Proofs ed by Dragonfly Custom Books

Pre�aratio� After qualifying for the 2012 London Olympic Games, I really wanted leverage my status as an Olympian and do something to make a diﬀerence. Mum had suﬀered from depression, so I decided that I wanted to make an impact in this area. At �rst, I wasn’t quite sure what to do, but after a few months of thought, I remembered watching ‘Archers Adventure’, starring Nicole Kidman. The �lm follows the legend of the racehorse, Archer, who had supposedly walked from Nowra to Melbourne before winning the inaugural Melbourne Cup in 1861. Re�ecting on this �lm planted a seed in my mind, as I wondered whether such a journey would be possible today. That night, I met with my friend Mitch Wall and asked him what he thought of the idea of riding from Sydney to Melbourne on a horse. He was very enthusiastic and said that he’d be happy to help out any way he could. After meeting with Mitch, I started doing some research. My biggest concern was that riding on the road was quite dangerous; however, I found some information regarding the National Bicentennial Trail – the longest walking trail in the world, starting from Cooktown, QLD and ending at Healesville, just outside of Melbourne. Initially, I thought that the best starting point would be Nowra, as this is where Archer supposedly left from. However, after some research, I found that the route from Nowra to Canberra on horse would be very dangerous, and would require a lot of riding on main roads. I then discovered that Archer was born and bred in Braidwood, and many relatives of Archer’s owners were still living there. Even better, was the fact that there were �re trails most of the way from Braidwood to Canberra, where I could link up with the Bicentennial National Trail (BNT). It was also fortunate that the BNT would take me through many rural areas that had been impacted by natural disasters such as �ood, drought and �re. This included riding through Marysville that had been decimated by the Victorian Bush�res in 2009.

After deciding on a route I met with Mitch and his dad, Ross, to discuss fundraising options. Ross always has great ideas and a lot of connections, so I was very grateful that he was able to help out. Our aim was to raise as much money as possible, but more importantly, to raise awareness of depression and bipolar in the community. We thought the best way to fundraise would be to organise a large farewell dinner as well as community events all the way along the trail. We decided to raise funds for The Black Dog Institute, which is a not-for-pro�t organisation, and world leader in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder. I attended an information and training session at the Institute which gave me the skills to be able to talk about depression and give advice. I was also honoured to be named a Blackdog Ambassador. I knew that undertaking a journey like this would cost a lot of money, and I would need signi�cant sponsorship. Not only would I require money for fuel, equipment, food and general expenses, but I would also need to �nd horses capable of undertaking the journey. In addition, we would need to source a support vehicle capable of towing a horse �oat. I wrote letters to potential sponsors, and after numerous rejection letters, we �nally had some luck, with sponsorship from Archer Capital. Archer Capital is one of Australia’s leading private equity �rms, with $3 billion in funds under management. The company has horse racing links, and was named after the original Archer, so it was a natural �t for them to support our venture. After explaining our plan to Peter Wiggs, the Chief Executive Oﬃcer of Archer Capital, he committed $15,000 towards our expenses for the ride. This pledge was the tipping point, where the idea had turned into a reality. Once we had Archer Capital on board, we began to gain serious momentum. We set up a fundraising page with Everyday Hero, as well as a website through Ideas and Directions.

We received sponsorship from Horseland ($500 worth of equipment), Mita-vite (provided feed for the horses), Wintec (three new saddles), Huff and Puff (promotional gear including our shirts and all other branding), ARB (provided the winch and car fridge), Epirb Hire (Sat Phones and Emergency Rescue Beacon), and Talking Stones (built a headstone for Archer). Dave Pembroke’s Content Group also supported us, and gave us Media and strategy advise for the ride. Imperial Floats agreed to loan us a brand new horse �oat for the duration of the trip, as well as a $2000 donation and, through the organisation of my mate, Tom Gillespie, we were loaned an Audi Q7 from Richard Rolfe at Audi Canberra. David Vaux also contributed $5,000 which was very generous and made a big difference. While I was arranging sponsorship, I was also looking for horses that might be appropriate for the trip. I was looking for big horses that would stand out in the crowd, that were quiet in traffic and were Bay, like the original Archer. I contacted my friend, Verity Charters, who lived in Geelong. She had a family connection with a guy called Geoff Morrison, who had horses she thought might suit my requirements. I called Geoff and he was happy to help out, so I �ew down to Geelong to ride some of his horses and see whether they were appropriate. All of his horses were in paddock condition but Geoff had two that were full brothers, Banjo and Flynn. They looked very similar and �tted the criteria perfectly. The horses were 16hh thoroughbreds with a bit of Clydesdale, which gave them a beautiful nature. Banjo in particular looked identical to the original Archer. I knew I wouldn’t have the time to get them �t myself, so I asked Verity whether she would get the horses ready.

