Charity drive charges on despite boggy conditions

Torrential rains and flooded roads have not deterred more than 70 cars from taking part in this year's Variety Bash — though the wet did cause a major detour.

The annual event, which raises money for children's charity Variety SA, was originally set for a route from Mildura to Gawler, via Queensland and far north South Australia.

But with outback roads still underwater after record-breaking rains in May, the route was changed to be entirely in SA — what the charity called a "pivot to Pirie".

Kicking off at Gawler on August 8, the drivers turned the usually 200-kilometre trip to Port Pirie into a 2,304km trek, via Kimba, Streaky Bay, Port Lincoln, and more.

The change took a "monumental effort", said event chair Darren Greatrex.

"This wasn't supposed to happen this year. We were always going to come to the West Coast next year," he said.

"But 12 weeks ago, we realised we couldn't get to our original destination, which was Birdsville, just because of the volume of water up there.

"Not easy to do with 300 crazy people behind me and rolling into these small towns, and so it's been a monumental effort to do a total flip of the bash.

"[But] we got there and we've had an absolute ball."

A wet road ahead

Despite the bash kicking off just as a major weather event reached the state, Mr Greatrex said the drivers held up "surprisingly well".

"When we started and left Gawler, the clouds opened up and didn't stop for about 72 hours," he said.

"It threw us into a little bit of disarray, but the farmers out there loved it. But not so good for our bashers who've been swagging for the last seven nights."

With some particularly soft — and underwater — roads along the way, there is a car wash or two in the future of the 72 cars taking part.

Over the past 12 months, the 231 bash entrants have been raising money for children experiencing sickness, disadvantage, or living with disability, funding more than $480,000 in grants delivered during the eight-day drive.

"They get the opportunity to let their hair down and have a week away and celebrate all the hard work, but also then they get to see the impact of that hard work and where that money goes," Mr Greatrex said.

"Some of the grants have been substantial, and it just makes a huge difference to people with disabilities and special needs to just have a much better life."

Grants delivered include $150,000 each for all-abilities playgrounds at Penong Primary School and Port Lincoln Primary School, and funding for sensory equipment, scholarships, and sports facilities in several towns.

Port Lincoln Primary School principal Kathy Davison said the grant was "incredible" for the community.

"We had a playground removed and now we can reinstate one for students with disabilities and all abled students. It's great," she said.

This year the SA Bash was able to raise just over $2 million, and seeing that money bring joy to kid's faces is what keeps rally goers coming back.

"This is my 20th bash and including this year of fundraising, it's just over $1.3 million [we've raised]," Sandra Lukin said.

"This year, to see how much has come back onto Eyre Peninsula in the way of grants and helping kids and schools and everything, that's what warms all our hearts and keeps us going for next year."