South Aussie back roads are swarming with “Shitboxes” – as a huge convoy of well-worn wheels navigate their way from Port Douglas to Adelaide in the 2023 Spring Shitbox Rally.
The vehicles, loaded with adventurers looking for fun, to make life-long friends and raise much needed money for cancer research, took off from tropical far North Queensland on October 14, winding their way through the centre, before crossing the border and taking the SA back tracks to Maree, where they stopped for the night under the starry skies of SA’s outback.
They’ll experience some Rawnsley Park Station hospitality, before hitting the finish line in Adelaide on October 21.
The quirky event, which has raised a staggering $40 million for the Cancer Council in the past 14 years, was founded by James Freeman OAM, in memory of his parents who he lost to cancer within 12 months of each other.
Feeling lost after helping nurse his parents through their last stages, James needed to bring some purpose and fun back into his life, so bought a 1985 “ridiculously small” Honda City Pro, which fit the bill nicely for tackling thousands of kilometres on some of Australia’s most rugged dirt roads.
Throwing himself into the “hugely rewarding” mission gave him the ability to be able to start talking about his parents and his loss and shift his grief into something positive. And what a remarkable gift it’s been for all Australians, with the incredible amount raised for cancer research.
To be part of the Rally, entrants need a shitbox worth less than $1000 and the desire to make a difference. Teams of two are asked to raise a minimum of $5000 before revving their shitty engines and embark on the trip of a lifetime.
Awards are presented to the biggest fundraisers, and other awards are given in various light-hearted categories which may change at the whim of the organisers. These include “Least likely to make it”, “Best car”,”Best team theme”, “Best breakdown”, “Best repair” and “Spirit of the Rally”.
Those who don’t like to get their hands dirty or spend any time away from civilisation need not apply!
For more info on the Shitbox Rally click here