Verity kindly agreed, and she rode the horses while I was away at the Olympics. When I got back, I decided to travel down to Geelong for a few practice rides. Verity and I took the two horses out to Joann and John Kasch who lived at Narbethong, VIC and had a lot of experience as pack horse riders. We went on a few rides with them and they taught us a lot of important lessons for the trip. They were both very kind in helping us select the gear, and organising the tack and navigation. My primary goal was to get from Braidwood to Melbourne on a horse, but the most important thing was to raise awareness of depression and hopefully some funds in the process. My aunty Beck and Mitch pooled their media experience together to create an unstoppable machine. As a cameraman for Channel 9 News, Mitch knew exactly what the news teams wanted. Mitch organised Simon Bouda, a Channel 9 News reporter, to �y down from Sydney to Wagga Wagga, to meet me at Hanericka Farmstay, where Mum grew up. There he shot a fantastic story for Channel 9 News. Mitch also had an ingenious idea to provide video footage to all the diﬀerent news agencies. He said that by providing them all with great footage, other news outlets would be more likely to air it, as they didn’t have to do the work themselves. While Mitch was busy with the visual media Beck was organising radio and newspaper coverage. Beck wrote a series of press releases that received a lot of coverage. Also, through her contacts as an ABC radio journalist, she was able to organise a number of radio interviews. Another key consideration in my preparation was �nding a support driver. Due to the fact I was planning to travel over 1000km in �ve weeks, I knew I’d need a support driver to meet me at the campsites each night. The support driver would be responsible for packing up the campsite, transporting the horses, setting up the campsites, picking up supplies, driving behind me on very busy roads for safety and also assisting with the events at each town.

It was also critical that we fed the horses hard feed so that they kept their

Tom, who was in the year below me at Riverview and St John’s College, did a

condition for as long as possible, and in order to do this, we would need the

fantastic job organising the event and obtaining some great auction items,

vehicle on hand. I spoke to quite a few people about coming on board as my

including a ski trip to New Zealand, and a �shing trip to Darwin. Tomalso

support driver, but most people simply couldn’t take that much time oﬀ

convinced the famous Wallaby, Matt Burke, to come on board as the MC for

work. Then one day at swimming training, I mentioned it to one of my

the dinner. While I was away at the Olympics, I was able to recruit Libby

training partners Michael Techera. He jumped at the idea and was more than

Trickett to speak at the event. Libby was an Olympic Gold medallist

happy to come on board to drive the Audi Q7 Support Vehicle.

swimmer, who spoken publicly about her own battles with depression and had a lot to do with the Black Dog Institute. I was also able to get Jess Fox on

After I arrived home from the London Olympics I didn’t have any down time

board. Jess was the winner of a silver medal at London in the Canoe Slalom.

as there was so much work to be done. Verity was busy getting the horses

The night was a huge success. It started with pre-drinks on the grass outside

�t, Mikey was mapping out the routes and Mitch and Beck were organising

the Riverview Chapel with the horses, and then a three course dinner inside

the media. Although we were each doing our separate parts we also

the Memorial Hall. Matt Burke was a terri�c MC. I spoke about the upcoming

organising the fundraisers. The �rst fundraising event was held at the Wagga

journey, and then we had the panel of Libby, Jess and I talking about our

Wagga Beach, in association with the Lions Club. Having a lot of family and

experiences at the Olympic Games. However, the most memorable moment

friends in Wagga Wagga I thought this would be a great �rst event. It was

of the night was Mum’s speech, as she bravely opened up to many family

also a good opportunity to speak with some of the locals, as well as some

and friends about her battles with depression. Her speech was very inspiring

rural media outlets. Following the fundraiser, I rode from Wagga Wagga

and de�nitely helped with the fundraising eﬀort, as at the end of the night

Beach to the Wagga Wagga Racecourse, where the Ag Races were taking

we had raised over $30,000.

