Have you ever wondered what it would be like to drive across Australia in an old unreliable car? Well this is precisely what Jono Parker and Robin King from the Melbourne Infrastructure Team did when they participated in the annual Cancer Council Shitbox Rally in May.

The Shitbox Rally is different to your normal car rally. Firstly, it is not a ‘race’ per se, everyone is actually encouraged to take their time and enjoy the drive. Secondly, although the cars have to be roadworthy the idea of the event is that the dodgier and more beaten up your car is the better. In fact, all cars must be worth less than $1,000.

Most people paint their cars and get dressed up, with a real flair for the flamboyant. Robin’s car can attest to this point! Most importantly, the rally is a fundraising event and each car must raise $4,000 for the Cancer Council to participate. The route changes year to year. In 2013 the route stretched 4,000km from Adelaide to Fremantle via Uluru. See the map below.

Along the way the guys encountered more than their fair share of adventure and mechanical drama. Breaking down on the way to the start line was an ‘interesting’ experience. Finding themselves stranded with a large hole in the engine sump was also not ideal! A wad of putty wedged into the sump meant the guys were back on the road – for a while at least.

All in all it was a fantastic trip. In addition to nursing the cars all the way to Fremantle, highlights included; sunrise at Uluru, meeting the local indigenous communities, and visiting historical mining towns such as Kalgoorlie.

The rally raised more than $1.2million in funds for a very worthy cause. A big thank you to Arup who contributed $1,000 and to all those who generously donated.