About to take part in its fifth Riverina Outback Rally, Team Yobb will look to pass the $200,000 fundraising target before next year’s charity event. Photo: Supplied.
The Riverina Outback Rally, formerly the Riverina Redneck Rally, has been one of the biggest fundraisers for local children’s charity Country Hope.
Since 2017, the rally, in which several fundraising teams travel more than 2500 kilometres over a week, has raised in excess of $3.3 million for Country Hope. The money has allowed hundreds of families who have children in the hospital to stay in accommodation during treatment.
While the total efforts and money raised by the rally have been huge over the past few years, one team in particular has taken to the event more than any other.
On the verge of cracking $200,000 raised across their five years involved with the rally, Coolamon’s Team Yobb, led by Ricky Hard and Dwight Sinclair, is as keen as ever to trek across Australia in their Holden VN Commodore in support of Country Hope.
“The rally is such an awesome experience for everyone to take part in,” Ricky said.
“It’s hard to describe it until you’ve been a part of it yourself, but essentially you’re travelling with a group of nearly 200 people in roughly 70 to 80 vehicles with two people per team plus the organisers.
“Each year the rally goes to a new location, with the 2025 rally going from Barmera, South Australia, to Hilston, NSW. Every team does their own fundraising, with the combined money going to Country Hope.”
Since first taking part in the Riverina Outback Rally in 2019, Team Yobb has been the event’s biggest fundraiser, claiming the title for three out of its four years of participating.
One of Team Yobb’s biggest fundraisers is its recycling drive. The crew visits farms and properties and recycles their excess bottles and batteries, donating the proceeds. Photo: Supplied.
For its 2025 campaign, Team Yobb has pulled out all the stops, running 100 club auction, raffle and trivia nights. However, one of its biggest money-spinners is returning batteries and bottles to Vinnies.
“There’s not much we don’t have a crack at as far as fundraising goes,” Ricky said.
“We’ve tried everything, but the core thing we do is collect bottles and batteries. Since COVID, I’ve taken recycle bins around town to farms and other places like that and cleaned them up. People will donate bottles or old car batteries and things like that, and we then take them down to Vinnies and donate the money we receive.
“It’s a simple yet productive way people can get involved.”
Ricky said that although the rally wasn’t until March next year, people could get involved to make this year’s event the biggest ever.
“I think last year’s rally raised just over $600,000. We would love to see it go even further this year,” he said.
“If people want to get involved, just jump on to the Riverina Outback page itself or their Facebook page. You can find us on Facebook too, just look up Team Yobb!”
If you’re looking to donate to the Riverina Outback Rally or sponsor a team, visit the event’s website here.
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