RideWest is a biennial charity cycle from Brisbane to Longreach raising funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.  The challenging 1237km bike ride over 7 days, across terrain that personifies outback Queensland, meanders through remote local towns, and brings riders in touch with personalities at the heart of Australia’s community culture. 

RideWest 2020 will be the 10th Anniversary and the 6th ride, with over $1,000,000 raised already for the RFDS and specifically the mental health programs delivered by the RFDS in Western Queensland and the Northern Territory.

In early 2017 the Royal Flying Doctor Service released a research paper entitled “Mental Health in Rural and Remote Communities”. This new research reveals remote Australians die on average from suicide at twice the rate of city people, yet are only able to access mental health services at a fifth of the rate of city people. It also identifies farmers as among the most at risk of suicide.

Wellbeing Out West is a new mental health service established by RFDS Queensland Section in July 2018 using funds generously contributed by the RideWest charity ride from Brisbane to Longreach.

The service provides free of charge mental health education, one-on-one counselling and support to people living and working in remote and rural parts of Western Queensland. The service is targeting towards anyone experiencing tough times because of worsening conditions out west. Services are delivered exclusively by mental health clinicians, allowing the people to connect with clinicians at events such as community based mental health workshops, pit stop health checks or via training for remote station managers and staff.

Help us raise more funds to extend this amazing work being done by the RFDS!