They initially decided to buy the van for a holiday but after a meeting with fellow Royal Flying Doctor Service members, they decided to turn the trip into a charity drive.

The Hannafords have been members of the RFDS for over 20 years between them and felt the trip would be a nice way to get donations for the service.

They drove the van to Kalgoorlie, then to Port Hedland and around the coast to Esperance before heading back home.

The trip was all done off their own back, with their own money paying for fuel and accommodation while every donation received went back to the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

In all the trip took three months, from late August to late November last year.

“It was just a fun thing to do,” Mr Hannaford said.

Along the way they stopped at caravan parks and on the roadside, where people from all around Australia made donations to their worthy cause.

“We’d be leaving a caravan park and people would come up and donate,” Mrs Hannaford said.

“The response was good - the charity donation and the signatures were a good talking point,” Mr Hannaford added.

“It was all for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.”

The couple raised $461 in total.

They are also involved in future fundraisers for the service, with the annual bowls night at the Naracoorte Bowls Club on February 17 and the cross-stitch exhibition starting at the Art Gallery from March 25.