Russell Matheson (Macarthur, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to commend Macarthur's Team Kermit which raised an amazing $77,610 for Camp Quality, a wonderful organisation focused on creating a better life for children affected by cancer. esCarpade is one of Camp Quality's biggest annual national fundraisers and is described as Australia's wackiest outback motoring adventure. The adventure is a culmination of year-round fundraising by dedicated and hardworking fundraisers, who come from places as far south as Geelong, all the way up to Bundaberg. Each team is required to fund their own team car, with all proceeds going to support services and respite camps to help kids living with cancer. This year's adventure went from Narrabri to Goondiwindi, via Longreach, Roma, Emerald and many other places, covering a distance of more than 5,000 kilometres that was long, hot and very dry. This year's adventure involved 72 entrant cars, 18 official vehicles, three support vehicles and more than 230 people. Over the course of a week the travelling esCarpade teams visited 12 towns, made seven school visits and two fun stops each day. It is estimated that each town visited by the esCarpadians, as they are affectionately known, received a cash injection of $25,000—a significant contribution to the local community of these towns.

This year's esCarpade raised a whopping $1.3 million for children with cancer—a truly remarkable achievement. On behalf of the Macarthur community, I would like to congratulate Barrie Grimes, Rob Elliot, John Gannon, Tony Ross, Wayne Gannon and Team Kermit for reaching the goal of raising more than $75,000. We are all incredibly proud of your wonderful achievement.