place. The Riverina Turf Club invited me to gallop with Archer down the main strait between Races 5 & 6. The race announcer explained the

One thing I learned from competing in Modern Pentathlon was the

upcoming journey I would be undertaking, and encouraged everyone to

importance of a good support team. I felt incredibly grateful and privileged

donate.

to have so many people lend a hand. In particular special mention needs to go to Mitch Wall, Rebecca Gorman, Ross Wall, Michael Techera, Verity

The second fundraiser before I left was a big formal dinner at my old school, St Ignatius’ College, Riverview which was organised by my friend Tom Gillespie.

Charters and Tom Gillespie, who were crucial in turning this idea into reality.

Da� On� - Read� t� G� Archer's Gravesite, Durham Hall to Mulloon Campsite (42km)

The �rst day of the ride was truly incredible. It felt like we’d packed

It dawned a beautiful clear day, with mist steaming oﬀ the water.

three days into one.

We had all the major television networks turn up, as well as Andrew Meares, a renowned news photographer, who came out to

We started the day at Jemaicumbene Creek, on Durham Hall, the

try to get a good portrait shot. “If it's good it might turn up on the

property owned by James Royds. This location had been chosen

front page” were his words – so of course, given that this ride was

for the unveiling of Archer's head stone due to its signi�cant links

all about raising awareness for depression research, we were keen.

to the original Archer. Archer was buried along the creek and James Royds was a descendent of the owners and breeders of Archer.

First, James Royds, Mum and I unveiled the grave stone, before taking the horses through the creek a few times for the camera. Once these shots had been taken, we set off across the paddocks towards Braidwood. When we got to the main road we met up with a couple who wanted to cycle along with us. The woman said to mum, "Hi there. We're supporting you because my husband Tim here has bipolar." “That's fantastic!" Mum said, and then blushed, but of course everybody laughed including Tim – we knew what she meant. When we got to Braidwood the local policeman, John Jones, gave us a police escort up the main street, and the crowd that had gathered in the local park cheered us in. I think I saw my aunties crying watching Mum riding up the street waving to everybody – it was pretty surreal and amazing to feel how much this ride already meant to people, whether it be family, friends or strangers. Once we arrived at the Park we joined in with the BlackDog fundraiser. The local Lions club had a BBQ going and Sly Fox from Canberra had come over to sell coffee. The BlackDog Institute also had a tent and was selling ribbons that sold out very quickly. Before we took off Beck said a few words and introduced the speakers. The �rst was the new mayor of Braidwood, Peter Harrison who gave a welcome. Second was Yass GP, Dr. Raja Ahluwalia who spoke on behalf of the BlackDog institute. Third was Mrs. Margaret Royds who spoke on behalf of the Royds family that had bred the super stallion. Fourth, was Channel Ten reporter Brad McEwan, who is also a Beyond Blue Ambassador, and told us of his own personal experience of depression. Lastly, I spoke about the ride ahead.

After the speeches Margaret Royds and Mrs Olive Royds sent us on our

With so many hungry and enthusiastic participants, the food did not last

way by cutting the ribbon. Mum and I were joined by 18 horses and a

long!

horse drawn carriage from Rosscommon Carriages. We also had Roz Kelly a reporter from Channel 9 join us as well as reporter Brad McEwan who

Once we �nished lunch, I had a few television interviews, including

hadn’t been on a horse for years. It was also very special for me to ride

Channel Nine News with Roz Kelly, Weekend Sunrise and also some local

with two 2x Olympians – Mery Bennett (Bronze Medallist at Montreal ‘76

Canberra stations.

and Los Angeles ‘84), as well as Neal Lavis (Gold Medalist from the 1960 Rome Olympics and 1964 Mexico Games). Neil was particularly amazing

Once done, I then rode with Verity Charters for the �nal part of the day

as he is over 80 years old and still riding and training race horses.

across a few paddocks and then onto Malloon �re trail. Verity had helped get the horses �t for me in Geelong while I was away at the Olympic

A few hours later we arrived at Helen and Rob Faulkner's farm, “The

Games. We ended up riding for another 4.5 hours and arrived in the dark

Saddle Camp”, where Rob had put on an incredible spread of slow roasted

to a great camp �re meal cooked by Mitch Wall and Anna Cosgrave.

beef and salads.

