ due to its J91 team number.
The rally, which involves 80 cars and 260 people, will visit isolated rural schools travelling via country roads.
Bashers must fundraise or donate a minimum of $4000 per car to enter the Variety NSW Bash. This is for an entry fee for one car and up to four people.
The cars must be roadworthy, registered and insured as prescribed by state laws.
The ‘dirtgirl’ team has already raised $9394, with raffle tickets, a 100 club and a lemonade stand at the Gunnedah Show.
A Bash takes place in each state across Australia, with two in NSW.
The Variety Bash leaves Bathurst on Sunday, May 18, visiting Young and West Wyalong on the first day. There are always festivities along the way, from theme nights to entertainment and other activities and games on the road.
Day two will see participants motor on to Coleambally and Hay, where they will stay overnight. The following day will take in Pooncarie and Broken Hill, with Ivanhoe and Griffith in their sights on day four.
Throughout the Bash, participants visit local towns, stopping into schools and organisations to visit the kids.
Journeying from Griffith to Euabalong West will kick off day five of the Bash, with overnight at Parkes, home of ‘The Dish’, the giant radio telescope that played an integral role in the 1969 moon landings, and the iconic Parkes Elvis Festival, drawing thousands of Elvis fans to the town in January each year.
On Friday, May 23, the cars will leave Parkes for Yeoval ending up in the wine growing region of Mudgee for the night. The final day will involve a trek to Newcastle, where it will be time to say goodbye to participants in the 80 Variety Bash cars and support vehicles.
According to the Variety Club website, Bashers get to see the direct impact of their fundraising efforts along the way, with a range of educational, health and mobility equipment provided to local schools and organisations enroute.
Barbara and Julie are grateful for the support of Gunnedah business houses, Manilla Car Club and friends and family and welcome any other donations which can be made via the Variety Club website.
“We will visit small outback schools and we are looking very forward to seeing the country side as well and also meeting other car drivers,” Barbara said.
“We would like to thank all the sponsors family and friends for helping us to get ready for the road.”
The Variety Club encourages members of the wider community to “ditch the ordinary and embark on an epic exploration through western NSW”.
