Commitment to a good cause 

"Variety Bash" raises money for children

There are countless fundraising campaigns and events for good causes around the globe. The Variety Bash is definitely one of the most extraordinary and is also Australia's oldest charity event. Year after year, it inspires thousands of people – young and old. This includes Jonathan Dewar, Managing Director of Rotary Tools (AUST) Pty Ltd. and Klingspor sales partner. When the brightly coloured convoy of vehicles sets off, he and his team embark on a ten-day tour in around a hundred classic cars. Despite the vehicles being at least 25 years old, they travel thousands of kilometres across the outback. There is a real party atmosphere at the stops in a few large and many smaller towns. At the same time, donations are collected for disadvantaged children. 

Carnival parade through the outback

The occupants of the vehicles are at least as eye-catching as the convoy itself. After all, crazy outfits are a matter of honour for the teams at the Variety Bash. Jonathan Dewar and his friends Wayne Cornish and Robert Grigg immediately stand out: their red and white horizontal stripes on their car and jumpers are simply impossible to miss. The theme of their appearance is inspired by the comic series "Where's Wally" by British author Martin Handford. Wally, the protagonist of the comic, also wears a red and white striped jumper, of course, and is not only known and loved in Australia. "It has become our trademark. Many people now know us because of it," says Jonathan Dewar. 

A serious background and a real labour of love

The energetic managing director of Rotary Tools has already taken part in the Variety Bash tour 14 times. For him, participating is a matter close to his heart: "The Variety Bash provides disadvantaged and disabled children with urgently needed financial resources and equipment. The donations we collect each year help to keep this urgently needed programme running and put smiles on the children's faces," explains Jonathan Dewar.  Regardless of this, he continues, it is of course also simply a great tour with a fantastic sense of community among the participants. It is a lot of fun and you also get to know many new places off the beaten track.

Klingspor is prominently on board 

The red and white striped "Where's Wally" car doesn't just stand out because of its eye-catching paint job and the large Wally doll on the roof. Klingspor has also been prominently featured on the windscreen and roof structure for years. In this way, Klingspor Australia supports the commitment of its distribution partner. "Klingspor Australia donates directly to the Variety Bash organisation on our behalf, which is a fantastic way to help us achieve our fundraising goals," says Dewar. "In return, we are happy to prominently display the Klingspor name throughout the country."

Variety Bash 2025

This year, the Variety Bash route ran from south to north through the Australian outback: from Hamilton in the state of Victoria to Darwin in the Northern Territory. The teams covered 4,500 kilometres in ten days and collected 1.83 million Australian dollars in donations. That is equivalent to a good 1 million euros or 1.2 million US dollars. The "Where's Wally" and Klingspor team made a decisive contribution to this.