Da� Tw� Mulloon Campsite to Guy's Cross B&B, Captains Flat Rd (36km)

We left the camp site late since we hadn’t really worked out our routine

along the trail we came upon a locked gate. We had the option of either

yet and we had to repack the car and clean up the campsite. Mitch rode

riding back and going down Captains Flat Road, or alternatively, riding

with me which was great. We had a great morning riding down a �re trail

down the edge of a cliﬀ. Up for an adventure, we took the cliﬀ option and

heading out of the Tallaganda National Park. Within a few kilometres

rode down, through the scrub and into the river below. When we got to

along the �re trail two men who were driving passed recognised me from

the river, we had to get oﬀ the horses and walk them through knee-deep

the ABC news the night before and stopped for a chat. They were very

mud. Both Mitch and I were completely drenched and muddy, but we

interested in the ride and gave a donation to the Black Dog Institute. For

made it to the other side to �nd a fence line that boarded a neighbouring

me it was very encouraging and exciting that our message was starting to

property. The neighbours saw us and were wondering who these two

get out. We then continued on our way and completed about 20km

crazy men were. Luckily for us they had also seen the story on the news

before we stopped for lunch at a little church in Hoskinstown.

the night before, and were more than happy to help us. The bush

telegraph then launched into action as these people called all the

After lunch I had a radio interview with ABC on the horse as we walked

neighbours along the way to give us passage to Guy’s Cross Farm Bed &

along the road. We then came across another gentleman out the front of

Breakfast. It was incredibly special for me to have all the gates opened

his home, who we stopped to chat to. He was very open with us about his

and to be greeted at each property, as well as each owner giving

personal battle with depression and grateful that we stopped to speak

encouragement as well as a donation. By the time we arrived at the B&B it

with him.

was dark, but we had an amazing day. Tim and his wife Roz had put a feast of home-grown kangaroo and snags which was delicious!

To avoid riding along Captains Flat Road, one of the most dangerous roads in NSW we decided to ride up another �re trail, however 1.5kms

Da� �re� Guy's Cross to Yarralumla, ACT - via Parliament House (26km)

This was a day full of huge highs and lows. We set oﬀ very early from

Archer. Then we rode up the hill and came out in front of Parliament

Guy’s Cross Farm B&B and crossed Captains Flat Road. We then went

House to a generous group of media, including photographer Andrew

through the bush, before entering the streets of Canberra. We had been

Meares and his son Marlow, who at ten years old has dreams of becoming

running a bit behind time even though we'd left early. We rode along the

a Modern Pentathlete.. Andrew was right about the photo he took on the

pavement of many Canberra streets, getting looks from everyone we

�rst day of the ride – it had made the front page of The Age, as well as

passed. Mitch was on foot with his camera as I rode Archer.

page 3 in both The Canberra Times and The Sydney Morning Herald. It was such a honour to not only receive such fantastic coverage for this

As we went past a child care centre, all the children rushed to the fence,

cause, but also to have such memorable photos that I will cherish for a

so I stopped for a few minutes to talk with them and let them meet

lifetime.

