A Rough Ride for a Great Cause

The car resting in Adelaide. Photo supplied

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By Zach Houtenville

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Ryan and Nikki Woodall recently completed the seven-day 2026 Autumn Shitbox Rally, putting their well-worn car to the limits while raising money for cancer research.

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The rally, which saw around 200 cars make the journey from Port Douglas to Melbourne, certainly put the Whitsunday couple to the test. Their car battled through three blown tyres, two failed batteries and a faulty alternator, while freezing temperatures and pothole-riddled dirt roads made every kilometre a challenge.  

“A couple of mornings at zero and sub-zero, especially in the Victorian area,” Ryan said.  

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"When we were on asphalt, all was good but as soon as we went off the asphalt, there were four-wheel-drive tracks that we were doing in cars that are about 200 or 300 millimetres off the ground."  

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By the time they reached Melbourne and then further drove it to Adelaide, the pair were simply relieved to have made it and to not have to drive the ‘Where’s Woody’ themed car back home.  

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“It can pass away in Adelaide,” Ryan said.  

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While the journey was rough, in the end it was worth it for the 15,879 dollars Ryan and Nikki helped raise for Cancer Council Australia, as part of the 2.5 million the event tallied as a whole.  

“So it's a huge community effort, it was amazing,” Ryan said.  

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“It's our little way of giving back to the Cancer Council.”  

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The drive had its challenges, but Ryan said it was the people they met along the way who made the rally so memorable. In town after town, locals welcomed the convoy with home-cooked meals, campfires and live music, with entire communities pitching in to help accommodate more than 500 participants and support crews each night.

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Schools also lined the route from Queensland to Victoria, with students gathering to wave as the colourful convoy rolled through.  

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