A famous baker and his best mate have made it more than 7000km across Australia in a 1930s A Model Ford.
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Beechworth Bakery founder Tom O’Toole and his best mate Keith McIntosh embarked on the adventure that turned heads to raise awareness and funds for the Ballarat based Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Centre.
They have raised more than $33,000 so far.
The pair travelled from Byron Bay in New South Wales to Shark Bay in Western Australia in the A Model Ford with a maximum speed of 60km/h.
“The old girl is 87 years old and on good day we will average around 45 kilometres an hour, on a great day we'll average 50… simply because there’s a tail wind,” Mr O’Toole said.
With break downs, bogs and more than a dozen flat tyres, the journey was a challenge, but for a cause close to their hearts – both have family members who have suffered cancer.
“Both Keith and I have lost friends and family to cancer, and since this is likely the last trip of our ‘awesome threesome’ we thought we’d make it count by raising some money and awareness for cancer research. Now we have finished, we really want everyone to dig deep,” Mr O’Toole said.
With an aim to raise over $100,000 for FECRI, Mr O’Toole and Mr McIntosh will continue to speak at events as they return to Victoria now on bitumen roads. The pair are speaking in Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Ballarat and Beechworth.
Watch The Courier’s video with Tom O’Toole before the trip
FECRI is Australia’s only regionally based cancer research centre and relies on donations to support its research.
With current rates, it is expected one in two Australians will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85.
Visit www.easttowest.com.au to donate to the fundraising campaign.