The three winners of the 2016 Dometic Follow the Sun competition will embark on the journey of a lifetime, raising funds and awareness for the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), from Cairns on Monday 1 August.
Balloon artistry, face painting, prizes, giveaways and live entertainment from Cairns’ Tony George and radio personality Juanita Soper are just some of the activities at the family-friendly breakfast event, set to kick-off from 8:30am at the 5-star Coconut Holiday Resort.
The winners were handpicked from thousands of entries Australia-wide and chosen to be Dometic Follow the Sun Ambassadors. They will embark on three separate road-trips updating followers with “must see” tourist attractions and destinations, offering travel tips as well as raising funds for life-changing breast cancer research.
The campaign’s success comes with the booming caravan and camping industry, which now sees more than 10 per cent of all visitor nights in Australia being spent in caravan parks and commercial camping grounds.
47-year old ‘AdventureMumma’ Kate Richards from Cairns will be travelling in NBCF’s Pink Minnie Caravan with her family of four.
“We’re a family that loves adventure, so for us entering Dometic Follow the Sun was a no-brainer,” said Kate.
“On top of raising awareness for breast cancer, I want to highlight the fact that families can be active and outdoorsy, opting to invest time and money into giving their children a wealth of experiences rather than the latest item on store shelves.”
South Australian travel writers Grant Hanan and Linda Bloffwitch, and Innisfail caravan park owners Cameron and Julie McKay along with their four kids, will receive a $25,000 caravan makeover as well as $10,000 in selected travel expenses.
Breast cancer survivor and Dometic Follow the Sun runner-up, Peta Newcombe, will be at the kick-off event in Cairns sharing her passion for breast cancer awareness.
“I was diagnosed in 2014 with breast cancer, and after going through chemo, radiation and a mastectomy last year I’m a proud breast cancer survivor,” Peta said.
“The experience gave my husband and I a new lease on life; we have sold our businesses and want to make every second count.”
Dometic Australia’s Marketing Manager Natalie King said she was looking forward to seeing what the new Ambassadors would experience following the success of previous “Follow the Sun campaigns”.
“These avid campers will travel around Australia, visiting some of the most amazing locations on offer while raising awareness and support for breast cancer research,” Ms King said.
“This year’s campaign takes Follow the Sun to the next level – engaging with people on the road all over Australia, creating awareness and raising money for people battling one of the most serious health problems in Australia.”
To attend the kick-off, book into Cairns Coconut Holiday Resort here. Regular blogs and updates detailing the Ambassadors’ adventures will be posted via social media and at www.dometicfollowthesun.com.au.
