The Smoke & Soul Project is a 6‑week BBQ tour across Australia by Dave Meadows BBQ, partnering with local charities to serve hearty, free meals to people doing it tough.
About This Project
Dave Meadows has spent years using his passion for low-and-slow BBQ to give back to the community. Through his work with organisations such as St Vincent de Paul’s Fred’s Van in Adelaide, he has provided hearty, home-cooked meals to people experiencing homelessness and hardship. Each event is entirely self-funded and operated—Dave supplies his own smokers, BBQs, fuel, rubs, sauces, and serving equipment—ensuring there is no cost to the charities he partners with. His signature BBQ boxes, featuring smoky brisket, pulled pork, chilli beans, and comforting sides, have become a welcome highlight for those he serves, offering not just nourishment but dignity, warmth, and a sense of community.
The Smoke & Soul Project builds on this foundation of service, expanding it into a six-week national BBQ tour across Australia. Dave, together with his wife and two young daughters, will travel with a custom BBQ trailer to partner with local charities and serve free BBQ meals to people in need. The project is about more than food—it is about connection, compassion, and shining a light on the issue of homelessness in communities both big and small. By bringing people together around the BBQ, the Smoke & Soul Project creates moments of comfort, dignity, and hope, while raising awareness of the importance of supporting those most vulnerable in society.
Our
Journey
Quick Stats
- 18 stops across 4 states and territories (SA, VIC, NSW, QLD).
- Covering 7,000+ kilometres.
- 57 days on the road.
- Serving thousands of hot BBQ meals to people in need.
- Every dollar donated goes directly into food, fuel, and feeding those who need it most.
The Smoke & Soul Project is more than a tour — it’s a journey of compassion, community, and connection that stretches across Australia. Over six weeks, Dave and his family will travel thousands of kilometres with their custom BBQ trailer, hitting the open road to share hearty, soul-warming meals with people doing it tough. What began as a small local effort to feed those in need has grown into a nationwide mission to spread kindness — one meal, one story, and one town at a time.
The journey begins in Adelaide, South Australia, before heading to Hamilton, Mt Gambier, Bendigo, and Albury. From there, the project continues through the heart of New South Wales, visiting Wagga Wagga, Canberra, Dubbo, Tamworth, Coffs Harbour, Ballina, Tweed Heads, and Brisbane, before moving north to Maryborough, and then west through Toowoomba, travelling back down through Broken Hill and Port Pirie, before finally returning home to Adelaide.
Each stop has been carefully chosen to partner with local charities, churches, and community groups — ensuring that every meal cooked and every dollar raised goes directly to people who need it most. Along the way, the team will be sharing stories, shining a light on the realities of homelessness and hardship, and celebrating the incredible people and organisations already making a difference in their local communities.
This national journey isn’t just about BBQ — it’s about hope. It’s about using food as a bridge to bring people together, to remind others that they’re seen, valued, and not forgotten. Every plate served is a message of dignity, compassion, and care — proof that a simple meal can ignite connection and change lives.
We Need Your Support
Every dollar raised through our GoFundMe goes directly towards food, fuel, and supplies to make the Smoke & Soul Project possible. By donating, you’re helping us travel across Australia to serve thousands of free, hot BBQ meals to those doing it tough. Together, we can bring warmth, dignity, and community to people in need — click below to donate and be part of this journey.
Become a Sponsor
1
Platinum Sponsor
Our top-tier sponsors are the backbone of the Smoke & Soul Project. As a Platinum Sponsor, your brand will receive the highest level of visibility across all events, media, and promotional material. You’ll be recognised as a driving force behind thousands of meals served nationwide.
