Led by former local and avid charity bike rider Peter Braine, the four riders and their support crew completed the 320km journey across four days as a part of his Alt Tour in partnership with charity Well Thanks.
Reaching Deni on Monday, Mr Braine then presented the funds to Deni MHAG president Lourene Liebenberg at a welcome reception.
The decision to support Deni MHAG came after Mr Braine returned to Deniliquin at Easter.
He noticed the group’s Sticky Topics mental health messages on footpaths around town while doing Parkrun with his uncle Norm.
He loved the concept and, knowing another Alt Tour challenge was being planned, saw an opportunity to bring the ride to his old hometown and support the group’s work.
The group even stopped by the Swing Saw Cafe at the Gulpa Retreat Tourist Park and the Coach House on their ride into Deni, teasing Peter as a bit of a local celebrity.
Peter was born in Deni and went to St Michael’s Primary School and then Deniliquin High School before transferrign to St Patrick’s College in Ballarat from Year 9.
After finishing university he initially returned to work in Deni as an accountant for Chris Hayes.
Chris was his swimming coach as a child and also put him on at his firm during his university Christmas holidays.
Peter’s mother, Elinor Braine, still lives in Deni as does his uncle Norm and his wife Ros Braine.
Now based in Melbourne, he is an executive director with Pitcher Partners and has been involved in the Alt Tour fundraising challenges for several years.
Peter describes the Alt Tour Wellness Challenge as a way of encouraging people to get outside their comfort zone, share an adventure with others and promote both physical and emotional wellbeing.
Alt tours are self funded, with the riders paying all their own expenses. That means 100 per cent of the donation money that comes in flows through to charity.
This year, it was a four-day gravel bike ride to Deni travelling through and spending money in regional communities along the way including stops at Lancefield, Heathcote and Moama.
Along the route, the team also supported Men’s Sheds in regional communities, helping provide free mental health first aid training including Lancefield Men’s Shed on Friday and Echuca Moama Men’s Shed on Sunday.
Recently, the fundraising focus has increasingly centred on mental health in rural and regional Australia.
Over the last two years Peter’s Alt Tours has donated $100,000 to the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal’s In a Good Place program, which is funding some Deniliquin mental health first aid training.
Preferring to under promise and over deliver, the $15,000 donation to Deni MHAG was $2500 more than expected thanks to the success of fundraising efforts this year.
Peter said the ride was hard but worthwhile.
“It was a challenge and a lot of fun. Being off-road we had creek crossings, flat tyres, bike repairs.
“The first two days, the real challenge was all the climbing (2500m). Then the challenge was just the straight roads and the wind, so there wasn’t any climbing but it was almost mentally more challenging than physically.
“For years I wanted to ride from home to home because Deni is my real home.
“We really hope this will make a difference in the local community.”
Donations are still being accepted here.
• Anyone requiring crisis support can contact Accessline on 1800 800 944, Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14, BeyondBlue on 1300 224 636 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800. You can also contact the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. Resources and pathways to help are available at www.denimentalhealth.org.au.
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