AT 91, Mahogany Creek’s Ron Bywater is returning to the Bash – on a historic Chamberlain 9G tractor – 37 years after he took part in the very first Variety WA Bash in 1989.

The 2026 Back Trackin’ Bash will reverse the original 1989 route, travelling from Kalgoorlie to Fremantle from Monday, September 14 to Saturday, September 19, while  Mr Bywater will return to the road in the same model of Chamberlain 9G tractor he helped introduce to the Bash in 1989.

Mr Bywater worked at Chamberlain Industries as a sales cadet in 1957 and was one of the first four drivers to take part in an Australian rally in the 9G.

When the first Variety Bash was being held in WA in 1989, he approached the museum where the tractor was housed and asked if he could complete the Bash in it.

That was the beginning of the tractor taking part in the Variety Bash – and the route, back in 1989 was Fremantle to Kalgoorlie which was a resounding success according to Mr Bywater.

After that he completed another eight bashes with Variety WA, each of those in a luxury British car – a Humber Super Snipe.

Mr Bywater then bought a property in Wooroloo, finished up work and had a break from the Bash for a while.

A few years later he teamed up with Peter Hackett, a legendary, long-serving official for the charity, widely known within the charity motoring community as the indispensable voice of the ‘radio base’ for the Variety Bash event.

Mr Bywater spent eight years working alongside Mr Hackett providing all the radio services for Bash participants, who must connect with the radio team every hour to ensure they are on track.

In 2018 he borrowed another 9G tractor and once again completed the Variety WA Bash in it.

It was the beginning of a long relationship with the charity and now he is back behind the wheel at 91, joining three members of the Chamberlain 9G Tractor Club of WA that will literally see him backtrack the first ever Bash in 1989.

“In the first Variety Bash event with the tractor, no one knew how fast it would go. I convinced the officials on the first day and said to them, this is just a tractor, can we go a bit earlier. They let us go half an hour earlier and it took them till lunchtime to catch us. They haven’t fallen for that trick since,” Mr Bywater said.

Over the course of his colourful 91-year life, Mr Bywater has organised many tractor expeditions for this 9G model, including sending 14 tractors to New Zealand, escorting four tractors to America and driving one across America.

“As well as taking part in the Variety Bash, we can tow anyone if they need it, so we are a support crew for the event at the same time, if needed,” he said

“We’ve donated a lot of money to Variety WA over the years, just by entering the Variety Bash events, and I’ve also provided my services in a voluntary capacity, working with Peter over the radio for several years. All the time and donations are worth it for such a worthwhile children’s charity.”

The historic tractor for this year’s event is being loaned to Mr Bywater by owner Dick Garnett before being donated to the John Deere & Chamberlain Tractor Museum in Carnamah.

The 2026 Bash will include 31 participant cars, one tractor and 44 vehicles in total, including support crew and the event’s baggage truck. Across the week, 115 people will take part, including 88 registered participants, travelling approximately 2318 km across Western Australia.

Variety WA chief executive officer Chris Chatterton said the Bash continued to hold a special place in the history of Variety WA and in the hearts of the people who return year after year.

“The Bash you’re about to live is the Bash the founders imagined, and it only exists because each generation of Bashers has carried it forward,” Mr Chatterton said.

“This year’s Back Trackin Bash is a chance to honour where it began, while continuing the work that matters most – raising funds to support children and families across Western Australia.”

Funds raised through the Bash help Variety WA provide practical support for children and families across the state, including mobility equipment, communication devices, inclusive programs, scholarships and grants.