Kristine Burgess said the event would reach the fundraising target of $5000, after about 400 people enjoyed the car rally, fireworks and bonfire.

Asked what her highlight of the Saturday event had been, she said: “The Spring Ridge community spirit”.

“I just think it’s quite unique to Australia: here we’ve got this little bush community where we can get that many people together, throw an awesome bonfire and fireworks night, raise money and have a great time,” she said.

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Ms Burgess said not even some unexpected weather could dampen the event – figuratively speaking, anyway.

“It was 4.30pm and the rain started coming in. The fireworks were all ready; the bonfire was just about to be lit,” she said.

“It was so windy, there was talk of hail, and just before 5pm … the skies cleared, a rainbow came out and people started rolling in.”

The bush rally held earlier also had its challenges, one car suffering a flat tyre. The woman who changed it, Melissa McCarthy, later won the close-run event, which included a quiz along the way for the eagle-eyed.

Ms Burgess said the event had all begun “with a couple of mates in a paddock nine years ago”: Tom Archer and the late Warren Green, who thought it would be nice to get a few families together for a cracker and bonfire night.

The Archers and their Royal Hotel were still key to the day, but it was “very much a community event”.

“There are some amazing people who say, ‘What can we do?’; we say what we want and it gets done,” Mrs Burgess said.

The proceeds of the event will go to the Starlight Foundation, which is a cause close to the Burgess family’s heart.

In particular, Jack, 10, has spent many an hour in John Hunter Hospital’s Starlight Room in between seeing specialists for his severe allergies, asthma and eczema.