Source : Perth Now news
It is an experience every road-tripping Aussie can relate to – that nervous dash when an unexpected call of nature arrives.
It is what makes the humble roadside dunny a true unsung hero of the highway.
However, despite their unquestioned usefulness, regional conveniences can be left looking down in the dumps.
Now though, comedian Shane Jacobson, otherwise known as the Dunny Man, has vowed to do something about it.
The entertainer has launched a search to find Australia’s worst roadside dunny and bring it up the scratch.
Launched alongside Kleenex and dubbed The Great Aussie Dunny Rescue, the campaign is searching for the rest room in Australia most in need of a spruce up.
And once Australia’s worst dunny has been crowned, it will receive the makeover it desperately needs.
Mr Jacobson, whose title role in the 2006 mockumentary film Kenny earned him his Dunny Man moniker, said that roadside dunnies were “what keeps communities going”.
He said the worst dunny he encountered would take some beating, when he came face-to-face with a frog in a bog.
“The thing is with outback dunnies is that you never really know what you’re going to get,” he said
“Everyone has their own dunny horror stories and certainly looking down and seeing a frog living in it was enough to put me off.
“I needed to do the full deal on that day, but didn’t end up doing it.”
He said that while the project was a lighthearted bit of fun, it also had the opportunity to make a real difference in one community.
“There are places in Australia where you may have to drive hours just to go to the footy. If an outback dunny is your pit stop on the way, you’ll be stoked if it wins,” he said.
“I have so many memories of going on long trips with mum and my sisters and them telling me they’d much rather hold on until they got to the caravan parks than use it.
“This could make a real difference, especially for women. For blokes, it’s easier to just use them no matter how bad they are – you can just stand up and go.”
Pamela Wyatt, director of growth at Arbex, the parent company of Kleenex, said the scheme was being launched as part of marking 60 years of Kleenex products being produced in South Australia.
“We know everyday essentials can be taken for granted, despite being the things that quite literally keep us moving. The humble regional dunny is perfect example,” she said.
“Through the Great Dunny Rescue, we’re extending that same care beyond the home, celebrating the facilities that play an important role in regional communities and giving one deserving community a space they can be proud of.”
To nominate your local regional dunny, submit in no more than 50 words why it should win.
Nominations can be made at www.kleenexdunnyrescue.com.au
