Eighty-two cars, 259 people and one special helicopter visited the Taralga Public School.

Variety, the Children’s Charity, has already donated $4000 to the school for two special outdoor tables and a sand wheel for the sand play area.

This was part of a larger, $800,000 worth of donations to regional children along the way.

The Variety trek has included Newcastle, Gilgandra, Cowra, Narrandera, Yass and Taralga, and has continued on to Bathurst and Muswellbrook.

Earlier on May 25, the Variety members donated a smart TV to a Yass special needs school, plus 10 tablet computers and a liberty swing to a school at Gilgandra.

The liberty swing allows a young wheelchair user the opportunity to swing on play equipment.

Carmel and Tony James – also known as ‘Bubbles and Squeak’ – said this was their fourth year doing the bash and found many memorable stops over their time.

Their ‘bug’ is the ideal vehicle for attracting attention and therefore raising awareness and funds for the cause.

“We live at Lake Macquarie and love to head out on these treks,” Mrs James said.

“We enjoyed the opportunity to visit the Wauchope School and we love this area [Taralga] too.

“We enjoy being with the ‘Variety family’ as they are all very positive people.

“We help to raise funds for 51 weeks of the year and during this one week, we help disperse the funds to children who have unmet and special needs.”

They hope to raise over $800,000 this year.

The Taralga Public School P&C hosted lunch with a lamb on a spit and the children enjoyed a magic show.

A joy flight was also raffled as a fundraiser, and won by Josie Calleja, a student at the school. That prize was announced on Monday, May 29.

The joy flight was given to Josie by the Variety chairperson, Peter Day, in his own helicopter.

Taralga Public School has 33 students enrolled.