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Riding across the Nullarbor for mental health awareness

Twelve medical students from Deakin University will set off on the bike ride of a lifetime across the Nullabor to raise awareness and more than $30,000 for mental health research at the end of the month.

The 3,500 kilometre ride will take them from Geelong to Fremantle. starting and finishing at the Little Creatures Brewery in each city.

The ride is almost entirely flat but covers some of the most remote parts of Australia including the famous 146.6 kilometre straight section of the Eyre Highway.

The group contains a mix of riders, from novice to former racers.

The plan for the students is to tackle the ride by way of team relay. Four riders will be on the road for a certain distance, until they are relieved by the next group of four. Only one group is riding at a time, and together they will cover the entire distance.

The motivation for doing the ride is simple, as James, 27 says: “by raising awareness and much needed funds I hope to reduce the number of words that are thrown away after the fact and increase the number of words used to help and intervene before time has run out.”

All donations to the team will go toward the Black Dog Institute, who educate and empower individuals by partnering with community groups and health services around the country.

Mental health will affect nearly one in two Australians by the time they are 45, and suicide is the leading cause of death for people aged 25-44.

Bicycle Network knows that riding a bike is beneficial to your mental health, and it’s great to see our future doctors volunteering their time for a great cause. Even better to see that it’s bike related!

To support their efforts Bicycle Network is donating year-long Bicycle Network memberships to each one of the riders. That way they will be covered when they’re riding, anytime and anywhere in Australia.

The group sets off from Geelong on Wednesday 27 November (we'll be thinking of them while we're on the Great Vic) and you can follow along on the ride on Facebook, here & Instagram, here

You can donate to the cause here.

Learn more about our comprehensive riding insurance here.

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