Beryl Driver OAM, that Mermaid of Palm Beach, is about to commence her official 25th B to B Bash for Variety the Children’s Charity on Sunday August 9 2026.
On June 30 Variety NSW/ACT announced a one-year-only regional NSW event: The 2026 Variety Backyard Bash – welcoming any Aussie driver to join on a Bella Vista to Bathurst route for one-year-only.
Running from Sunday 9th August to Friday 14th August, a convoy of themed vehicles will traverse regional New South Wales to raise $500,000 for children who are sick, experiencing disadvantage or living with a disability.
This one-year-only event has been created amid the cancellations of the 2026 Variety NSW and B to B Bashes due to the impacts of rising fuel costs. The Backyard Bash will maintain the signature fun, camaraderie and fundraising spirit of the traditional events while encouraging participants to build stronger connections with regional NSW.
In a significant shift, this year’s ‘Backyard Bash’ removes the ‘too modern’ vehicle rule, inviting any car to join the iconic convoy for the very first time. For all previous Bash adventures, cars were required to be at least 25 years old.
“The 2026 Backyard Bash will be the most accessible adventure in our history,” says Tony Warner, CEO of Variety NSW/ACT.
“We are opening the door for everyone to join us, all while ensuring we continue to deliver vital funding to kids who need it most.”
This year’s format offers shorter driving distances, allowing participants to spend more time exploring country towns, walking main streets and supporting local businesses to maximise their economic impact in regional NSW.
The six-day adventure kicks off in Bella Vista and concludes with a Gala Night in Bathurst. The route will traverse Mudgee, Dubbo, Griffith, Albury and Cowra. Along the way, $25,000 in grants will be presented to five remote and regional schools.
Funds raised through the Backyard Bash will help Variety provide life-changing grants, mobility equipment, scholarships, educational programs and inclusive experiences for children and families across NSW and the ACT.
Variety Backyard Bash Schedule 2026
Day 1 Sunday 9 August: Bella Vista – Mudgee
Day 2 Monday 10 August: Mudgee – Dubbo
Day 3 Tuesday 11 August: Dubbo – Griffith
Day 4 Wednesday 12 August: Griffith – Albury
Day 5 Thursday 13 August: Albury – Cowra
Day 6 Friday 14 August: Cowra – Bathurst Gala Night
The opportunity to realise her dream of finishing 25 B to B Bashes was taken by 93-year old Beryl, who explains why.
Because then I will have done 25 official years of bashing. Over the last four years I've done four-wheel drive bashing, which is called ‘the four-wheel drive adventure’. It's as hard as the bash, I can tell you. But that was cancelled this year because of fuel cost rises, and because Flinders Rangers was washed out.
When COVID was causing restrictions, we did a bash which really was 25 years for me, but the head of the bash at the time would not call it a bash because we only did a little short one around New South Wales. And he said, oh, that's not a proper bash, we're not. So I was never recognised that I had 25 years.
Then the Darwin one was on, but that got cancelled because all of Northern Territory was under water and it washed out lots of roads. Plus we couldn't go because of a petrol shortage up there. Then they decided to do a ‘backyard bash’.
The girl that's in charge now rang me and she said, ‘we're calling it a bash and this is your opportunity to get your 25 years up. Bring any car and get someone to come with you and do your 25 years’.
So, I rang my great friends, Duncan Ross and Di Dennet, and they said, yes, we'll do it with you. We'll just take our car. Duncan has done around 20 bashes himself, so they know what they’re doing.
What will the terrain be like this time Beryl?
It's all on dirt roads, it'll be a proper bash, and going out through Mudgee, Dubbo, Griffith, Albury, Cowra, Bathurst.
Wow, you're going to need your thermals. It's been minus four out there.
I know, it's been freezing. But along the way we're visiting quite a number of schools, which is one of my favourite parts of the Variety the Children’s Charity’s events. I've got some beautiful beanies a girlfriend, Eleanor Swansbra, does for me every year for the bash. She knitted me a hundred beautiful beanies. Every single one is a different bright colours. The children will love them.
Is this going to be your last bash though, Beryl? -
Well, I'm going to do one more of a four-wheel drive adventure in March next year, and that'll be 31 altogether.
What about the one you did in New Zealand, does that include that one?
No, it doesn't include the New Zealand.
So it's 32 altogether, really.
Yes, 32 altogether.
If you put them all back to back, how long would that be?
I started when I was 65, and now I'm 93. In terms of miles or kilometres, and if we were driving non-stop for 32 weeks, and with the average B to B being between 3,600 and 5,000 kilometres over a course of 6 to 11 days, depending on the specific yearly route mapped out by Variety New South Wales, that's...
That's around 160, 000 kilometres Beryl. Driving all the way around Australia along National Highway 1 (Australia) covers a distance of about 14,500 km. So, even if reducing it for shorter runs, you've done at least 10 laps of the whole of Australia - that's a huge commitment to Variety the children’s Charity.
Our team has raised well over a million dollars for the children. Whoever's been in my car has always helped, through the iterations of the Mermaids of Palm Beach, as well as all the Adventures taken with family and great friends, the Mermaids have raised over a million dollars.
Why is Variety the Children's Charity so important to you, Beryl?
Mainly the children still. I still adore children. I've got a beautiful great-grandson now. He's only eight months old. But, yes, I've adored children all my life and love seeing their faces light up when we visit.