Da� Four Yarralumla, ACT to Outward Bound, Tharwa (41km)

We woke early, still trying to work through the diﬃculties of yesterday. Turbulent Tiger, or ‘Turbo’, was dropped oﬀ, and it was immediately apparent that he was pretty fat, fresh and in paddock condition. Once he had been shod, I took him up to the top arena at the Forest Park Riding School for a nervous �rst ride. Neil Lavis had said that he always bucked after a bit of a break, so if he was going to buck I wanted it to be in an arena rather than on the open road. After I lunged him around a few times, I jumped on him and cantered him around. After a few laps, he felt okay, so I decided I better get on my way as I was running out of time. As I walked down to saddle Flynn for the ride, I met the owner of the riding school, Grant Hughes, who was a very experienced horseman. He had heard about Archer and joined me to take a look. On inspecting the horse, he said that he thought the vet’s diagnosis was completely wrong as she couldn’t have known he had a torn tendon without a scan. He said that he had a lot of horses in the past with similar issues and that Archer was just sore after three days riding on the road. He suggested that we should give him a break for a week or two, and then test him out. We decided to give Archer a two week break until we got to Omeo and then see how was faring then. I set out for the day’s ride by myself. Getting out of Canberra was a nightmare. I had to ride on the edge of the Tuggeranong Parkway for quite a few kilometres, which was very dangerous. I was then able to head down a few local streets and then onto the Bicentennial Trail at the Murrumbidgee Country Club at Tuggeranong. This was an important moment in the trip, as I joined the trail that would take me all the way to Melbourne.

I had a few issues trying to get through locked gates, which shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have been locked. After a trip from Mikey to the hardware for bolt cutter we were able to get on our way. I rode all day on Flynn, with only a very short break, and when the sun set we were still a few kilometres away from our planned overnight spot. For the last ten or more kilometres, we rode along the edge of Tharwa Drive in the dark. I had Mitch and Mickey driving behind me in the support vehicle, which was very comforting. We arrived at Outward Bound at 8pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; everybody was exhausted, especially Flynn. We set up a portable yard and then went for dinner at the Outward Bound Kitchen. My good mate, Michael Everest, drove down from Canberra for dinner and also ended up staying the night in the Outward Bound dorms.

Da� �v� Outward Bound to Kooloola Farm (22.2km)

In exchange for the kind hospitality at Outward Bound, the manager

could give her a hand saddling up. I then rode up to the house and met

asked if I could speak with the staﬀ about my journey. The talk went well

her parents, who were both lovely. I stopped for a cup of tea and a chat

and all the staﬀ were really interested in the ride. After the talk we had

and then I went out to help her saddle her horse. The girls’ parents said

breakfast and then got on our way.

that after the ride they would bring down their horse �oat to Kooloola farm to pick up their daughter and join us for dinner. We then rode

Flynn was very sore and could barely walk, so I had to start out alone

together through their front paddock and back onto the dirt road. This

using Turbo, who Mickey had brought down from Yarralumla the day

young girl was very excited to join me and told me all about the local area

before. The track that morning had us riding down the road, which wasn’t

and her school. Once we left their property, the girls pony started playing

ideal, as it was my �rst proper ride on Turbo. As we walked down the road

up, so we swapped horses. I knew she would have no problems with

many people stopped to take photos and also donate money – many had

Turbo, who by this stage was too tired to cause any trouble. Once I

seen the media coverage and heard about the cause, and it was great to

jumped on her pony it starting bucking and carrying on but after a few

meet them all.

minutes I had it walking along nicely.

When we were about �ve kilometres out from Kooloola Farm, we turned

As we rode along the girl told me that she used to always ride with her

down a dirt road that went past a few other properties. In the distance, I

older sister but she passed away a few months ago of leukaemia.. This

could see a young girl sitting on her front gate next to her mail box. There

was pretty heartbreaking, as I could see that she was still very sad talking

were no cars or people around, and I was quite interested in what this

about it, but I felt incredibly honoured that she felt comfortable enough

young girl was up to. When I reached her, I asked, “Are you OK?” She said

to open up to me about such a personal experience.

that she had been waiting for me. I was a bit surprised, but she said that she had heard me on the radio and had looked up my ride on the

We rode for the rest of the afternoon and then arrived at Kooloola farm in

internetand had seen that I was to pass by her house. She then asked

the dark. Mitch and Mikey had a huge �re going, and had already set up

whether she could ride with me. I said, “Of course – do you have a horse

the tents, which was a great help.

to ride?” She told me that her pony was up at the yards, and asked if I

The girl’s parents arrived and we had dinner together. During dinner, I began talking to the young girl’s father who had told me that his daughters used to ride together, but since the eldest daughter passed away, the younger daughter hadn’t ridden at all. He told me that she had waited at the gate for six hours for me to arrive, and that he was very happy to see her riding again. He then went on to tell me that he struggled with severe depression after his daughter passed away, and gave me some great encouragement to continue on my trip. He was so supportive and said that this trip could make a big diﬀerence to rural communities where many of the people living with depression feel forgotten and isolated. This conversation was very sobering as I was just riding along the road, but to this young girl and her father it had such special signi�cance in their own journey of mourning and mending. This conversation gave me so much encouragement to keep pushing on and I promised myself that I’d make it to Melbourne no matter what happens. I will never forget that afternoon.

