By Derek Schlennstedt
“Turn the headlights on, it’s getting foggy,” David Cloke said.
“Well, how do I do that?” asked Mike Brady.
“The button thing on your right … yeah, that one,” responded David.
“See, there you go … wait, no that’s the inside lighting, well, at least we can see what we’re doing,” Lachie Pitman said.
“Are you sure this is even the right way?” Mike asked.
They always say there’s a method to the madness but when you’re hurtling down Mt Toolebewong, Old Don Road, wearing a sheep onesie, in a clapped-out ’70s Variety Bash car with the windows open to stop the windscreen fogging up, it’s quite hard to find much method.
But, even if it’s initially hard to find in such occasions, the method is certainly present and as you pass intersections and main roads you see it on the ecstatic, grinning faces of children waiting on the side of the road for those men in their magnificent machines.
This year’s Variety Club Bash made its way through Healesville and Warburton for the first time and in another first, I (Derek Schlennstedt) accompanied the crew of Sheep Assist, Wool Save Ewe as a reporter; sharing the cabin with ‘Up There Cazaly’ singer Mike Brady, former VFL champion David Cloke, project manager for Spotlight Group and team manager Sal Vitiello, and Warburton resident and Aussie Franchise Principal Lachie Pittman.
So as a temporary passenger on their 3500-kilometre trip to Fraser Island, this ‘sacrificial lamb’ donned the lamb onesie to experience what attracts people to take part in Australia’s longest-running and most famous charity motoring event.
The 27th Variety Bash is part of an epic ‘giving’ journey from Melbourne to Fraser Island that sees Variety – the children’s charity give out over $160,000 in grants to schools and organisations along the way.
Included in that was the Yarra Valley’s own Milwarra Primary School – Warburton East and Millgrove campuses who received a combined grant of $4000.
It’s not an easy trip though and all the cars involved are required to be over 30 years old and themed – the ewe crew of course adopting to use a sheep theme, which Lachie said took some time to think of.
“It’s been a sheep since the first day.”
“We had no idea of what to theme it and saw a sheep on the side of the road and thought that’ll do … yeah, not a lot of thought went into it,” he said.
After spending a few hours in the sheep-themed 1979 LTD Ford it’s easy to see the appeal of the Variety Bash. Despite travelling on questionable roads in older vehicles, there is no sense of race or rally to it, but only a pervading theme of fun and the feeling that you are not only bringing much-needed funds to those who need it but also a little bit of happiness – even if you are dressed up in a sheep suit while you’re doing it.
Between them Lachie, Sal, David and Mike have been involved in over 25 Variety Bashes and each one agreed that what had them returning each year was the enjoyment of travelling the country and bringing smiles to the faces of many who need it most.
“The look on a lot of kids faces, they really enjoy it.”
“You see lots of places around Australia, come across a lot of people who are doing it hard and the bash can help and make their lives a little bit better.
“Seeing those sorts of things really makes you want to do it again,” David Cloke said.
