A RALLY of motorbikes have joined together for this year’s Black Dog Ride.
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Now in its seventh year, the annual Victorian motorbike ride has taken a new turn in raising awareness for depression and suicide prevention in the wake of the dairy farmer crisis.
Black Dog rider Neil Wiltshire said this year’s event wanted to get the message out about the recent struggles in the farming industry.
“We nicknamed it the milk run,” he said.
“It’s all about the milk crisis.”
Mr Wiltshire said the riders’ canine mascot Winston was named after Sir Winston Churchill, who diarised about being hounded by the ‘black dog’ of depression.
This year Winston is featuring a Freisian cow onesie to bring attention to the dairy theme.
Mr Wiltshire said the group of about 50 riders usually traveled through Australia’s Red Centre but this year they were heading to regional Victorian communities to recognise there was a need for mental health help in rural areas.
The riders have visited local farms and schools where they spent time raising awareness about mental health, with Winston helping to break the ice on the sensitive subject.
Mr Wiltshire said the week-long ride helped to educate both the community and the riders or themselves.
“Most of these guys are all from the city – (they’ve) never seen a dairy,” he said.
Local farmers enjoyed a free dinner at the Flying Horse Bar and Brewery on Tuesday night as part of the event, which was a great occasion, Mr Wiltshire said.
The ride began in Bendigo before travelling to Swan Hill, Halls Gap and Warrnambool.
They will continue on to Frankston, Bairnsdale, and Wodonga before finishing in Shepparton on Saturday.
Riders will travel more than 2000 kilometres across seven days.
Mascot Winston can be purchased from the Black Dog Ride website with fundraising going to mental health services such as Lifeline with more than $1,800,000 raised so far.
Beyond Blue statistics estimate 45 per cent of Australians will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime.
Visit www.blackdogride.com.au for more information.
- If you, or someone you know, needs help phone Lifeline on 13 11 14.