16 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDERNEWS
A
er a break from tradition last year,
the Black Dog Ride will return to
the Red Centre in 2015. However, instead
of fi nishing at Alice Springs as it did for
the fi rst four rides, the sixth will fi nish
at Yulara near Uluru.
Founder Steve Andrews says the 2015
ride will cost about $160-$200 more
for accommodation at Yulara, but will
have a special spiritual signifi cance by
fi nishing at Uluru. “This is going to be
a very special ride to a very special part
of Australia,” he says.
Steve founded the Black Dog Ride in
2009 as an independent, not-for-profi t
organisation, whose mission is to raise
awareness of depression and suicide
prevention. Last year’s ride raised more
than $400,000 for the Everyday Hero
Campaign, Lifeline and Mental Health
First Aid and so far the ride has raised
more than $1.7 million.
This fundraising has enabled
Lifeline to double the hours of itsOnline Crisis Support chat service,
helping an additional 2000 Australians
in crisis each month. Black Dog Ride
fundraising has also funded the
training of Mental Health First Aid
facilitators, and is funding the national
roll-out of the Mental Health First Aid
(MHFA) teen program to Australian
high schools.
The sixth annual ride from August
15–21 will again start in every state
and territory, riding throughout
regional Australia, raising awareness of
depression and suicide prevention.
Registration is now open and riders
can begin fundraising by donating
directly to the Black Dog Ride Gi
Fund. The number of Red Centre riders
is limited and fi lls quickly.
The Black Dog Ride to the Red Centre
2015 includes a support vehicle with
bike trailer, raffl e tickets, BDR patch
and stickers, entry to Uluru National
Park, a poolside dinner party on August21 and a private “Sounds of Silence”
dinner on August 22.The unfortunate facts
Suicide is the leading cause of death in
Australians under the age of 45, with
one suicide a empt every 10 minutes
in Australia. Some 80 per cent of all
suicides are by men, with men in
regional locations experiencing much
higher rates of suicide than the national
average.
One in six Australians will experience
mental illness in their lifetime and
more than half won’t seek treatment.
Mental illness is the leading cause of
disability in Australia and depressive
disorders are the most common
identifi able risk factor for suicide.
Other statistics:- This year alone over 1.3 million
people in Australia will experience a
depressive illness; - Depression is the third largest
individual health problem in
Australia; and - In the workplace depression
accounts for six million working
days lost each year. - Contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
BACK IN THE MIDDLE
“This fundraising has enabled Lifeline to double the hours of
its Online Crisis Support chat service, helping an additional
2000 Australians in crisis each month”ARR112_010-026_News.indd 16ARR112_010-026_News.indd 16 2/3/2015 9:48:04 AM2/3/2015 9:48:04 AM