Hundreds of classic cars, exotic vehicles and motorcycles will take to Canberra’s roads next weekend, but for the team behind Classic Cruise, the most important people watching will be the kids waving to them.
Returning for its 11th year on Sunday 13 September, the Classic Cruise brings together some of Canberra’s coolest cars, colourful characters and some superheroes to raise money for Camp Quality and support children and families impacted by cancer.
The event began in 2016 when a group of local Camp Quality supporters wanted to create a fundraiser that could involve the wider Canberra community.
GoodLoop CEO Ivan Slavich said the idea grew from the team’s involvement in Camp Quality’s Escapade, a motoring fundraiser.
“We wanted to do a peer-to-peer fundraiser to get everybody in Canberra involved to help raise money for kids impacted by cancer, and we thought a good way of doing it is by doing the Classic Cruise,” Ivan said.
The first Classic Cruise attracted around 40 cars, but OPC IT Principal Brett Norton said the event had grown considerably since then.
“Now we’re on the 11th year. We’re expecting over 400 vehicles,” Brett said.
The action begins at the National Arboretum Canberra from 8am, before the convoy sets off at 10am and travels through Canberra towards Tidbinbilla and the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex.
The vehicles will then return to the Questacon car park for a Show ’n’ Shine featuring food, entertainment and displays. But some of the most excited spectators will be waiting along the route.
Around 60 Camp Quality children and family members will travel by a Murrays bus to the Cotter area, where they will watch and wave as the convoy passes before joining the festivities at Questacon.
“It’s actually turned into an activity for the kids who are impacted by cancer,” Ivan said.
For participant Cathy Norton, seeing firsthand what the organisation’s programs mean to families is what keeps the team motivated.
“When you see in real life where the money goes and the effect that the programs that Camp Quality runs have on the families, just a bit of respite, a bit of relief, putting laughter and fun back into what is a pretty tough time for them, you can’t help but be moved and motivated to want to help them do more,” Cathy said.
Camp Quality supports children facing their own cancer diagnosis, as well as siblings and children whose parents or carers have cancer, through programs including camps, family experiences, hospital support and educational programs.
“They have sibling camps, they have camps for the kids, they have family camps where they can all get away together, and just sort of have some non-cancer-focused time together,” Cathy said.
This year, the Classic Cruise is aiming to raise $250,000, with more than $132,000 already raised in the lead-up to the event.
It is a considerable evolution from the first Classic Cruise, and Cathy said the event had become something the community genuinely gets behind.
“We focus all our energy on this, and it’s become quite well known now, which is really lovely because it means everybody gets really behind the fundraising,” she said.
Eleven years on, Classic Cruise has grown from a few dozen cars into a colourful Canberra tradition, all with a serious purpose beneath the fun.
As OPCIT Principal Brett Norton put it, Camp Quality’s motto remains at the heart of it all: “Laughter is the best medicine.”
The Canberra Classic Cruise will take place on Sunday 13 September, with vehicles gathering at the National Arboretum Canberra from 8am before departing at 10am. The cruise will finish at the Questacon car park, where the Show ’n’ Shine, food and family activities will begin from around 11.30am.
To register a vehicle, make a donation or find out more, visit fundraise.campquality.org.au/event/classiccruisecbr/home
