Expecto Fundraisum: The Muggles Drive for Variety Australia

Sometimes, supporting our clients goes beyond projects. In 2025, Variety Australia celebrated 50 years in Australia with its first National Bash in a decade. More than 650 cars and 1,600 entrants converged in South Australia for the event, and among them was Airport Development Group’s Laura Campbell – proudly backed by TSA Riley.

For veteran Variety NT participant Laura, the Bash is personal. It was her 12th, and the first in her own car – and as always, it was about giving back to the organisation that had supported her family. “I have a young family with 2 kids under 9, both with Autism, and my eldest has Level 3 (or severe) ASD and Global Development Delay with high needs. Variety NT has helped us out so much with equipment, and it’s an honour to be able to fundraise and give back to them to help other families just like ours.”

Laura and fellow veteran Basher John Udy, who flew in from Perth, teamed up as The Muggles – a Harry Potter–themed crew that covered 1,300km in 9 days. “John isn’t a fan of dressing up, but I got him over that very quickly!! We each took turns driving daily which made it easy.”

Along the way, the scenery kept shifting, from wine regions to sand dunes, bush tracks and mining towns. A huge soft sand track proved the biggest challenge – some cars were bogged and dragged out, but Laura was proud that The Muggles’ car “flew right over the top.” No Whomping Willow in sight.

At every stop along the route, local schoolchildren rushed out to meet the convoy. “Seeing the school kids get so excited at meeting us and seeing the cars was brilliant. Our Harry Potter costumes were a hit!”

The Muggles raised over AUD$9,000, reaching the event’s 'Silver Heart' fundraising tier. Across the 17 Northern Territory teams, more than AUD$291,000 was raised for Variety NT kids. “We also placed 3rd in 2 awards – the Overall Winners (Spirit of the Bash) and Show ’n Shine (best presented car and crew) so I’m absolutely chuffed with that result.”

When the state and territory routes finally converged in Adelaide, Laura said the night was unforgettable: “A night filled with every Variety Basher from around the country all together in one venue to celebrate – it was just awesome.”

And while the costumes and themes may have looked like magic, the results came from people power – a community driving dusty roads and digging deep to give more kids a fair go.

TSA Riley’s sponsorship helped lighten the load. “It’s hard to put into words just how much TSA Riley’s sponsorship helped. $2k was donated to help Variety NT kids with grants, and the generosity of also helping me out with $2k to cover fuel and accommodation was just incredible. Everything to do with the Bash comes out of our own pocket – car costs, fuel, accommodation, costumes – and it really adds up. I can’t thank TSA Riley enough for the support!”

Airport Development Group has been a long-time TSA Riley client, with our teams working side by side on major upgrades at Darwin International Airport. When Luc Ramalinga, our National Aviation Lead, and Tim Hicks, our Regional General Manager, Northern Territory, heard about Laura’s entry, they made sure we got behind her. For them, it was an easy decision – a chance to support a valued client in something both personal and community-driven.