Chris Gray and Jon Sermon are taking on the Mystery Box Rally 2026, driving around 2,500km through the Outback from Charleville QLD in cars that are more than 25 years old, all to raise money for Cancer Council.
This will be Chris’s seventh Mystery Box Rally. Being a contrarian, rather than choosing a small, sensible, economical rally car, he decided a 1985 stretched Cadillac, complete with roll cage and racing seats, was a much better idea. It wasn’t. The Cadillac has failed to finish four of the six rallies, thanks to various disasters including a snapped axle, broken transmission and collapsed air suspension.
Things got so bad that Chris eventually bought a 1996 Victorian Rural Fire Service fire engine as a backup team, which, somewhat embarrassingly for the Cadillac, has made it to the finish every time.
This year, Jon is joining the adventure. Jon has never been camping in his life and is far more accustomed to wearing a jacket with a pocket square and matching socks than sleeping in a tent in the middle of the Outback.
We’ll camp for four nights and frankly, Jon going camping is worth a donation on its own and i will be getting video evidence of him trying to pack and unpack a tent for every donor!
But behind all the fun is a serious cause. Every dollar we raise goes to Cancer Council to help fund vital cancer research. So please dig deep, have a laugh at our expense and help us raise as much as we possibly can.
Mystery Box Rally is a 5-day challenge like no other. Participants drive 25+ year old cars along a mystery route, through some of Australia’s most stunning (and often rugged) landscapes, all in support of cancer research. It’s not a race—it’s a challenge and more importantly, a celebration of the power of community.
Yes, the cars break down, and yes, there are plenty of unexpected twists along the way, but that’s all part of the fun. The rally is designed to be a colourful and unpredictable experience, where teams travel in small groups, helping each other along the way. And when the day’s drive ends, we gather around the campfire, share stories, and reflect on the day’s achievements.
This event brings together people who have been impacted by cancer in different ways—whether it's through their own battles or through loved ones. Together we’ll make memories that last a lifetime while supporting the fight against cancer.
Founded in 2009, Box Rallies has raised well over $50 million for cancer research with our chosen beneficiary being Cancer Council.
We are proud to be the funder of national cancer research projects after the Australian Government. These enormous funds raised go towards vital cancer research projects.
Thanks to the community funds raised such as Mystery Box Rally we can fund world-class research that reduces the impact of cancer for everyone.
Click here to find out more about the cancer research we fund.
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