Black Dog riders in Bourke

Black Dog Riders in Mitchell Street, Bourke last week – Graham Bruce, Thomas Taylor, Kersten Endacott, Nigel Golding, Hamid Khouri, Melissa Davis, Michael Blackett, Sandra Malnar, Bear and Neroli Falconer and Roy Kerr PHOTO TWH

The Black Dog Ride, a charity event to raise awareness about depression, hit the Bourke township last week. More than 50 motorbike riders started out on a 35-day marathon Ride Around Australia for the cause, which began in Busselton in Western Australia on July 26 and arrived in Bourke last week.

This is the 10th anniversary of the Black Dog Ride which will cover 16,000 kilometres, complete more than 400 community engagements and raise thousands of dollars for mental health causes.

On Tuesday night the riders stayed overnight at the Mitchell Caravan Park and had nothing but praise for the town, the hospitality and the other campers.

Rider Graham ‘Bear’ Falconer and his wife Neroli are the co-ordinators of the Wagga Wagga chapter and State co-ordinators for NSW.

“We are very passionate about the issue of mental health and this is one way of getting the message out there,” Bear said.

Read more in the printed edition of the Western Herald.