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Day 1: Sunday 16th August
Sydney – Orange – Parkes 375 Klms

We’ll start out from the forecourt of the World famous Sydney Opera House on Bennelong Point. This was the starting point for the very first Bash organised by Dick Smith in 1985 before the cars headed to Bourke and finished in Burketown. For us, 25 years later, we’ll head south west to the history filled town of Parkes. And as 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy, we’ll have dinner at Australia’s most famous “Dish,” the Parkes Radio Telescope and be entertained by Australia’s world renowned astronomer, Fred Watson.

Day 2: Monday 17th August
Parkes – Hillston – Hay 543 Klms

We head off to Hay, a town we have never stayed in before, to say thank you to the people of the area who took us under their wing on the 2008 Bash when we had our planned day washed out and travelled through Hay on the asphalt. But first a little detour through Hillston on the way. Dinner will be something special having been prepared and hosted by Shear Outback, Australia’s Hall Of Fame for our shearers.

Day 3: Tuesday 18th August
Hay – Ouyen – Berri 541 Klms

We are off to the Riverland area today with a run through the Mallee country and a lunch stop in Ouyen, the Vanilla Slice Capital of Australia! Then we shoot through the Murray Sunset National Park and onto our overnight stop at Berri. We last visited here back in 1995 on the way to Busselton. Things have changed since we were last there and the town looks forward to us coming back.

Day 4: Wednesday 19th August
Berri – Jamestown – Woomera 642 Klms

This day is a ripper for country vistas as we head through the fertile valleys of South Australia. We skirt the Clare Valley and the Southern Flinders Rangers as we drive into Jamestown for our first ever stop there, for lunch, on the way to Woomera. Woomera has been a lunch stop on previous Bashes but never an overnight stop for us. Should be interesting, bring your own Rocket Fuel!!!

Day 5: Thursday 20th August
Woomera – Tarcoola – Coober Pedy 473 Klms

Welcome to the Outback, OUTBACK! If this is your first time travelling in these areas you won’t believe the landscapes you will see from here on in! Today, seeing we are at a Defence facility, we will be conducting our annual Armed Services Day. For security reasons we can’t say any more at this point in time. After ASD, we are off to Opal Town, Coober Pedy, a Bash favourite town, with
it’s below the ground living areas and desolate countryside. You may pick up an Opal or two here! Book your accommodation twice as we will be returning in a couple of days.

Day 6: Friday 21st August
Coober Pedy – Marla – Alice Springs 698 Klms

Following an early breakfast at your pace, we head north for Alice Springs via the nearby Breakaways. It’s a long day on the tar today
and we’ll pick up lunch at Marla on the way through. Get into town, find your digs, book for two nights as we are staying two-in-a-row here. Free night on arrival with plenty of restaurants to suit any taste.

Day 7: Saturday 22nd August
Free Day in Alice Springs Not many Klms

We get together again at the National Road Transport Hall of Fame for breakfast with a difference. A long name but an equally long
story to tell of our trucking pioneers who helped open and shape this vast country of ours. Keep your eyes open for a special exhibition just for us. Later on you can wander down to the Todd River for the territory’s signature event, the Henley on Todd Regatta! Then at night, the coming together of all Variety Bashes from around Australia for the National Bash gathering with a dinner for over 2,000 people.

Day 8: Sunday 23rd August
Alice Springs – Kulgera – Coober Pedy 698 Klms

Grab a breakfast from somewhere and head down the Stuart Highway and back to Coober Pedy for the night. Stop in at the famous
Kulgera Roadhouse which proudly boasts, “The first and last beer in the Northern Territory!” You’ll also grab a lunch pack from there and continue at your leisure to Coober Pedy.

Day 9: Monday 24th August
Coober Pedy – Marree – Hawker 648 Klms

It’s time to move onto somewhere new again and we’ll cut south east a little to pick up the Oodnadatta Track. Along this iconic Australian track we’ll find lunch at Marree before making our way south to Hawker, a new stopover point for the NSW Bash. A little town full of big hearted people who are going to help us squeeze into their town - which is the launching spot for most Outback treks and Flinders Rangers sorties from the southern states. On this night we gather for the famous Bash Idol night, a night of extravagant entertainment!

Day 10: Tuesday 25th August
Hawker – Yunta – Broken Hill 348 Klms

Now we do a little climbing over the ranges with some pretty interesting tracks to travel on as we work our way, via Yunta for lunch, to Australia’s most iconic mining town, Broken Hill, the town that gave its name to the Big Australian, BHP! We might get to mingle with the locals tonight as we start to dust ourselves off from the rigors of the Outback. But we ain’t finished yet!

Day 11: Wednesday 26th Aug
Broken Hill – Silverton – Broken Hill 50 Klms

We start the day with a school breakfast before heading out to Silverton for lunch and some presentations. Silverton is a popular destination for movie makers with this near-ghost like town full of interesting arts and craft shops. There are plenty of other things to see here and around the area including the old gaol. The hotel has been used in many movies and is always a talking point as Mel Gibson’s Mad Max car is permanently parked out the front. From here it’s back into town for our finish parade and presentation dinner at night.