DRIVING a beat-up old car across Australia with limited to no mechanical knowledge is all part of the adventure for Forrestfield couple Hayley and Hayden Fleay.
The Shitbox Rally, Australia’s largest independently-run fundraiser for Cancer Council, challenges participants to drive cars worth $1000 or less across the country via some of the toughest roads to raise money for cancer research.
Hayley, a registered nurse, and Hayden, a transit officer, are taking part in the rally for the first time in memory of friends and family lost to cancer, those living with it and the survivors.
“We’ve been touched by cancer in our family quite a bit and have family and friends who have passed, are living with or have survived cancer,” Mrs Fleay said.
“This is our way of contributing to research efforts.”
The husband and wife team under the team name ‘The Interceptors’ will drive their Shitbox from Mackay to Darwin via the Gulf of Carpentaria with 550 other participants in October.
“We don’t have any automotive experience,” Mrs Fleay said.
“It’s going to be a challenge but we’re a bit adventurous and like to do things out of the norm.”
The annual event has raised more than $28 million since 2010.
To participate, each team must raise a minimum of $5000.
‘The Interceptors’ are already halfway to their fundraising goal thanks to a successful Bunnings sausage sizzle this month.
They’re also appealing to businesses and the public for a two-way radio, dash cam and air compressor.
Donate via The Interceptors
By Claire Ottaviano