{"id":89543,"date":"2026-09-06T23:10:15","date_gmt":"2026-09-06T23:10:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/89543\/"},"modified":"2026-09-06T23:10:15","modified_gmt":"2026-09-06T23:10:15","slug":"locals-join-variety-was-37th-annual-charity-bash-driving-from-kalgoorlie-to-freo-for-kids-in-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/89543\/","title":{"rendered":"Locals join Variety WA\u2019s 37th annual charity Bash, driving from Kalgoorlie to Freo for kids in need"},"content":{"rendered":"

More than 100 West Australians are gearing up to drive from Kalgoorlie to Fremantle to raise money for disadvantaged kids, and one Melville mum is letting it go all the way in a Frozen-themed limousine.<\/p>\n

The 2026 Variety WA Bash will see a hoard of vibrant old vehicles make the 2318km trip across regional WA, with themes of Scooby Doo, Hot Wheels, Nemo and Shrek expected to make an appearance.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s Back Trackin theme will go full circle by reversing the route of the original 1989 Bash, embracing 37 years of supporting children with disabilities, chronic illness or those who are disadvantaged.<\/p>\n

Participating for the sixth time this year as a Bash Committee member, Melville local Leanne Barton is making the journey for someone close to her heart.<\/p>\n

\"LeanneCamera IconLeanne Barton will travel in the Frozen Ford Stretch Limousine. Credit: Supplied<\/p>\n

\u201cMy youngest daughter has an intellectual disability and was part of the Variety WA Choir for a few years, so I\u2019ve seen first-hand the difference Variety WA can make for children and families,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m involved in the Variety WA Bash because it\u2019s something that has been on my bucket list for many years – even before I had children. Now, having a personal connection to Variety WA makes being involved even more meaningful.\u201d<\/p>\n

This will be her first year taking the wheel of the Frozen-themed 1995 Ford Stretch limo, having previously commandeered a Looney Tunes ride.<\/p>\n

She will be joined by Azra Delalic and Jay Wakefield from The Vines, and Michael Reynolds from Port Hedland.<\/p>\n

Ms Barton has raised a whopping $100,000 over the years, and while she loves the adventure, she said it\u2019s about much more than that.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love the opportunity to visit regional communities, meet the people and, most importantly, see the kids and the impact Variety has on their lives,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing able to combine an adventure I\u2019ve always wanted to do with supporting a charity that means something to my family makes the Variety WA Bash particularly special to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s Bash will include 31 participant cars, and a tractor that took part in the inaugural adventure. Original Bash participant 91-year-old Ron Bywaters will also be hitting the road as part of the 115-person convoy.<\/p>\n

\"TheCamera IconThe Variety WA Bash will travel through Kalgoorlie to Fremantle to support WA kids in need. Credit: Supplied<\/p>\n

The crew will begin in Kalgoorlie, where the 1989 Bash finished, and make their way back towards Fremantle, retracing history and recognising the people who have kept the event alive for nearly four decades.<\/p>\n

Along the way, Bashers will visit regional communities and see the impact of the cause they\u2019re riding for, stopping at local schools and Full Circle Therapies to see the sensory playground built from a Variety WA grant.<\/p>\n

The charity receives no government funding, but has supported more than 15,000 WA kids through grants, programs, scholarships and experiences over the past 12 months.<\/p>\n

In that same time, it has received $3.7 million in requests for continued support.<\/p>\n

Chief executive Chris Chatterton said this ongoing need highlights the importance of the Bash.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen a child gains a voice, or independence, or just the chance to join in – the whole family\u2019s world shifts,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is why the Bash still matters. It is not just about the kilometres covered. It is about what those kilometres make possible for children and families who need support.\u201d<\/p>\n

The drive begins on Monday, September 14 and lasts five days.<\/p>\n

On September 19, participants will gather at Coast Port Beach and trail through to Carnaby\u2019s Cafe and Bar, before crossing the finish line at East Fremantle Bowls Club at about 2:30pm.<\/p>\n

Anyone is welcome to show up and wave the convoy in as they return.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"More than 100 West Australians are gearing up to drive from Kalgoorlie to Fremantle to raise money for…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":89544,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[8296,227,13283,335,4316,464],"class_list":["post-89543","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-perth","tag-community-news","tag-lifestyle","tag-melville","tag-perth","tag-south","tag-wa-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89543","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89543"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89543\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89544"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89543"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89543"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89543"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}