A beat-up van transformed into a vibrant Tasmanian tiger is boarding the Spirit of Tasmania, beginning an emotional journey to raise funds for cancer research.
The van, named ‘Barry the Brave’, will participate in the 2025 Spring Shitbox Rally, where teams drive cars worth less than $1,500 from Alice Springs to the Gold Coast.
During a heartfelt farewell ceremony, Barry received his tiger stripe decals in a special Stripe Ceremony, with each stripe honouring someone affected by cancer.
Emma Dooley, who leads the Barry the Brave team, explained the personal motivation behind the journey.
“We started this journey because we lost a very close family member, Pauline Damen, to cancer. It was very, very nasty and I’ve always wanted to do the journey,” Dooley said.
The team has already raised over $30,000 but aims to reach $66,000 by the end of October.
“That number is a really special number because that was how old Pauline was before she passed away,” Dooley said.
“It’s the one thing we all have in common. We all know someone with cancer.”
Since its inception, the rally has become the largest fundraiser for the Cancer Council nationally.
The farewell event featured a live auction of major prizes, including a custom pink-and-purple surfboard valued at $2,500 and a champagne tower toast courtesy of Devil’s Corner.
People are encouraged to follow Barry the Brave’s social media channels to stay up to date with the journey.
