David combines his passions to raise Variety Bash funds
Warragul man David Hobbs sets aside a couple of weeks each year to enjoy three things he loves - old cars, the Outback and helping disabled and disadvantaged children.
Rolling them into one, the annual Variety Bash that sets off from Melbourne, has been something David has done for the past decade.
Along the way he’s raised $130,000 and is aiming to boost that by at least $20,000 by the time he sets off on August 10 for the 12-day “bash” to Darwin through some of central Australia’s remotest country.
His 1974 ZG Ford Fairlane 500, that he found under a tree in a paddock, bought for $500 and “did up”, will also be on its 10th Variety Bash as will one of David’s three crew members Martin Hill of Belgrave.
Ten years ago David asked Martin if he’d like to be a sponsor of his car, something he was happy to do on the proviso he could go along.
Dave Hore, formerly of Warragul and now living in Glen Iris, had previously competed in another car while Ray Standfield of Lakes Entrance had been part of three previous Bashes but as a paramedic with the escort crew.
That’s where David Hobbs met him and offered him a seat this year because “he wanted to compete as part of a team”.
All four will share the driving of the Elvis themed car.
They’ll dress up as Elvis, there’s a large photo of Elvis on the bonnet and they’ll be blasting out Elvis songs inside and outside of the car.
While that’s all part of the fun it is the serious stuff - the children they raise money for - that really inspires David.
Often the convoy of cars stops at tiny Outback schools with as few as eight pupils who would never have seen anything like 100 or more cars at the one time.
Variety helps many children in many different ways, David points out, among his fondest memories the presentation of a Braille laptop computer to a family with two blind children and a companion dog to a young autistic child as well as the many wheelchair accessible swings in public parks.
There have been many great memories and stories, he said.
The Variety Bash has taken David to Broome and Margaret River in West Australia, Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, around Tasmania and to Cairns and Port Douglas in North Queensland.
Mostly the cars travel over dirt roads.
This year’s Bash will go from Melbourne to Darwin via Mildura, then into remote South Australia travelling to Wilpena Pound, Coober Pedy and the Painted Desert before crossing the border to Erldunda in the Northern Territory.
The route takes a few twists and turns from there to Kings Canyon, Alice Springs and Tennant Creek on the way to destination Darwin.
David is already well on the way to his $20,000 fund-raising target this year.
A function at the Warragul Downtowner raised about $10,000 and most of the rest comes from sponsorships.
A group of students at Drouin Secondary College are among the sponsors, raising more than $100 at a barbecue they ran.
A sign of the school’s badge is already on David’s car.
A register is being compiled of the locations of all Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) in Drouin.
Drouin Rotary Club that recently installed a publicly accessible AED in the Princes Way shopping area at the front of the Hong Kong Restaurant has set up a website registermyaed.com.au
Rotarian Leigh Bates said organisations and clubs that have AEDs are encouraged to list their devices on the website that would enable people to quickly locate a readily accessible one in time of need.
Mr Bates said it was hoped the project that has the full backing of Ambulance Victoria would eventually extend to all towns in Baw Baw shire.
He said Ambulance Victoria was also looking more broadly with a possibility of extending the registry State-wide.