BARRY'S OFF ON 5000KM RALLY
A JOURNEY across more than 5000km of rugged bush will raise about $200,000 for those who need it.
Local entrants in the Road Boss Rally left Toowoomba yesterday, bound for the rally’s starting point of Gladstone.
Toowoomba-based founder Jamie Lawson said more than a dozen cars from the Darling Downs had signed up for the rally which leaves Gladstone on Tuesday bound for Tamworth via the Boulia Camel Races.
Mr Lawson said about 180 people were travelling in this year’s 10-day rally across “very rugged” bush, from as far as South Australia, Victoria, New Zealand and America.
“We have been organising these charity car rallies for, between my dad and I, 30 years,” Mr Lawson said.
“My dad started a rally in October 1988 from Toowoomba. I launched the Road Boss Rally two years ago.”
Last year the rally raised about $250,000 when it travelled from Toowoomba to Perth for the rally’s chosen charity GIVIT.
“GIVIT is a very important choice for us. First and foremost our rally is a charity car rally so we can raise a lot of money for really any charity,” Mr Lawson said.
“If there is a charity, community group, organisation, somebody in Australia that needs a hand, GIVIT is there.”
Mr Lawson said GIVIT was small and relatively unknown but was doing a mighty job. Last year about $50,000 of the funds raised though the rally were given to victims of Cyclone Debbie, through the charity.
“One of our mottoes is ordinary people doing extraordinary things,” he said.
General manager of Toowoomba’s Alpine Refrigeration Barry Dever is one of the local entrants along with his 1985 Subaru L series station wagon.
“We have been involved for six years now and it’s a great opportunity to get together with like-minded people,” Mr Dever said.
“It is great that we have the ultimate goal of raising money for people who are in need more than ourselves.”
To keep up-to-date on the rally go to raodbossrally.com.au.