Raising Awareness

Raising awareness for suicide prevention

Nowra adventurer and ultra-endurance cyclist, Dr Michael Davey, will set off on his ninth journey for charity, starting July 5. Mrs Barbara Davey from NCS Primary will join him. Michael plans to ride a postie bike to link the four points of the compass of the continent, that is the most southern, northern, eastern and western parts of Australia, being Wilsons Promontory (Vic), Cape York (Qld), Byron Bay (NSW) and Steep Point (WA), respectively.

“I will complete a figure eight, crisscrossing Central Australia,” Michael said, “which includes the gulf-to-gulf, Spencer Gulf at Port Augusta in South Australia to Karumba on the Gulf of Carpentaria in North Qld. Then from Byron Bay in NSW through the Simpson Desert to Alice Springs followed by Steep Point in World Heritage listed Shark Bay, WA, after trekking through the Great Sandy Desert.”

Michael has ridden around and across Australia eight times, a total distance of almost 100,000 kilometres and is close to $200,000 raised for charity, which includes funds for defence and veterans’ suicide prevention, Soldier On. He rides in a Where’s Wally costume to inspire people to seek professional help rather than hiding in plain sight when suffering a mental illness. “When I walk into a town in my costume, carrying a collection bucket, I bring the house down,’ Michael laughed.

His rides around Australia, all in an anti-clockwise direction, were on a pushbike, postie bike, pedal assist pushbike and adventure bike, taking 165, forty-six, eighty and twenty-eight days, respectively.

“The hardest ride by far was on the pedal assist pushbike,” Michael said. “If I stopped pedalling, there is no power from the motor and any pedal assistance cuts out at 25 kilometres per hour. It’s a heavy bike at more than 20 kgs. As most of Australia is flat and I had to cover roughly 200 kilometres a day, it was exhausting.”

Michael was sponsored with the Focus pedal-assist bike by Ultimate cycles in Nowra. “Russel Phelan also threw in a spare battery which costs more than $1,600 and it was especially useful to have a spare.”

It will be much easier on a postie bike, though each ride comes with its challenges. “The postie bike’s top speed is not much above 70 kilometres per hour, and the petrol tank only carries 4.5 litres,” Michael said. “So it’s a good thing I have a support vehicle and trailer.”

Michael is sponsored with accommodation on his trips and federal and state politicians help with petrol. Four sponsors have given Michael and his wife Barbara, better known as Wally and Wenda (always in costume), finances for fuel for all eight treks including Garrick Anderson at Bellert and Bennett, Simon Apperley at SET Consultants, Anthony, Brad and Daniel at Nowra Meat Market and State member for Kiama, Gareth Ward.

On this odyssey, Michael will ride to Maree and then onto the Oodnadatta Track. “I wanted to do the Birdsville Track, but it remains closed owing to flood damage at the northern end. Central Australia has had more than its fair share of rain.”

From Oodnadatta, Michael will travel across to the Stuart Highway and onto Mount Isa then take the Burke Developmental Road to Karumba. He plans to fill a small bottle with water from the Spencer Gulf at Port Augusta and tip it into the Gulf of Carpentaria. “We may not have enough time to complete the ride from Byron Bay to Steep Point, which may have to wait until next winter. If that is the case, in September we will both ride my adventure bike through Tasmania continuing to raise funds. It will be quite a site with Wally and Wenda on top of a V-Strom. We are bound to turn a few heads,’ Michael laughed.

To follow the Davey’s journey, go to www.apostieride4ptsd.com.au, on Facebook at apostieride4ptsd and on Instagram at whereswallycyclingoz. To make a tax-deductible donation in support of Michael’s ride visit the website above. If issues have been raised in this article, lifeline is available on 13 11 14.