You also see where the money raised goes. What Variety does for the schools in the Outback is unbelievable, they put a lot of money into what the schools need. I just love going to those small schools too, and I love the Outback, and I just love the people I meet and those I travel with. They're all there for the same reason, because they want to help disabled and disadvantaged children.
In your first profile you shared a photo of you as a youngster and a truck – so there’s always been a passion for vehicles as well?
Mostly for the driving, yes, there's still a passion for that. Recently I had a terrible accident where the girl ran over me, and I had to go for my driving test again. I was very nervous and put it off for a month.
Anyway, I did it and went through with flying colours. Then I got a text from the driving instructor because he saw an interview on A Current Affair about this year's B to B. Did you see it?
No, I don't watch commercial television, but we’ll find it, link through to it for your fans who missed it.
It was really, really wonderful. It was only last month. I got hundreds of phone calls and messages, it was unbelievable. Anyway, my driving instructor sent me a message. Actually it was in three different messages; he kept saying, ‘oh, I'm watching A Current Affair. Oh, you're a legend’. And then he sent another one; ‘Oh, Beryl, I'm watching Thelma and Louise; you're a legend. Oh, Beryl, I'm so glad you're driving. I'm so glad I'm keeping check of your driving and your driving's so perfect. Oh, Beryl. Oh, it's lovely being your instructor’.
When will you be home?
The following weekend. We'll be up really early every morning and late at night because we've got something on every night. Lots of fun.
During your first interview your motto for life was; ‘I always say to my friends when they ask me how I keep going; ‘lots of laugh, lots of love and lots of champagne and just keep going’. Has anything changed?
Nothing's changed. I still do the champagne, still having lots of fun and I have lots of love in my life for and from others. And I had morning tea with Friendly this morning, so I've still got men around me.
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Beryl sets off today (Sunday August 9) from Bella Vista for a road trip that will finish at Bathurst. Beryl, now 93, thinks next year's March 2027 4 wheel drive Adventure with Variety may be her last long drive through Australia's outback countryside as part of raising what is well over one million dollars for the Children's Charity.
In the Australia Day Honours List 2015 Beryl Driver was awarded an OAM 'For service to the community through charitable initiatives'.
You could probably say that again ...
2026 B to B car with Duncan and Di
A few previous long long runs through the Australian Outback:
This is our first outfits – (above) – Look at the flippers, we had flippers because we were mermaids! (laughs).
We had a lighthouse on top of it – it folded down – we used to press a button on the dash and it would light up, it was wonderful, we’d come into town with it going.
The fellow who was photographing of that Bash, Paul, wanted to take photos of us before the Bash started because we were the first all women crew. He came out before the morning of the Bash at 5.30 in the morning, this was August, and we got dressed like this – he wanted us to go to Palm Beach and stand on the edge of the water with our flippers – he wanted us running down the beach. I ran down the beach and fell flat on my face into the water – I was absolutely freezing, it was the funniest thing.
We went to Broome that first one – everyone kept saying; ‘why are you doing such a big one?’ , I said if I can do this one I can do any.
We had a wonderful trip – the car never broke down.
Beryl and Kit Moore - the Brickpit to Broome Bash - 1999.
Veteran Variety Bash participants, Ian Banks, Elyse Cole, Beryl Driver, Garry Williams at 2011 Currawong Day fundraiser
Beryl Driver and Palm Beach Golf Club's Elizabeth Moore - 2012 Currawong Day fundraiser
John Williamson and John Paul Young at 2012 fundraiser Dinner at Palm Beach RSL
The Palm Beach Mermaids; Viktorija MacDonnell. Beryl Driver and Elyse Cole
2013 Pittwater Australia Day Awards: Left To right: Citizen of the Year Eric Martel, Sportsperson of the Year Jake Lynch, Beryl Driver, Senior Citizen of the Year 2013, Young Citizen of the Year Amelia Warde, Community Event of the Year, Rotary Carols in the Park, Roger Digby (Coordinator). Front: Sports person of the Year Daniel Fitzgibbon. Picture by Michael Mannington.
Faye Byrnes receives a special thanks from Elyse Cole and Beryl Driver. Photo by Michael Mannington, 2013.
In 2013: Elyse Cole, Beryl Driver and Viktorija MacDonnell - on the road again - Bass to Ballarat! - with a few costume changes along the way:
Mermaids of Palm Beach - Viktorija MacDonnell, Beryl Driver and Elyse Cole at Palm Beach RSL 2014 Fundraiser Evening
Currawong Day 2014 fundraiser
Three OAM's at Currawong Day 2015 - the Mermaids of Palm Beach fundraising for Variety, The childrens Charity - Left to right are Brian Friend OAM, Beryl Driver OAM and Dr Jim Roche - Dr Roche has been attending Mermaid's Currawomng Days for 3 years and has delivered 3 of Beryl's grandchildren
Mermaids of Palm Beach are at Esperance - Western Australia (8.8.2015): left to right Elyse, Beryl and Viktorija - Bass Hill to Bunbury!
Stuart Telfer and Beryl Driver. B to B legends at the 2016 Fundraiser Dinner at Palm Beach RSL.jpg?timestamp=1465003776242)
Car 2108 in 2019; from Bondi Beach, the 300 Bashers started their 4,300km drive to Batt Reef, Port Douglas.
In 2020, when Covid stopped the B to B scheduled, Beryl, Viktorija and fellow B to B-er Sallymae Bailey did a run to Brewarrinna with a carload of goodies anyway, and took a silos tour
