Bundalong’s own ‘Disney Villians’ Danielle Ferguson and Shaz Letcher with car 724 on the Oodnadatta track as part of the Victorian Variety Bash.
For Bundalong’s Danielle Ferguson and Shaz Letcher, the Big Bash is a fun and exciting way to raise vital funds for sick and disadvantaged children.
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This year, in their fifth and ninth times participating, the girls in car 724 raised $20,775.
Danielle said this year’s Bash was special as it marked 50 years of Variety the Children’s Charity in Australia.
“We were a two person crew this year, with myself and Sharon Letcher in her fifth bash,” Danielle said.
“We had a great trip and the car ran really well considering the roads we travelled were a lot of dirt, corrugations and rough tracks.
“We travelled through the Flinders Ranges, Wilpena Pound, the Painted Desert, Oodnadatta Track, and Litchfield NP.
“Our route this year was Hamilton - Adelaide - Maree - Wilpena Pound - Coober Pedy - Alice Springs - Tennant Creek - Materanka - Adelaide River - Darwin.”
Car 724 raised the funds with weekly meat raffles at the Bundalong Tavern, Bogan Bingo, the Bundalong Old Skull Cool Piston and Prop Muster, an old car / boat / bike Show and Shine, which Steve from Silver Fox Trail Rides helped run at the Tavern with 110 vehicles and day sponsors who featured in social media and live feeds.
The main sponsors were Bundalong Tavern Fishing Club, Noojee Hotel, Bundalong Tavern, Moretto Building, PS Cumberoona, Hide & Horn Australia, Indian Engineering Australia and Silver Fox Trail Rides.
The 2025 Variety Big Bash raised $1.8 million bringing the 50-year total to more than $700 million and supporting more than two million kids living with illness, disadvantage and disability.
The 1500 Bashers from every state converged on Adelaide for a function as part of the celebration.
While there were many highlights along the way, it is not always smooth sailing but Danielle said this was part and parcel of the amazing cause.
Cruella De’Vil (Danielle) and Ursula (Shaz) attending the Variety 50th Anniversary in Adelaide.
“We had a minor issue with a shredded tyre and muffler needing to be tied up with fencing wire,” she said.
“The biggest problem was the air conditioning didn’t work when we hit the heat and the phone, which tracked our kilometres, kept shutting down due to the heat.
“The highlight of the trip though was hearing the overall total raised on our Gala Night.
“It’s quite emotional for most of us when the amount is announced, knowing we have contributed to it and the hard work that goes into that.”
Danielle is already in preparation for 2026 and the Rally Around Victoria that will make its way to Yarrawonga.
“Next year’s Bash is to Exmouth WA, a destination the Bash has never been to and we are already registered and started fundraising for next year,” she said.
“This is all due to Bob O’Dea who is a huge supporter of ours.
“Since my first Bash I’ve been part of raising more than $110K in my teams.
“The Bash is addictive and I can’t imagine not being a part of it.”
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