Da� S� Kooloola Farm to Mount Clear (28.7km)

Since yesterday Turbo hadn’t been ridden in six weeks so he was very sore

1100m. It was the �rst day since the beginning of the ride that I had the

in the morning. Flynn was looking a lot fresher after his day oﬀ so I

opportunity to re�ect on the previous few days, which had been so hectic

decided to take him. The ride to Kooloola Farm was the �rst day I was

and action-packed.

truly alone, as I had no one riding with me, no support vehicle and there were no passing cars. What made this day particularly diﬃcult was that it

When I arrived at the Mt Clear campsite it was incredibly windy. Mitch and

was 2 degrees celsius, which was made worse with a lot of wind and rain. I

Mikey had set up camp, which was a relief. It was Mitch’s last day today, so

thought I was pretty well set up, but it turned out I didn't have it quite

once I took care of the horses I drove him back to Canberra. Up until this

sorted – I didn’t have gloves and my drizabone was leaking. After half an

point, Mitch had been the backbone of the entire trip. He had organised a

hour in the saddle, I couldn’t feel my hands. When I tried to eat my muesli

lot of the media on the �rst day, he had organised the events in

bar, my hands were so cold and stiﬀ I couldn't even open the wrapper.

Braidwood, which were fantastic, and every time something went wrong

However, thinking of the inspiring day yesterday gave me motivation to

he was there to �x it. Now with Mitch leaving, I knew things would be a

keep moving.

lot tougher.

Aside from the discomfort, the ride was absolutely sensational and with

On my return to the campsite, I found that my uncle Henry had arrived

the most spectacular scenery thus far. It was also fantastic to see

with a few beers and hot meat pies for dinner. Henry tore down a few

hundreds of kangaroos and other wildlife along the trail and to check out

trees and got a massive �re going, then put up a tarp which Mikey, Henry

Horse Gully Hut where I signed the visitors’ book. I spent the whole day

and I huddled under while it rained. It was still very cold, but with a �re

riding along a narrow �re trail that steadily climbed from 700m up to

burning and protection from the rain, we got through it.

Da� Seve� Mount Clear, ACT to Yaouk NSW (41km)

We awoke to a very chilly morning with ice on the tent and a strong southerly wind blowing. After a quick breakfast, we packed up camp and then Henry and I saddled up the horses and got on our way. We left Mt Clear and headed south on Boboyan Road, which is a glori�ed �re trail. There was a lot of long weekend holiday traﬃc this morning as we approached the ACT/NSW state border. Many people stopped to have a chat, and one couple very kindly oﬀered us some cold beers, which we had as we rode along. A lady from the Monaro Post also tracked us down for a photo shoot for the local paper. It was great to have Henry with me today – it’s always nice to ride with someone else! My good mate Lachlan Campbell also arrived today. It was great to see Lachie and I’m so grateful for all his support. As we approached Yaouk, Peter Cochran who runs Cochran Horse Treks met us on the road. He would be our host and would ride with me for the next few days. Peter was a Vietnam War veteran, used to work for ASIO as a detective and then went on to be a member of State Parliament. What a remarkable life! Instead of sleeping in the tent, Peter invited us to stay at his motel in Adaminaby, which was very generous of him. Mikey, Henry, Lachie and I had an opportunity to have a warm shower and a good feed with Peter at the local pub.

