Elvis car hits the road again for Variety

The Warragul "Elvis" Variety Bash car is on the road again, this time to Airlie Beach, on the Whitsunday Coast in Queensland, with another healthy cheque to bank for the Variety Children's Charity.
David Hobbs, who hasn't missed a Bash since 2006 other than two years when the event was cancelled due to COVID, is again leading the Warragul contingent whose $42,000 raised from sponsorships and donations this year, brings the Elvis contribution to the charity over the years past the $500,000 mark.
Sharing the car this year with David are two other Warragul residents, Darren Dawson and Gerard Bongiorno, who are donning their Elvis attire - and wigs - for their fourth and fifth times.
And there also is a family flavour to the Warragul contingent with Matt Hobbs and Josh Dawson, sons of David and Darren, along with Max Beacher debuting in their car as team "Ringers from the Wrong End."
The Elvis car, a 1974 ZG Ford Fairlane, has carried David and a number of other local participants on each Bash since the first in 2006.
The cars left Warragul late last Thursday afternoon and travelled to Swan Hill ready for the start the following morning with about 100 other cars entered in the event.
David said this year's course would amount to about 4000 kilometres after leaving Swan Hill and travelling via West Wyalong, Bourke, St George, Chinchilla, Bundaberg, Rockhampton and Mackay to Airlie Beach.
The funds raised by the Bash for the Variety Children's Charity provide equipment for disabled and disadvantaged children.