Tankette goes to war on cancer

Two Air Force officers are gearing up to drive a $900 Corolla 3815km in eight days to raise funds for cancer research in this year’s Shitbox Rally.

The route spans from Mildura to Townsville taking in the Flinders Ranges, the Birdsville Track and the Gulf of Carpentaria from June 19 to 27.

This will be SQNLDR Jessica Aldred’s third rally.

She bought the vehicle at an online auction in December 2025 and drove it back to North Queensland from Brisbane in two days.

The team named their vehicle ‘Tankette’ after the historical term for a mini-tank.

Over her weekends, SQNLDR Aldred sanded it down, painted it brown and fitted a roof pod with a water cannon made from plumbing pipes.

The military theme also connects to their final destination – the home of Australia’s armoured brigade, 3rd Brigade.

“Driving that many kilometres is hard, but fighting cancer is harder,” SQNLDR Aldred said.

“The idea of sitting in traffic and seeing this Corolla that's a tank, shooting water out the front makes people laugh.”

Shitbox Rally is not a race – it’s a challenge to drive cars under $1500 across Australia.

“75 per cent of the route is dirt roads, which is more than any other rally,” SQNLDR Aldred said.

To participate, teams had to raise a minimum of $5000.

“Tankette has raised about $8500 for this rally so far, bringing my personal three-rally fundraising total to over $30,000,” she said.

They will be driving between 500km to 600km a day in groups.

While smooth runs mean arriving before sunset, breakdowns within the group can push arrival times later into the night.

Participants camp in swags and tents to keep vehicle weight down, with meals provided by local community groups.

This will be the first rally for WGCDR Paul McGinty, who jumped at the chance after being introduced to the event during a family road trip.

He is no stranger to long-haul driving, completing a lap around Australia in 2024.

His role in the rally will be maintaining overall cabin morale by operating Tankette's turret and co-driving.

He said everyone knows someone impacted by cancer in their lives.

“We are in [a] group of people out there trying to do something about it. I think it is an absolutely wonderful thing,” WGCDR McGinty said.

“If you're up for a bit of excitement or a bit of adventure, and love the Australian outback, then it's too good of an opportunity to pass up while making a difference as well.”