Da� Eigh� Yaouk to Providence Portal/Denison (45km)

Today’s ride was simply spectacular. Henry had to leave early, so Lachie drove him back to his car at Mt Clear. Mikey had organised for me to ride with Peter, as Peter knew a way off the trail that would save me four days and was much more scenic. Peter also kindly offered for me to ride his horse Rosie and to give the other horses a break at his place. Peter and I departed from his property in Yaouk. We rode up into the National Park. After riding through scrub and dense bush we �nally came out to the Nungar Plains. The plains were amazing – we saw a few black snakes, lots of wallabies, and a whole mob of Black Cockatoos. It was cold in the morning, but as we crossed the plains it cleared up to be quite a sunny day. We stopped off at a horse campsite for a cup of tea with some of the campers there, who were all very interested in the ride. We crossed the Murrumbidgee River which was quite deep in parts, and then we went without a trail straight through the bush. We were just bush-bashing along, trying not to hit our knees on the trees and keep the branches out of our faces. It was such an authentic bush experience, and it was great to have Peter there riding with me – sharing his worldly experience and stories about the bush, Vietnam and much more. We headed into Kosciusko National Park, and �nished the day at Providence Portal, where we set up camp for the horses, before heading back with Peter to his motel.

Da� Nin� Providence Portal/Denison to Bradley's Hut (52km)

Today we had the tough challenge of covering more than 50km before nightfall. It was another fantastic day riding Rosie and being accompanied by Peter. The early start was tough – getting up at 5am to get the horses ready for the 7am departure – and it was so cold! We rode along the Eucumbene Lake, crossing the Eucumbene River and then heading up through the scrub to the top of Ash Ridge. Being at the top of the mountain was amazing - we were riding through the clouds, and at times, we could barely see a metre in front of us. It was really cold up there and it felt like my hands and feet were going to drop oﬀ, but it was a lot of fun riding through the snow – a true Man from Snowy River experience. We walked along the top of the ridge and then down to Happy Jack's River, where we stopped oﬀ for lunch at Happy Jack's camp. Happy Jack’s camp was an old gold settler's camp, which was later a camp for workers on the Snowy Mountain scheme, and it was great to hear a few stories from Peter about the past there. There were a lot of river crossings today, and with Peter's local knowledge, we rode through the bush most of the way, rather than following the track. The horses stood up to the test very well. We headed over to Junction Shaft and then up to Fifteen Mile Ridge. The sun had come out by then, and from the top we had a spectacular view across the valley over to Mt Kosciusko.

The last part of the day we had to ride through the bush down a very steep descent

We were all treated that night to a delicious roast lamb cooked by Lachie in the

to Bradley's Hut. Bradley's Hut is like an original settler's hut, and once we arrived,

bush oven, and then sat around the �re having a good chat before sleeping in the

we quickly set up a �re. Lachie and Mikey arrived not too long after we got there

hut.

with Turbo and a good friend of mine, James Male. All day Peter had been talking

about looking forward to a warm cuppa so when we arrived he was pretty angry

Looking at the weather report for the next day, I saw that they were expecting a

when the only tea we had was green tea. For half an hour we were ridiculed and

Max temp of -3! I knew that I would have to put on a few extra layers before braving

tormented by Peter, in a joking way, that we didn’t have “proper tea” but once the

that cold!

billy was boiled Peter ended up having a cup of green tea and to his pleasant surprise found it to be quite good.

Da� Te� Bradley's Hut to Jagumba (33km)

I woke that morning to �nd Peter sitting around the �re with a fresh cup

We followed them for a little while but pulled up once they headed back

of green tea. I think we had converted him. After breakfast we farewelled

into the scrub.

Peter Cochrane, who had been so helpful over the previous three days. Not only had he shared some great bush wisdom, but he also left his two

It was a very steep climb down to Jagumba - we were following the

horses with us so Lachie and James could ride with me.

power lines to keep our orientation. After a 33km ride, we arrived at

Jagumba where we were met by Barry Paton and 40 horses. The horses

Today was World Mental Health Day so we received a lot of support on

were all fairly excited to see us and keep galloping up and back around

our social media page and quite a bit of media attention even though we

us. Jagumba is an amazing property in a valley totally surrounded by the

were in the middle of Kosciusko National Park.

Kosciusko National Park.

James, Lachie and I left Bradley & O'Brien's Hut at 9am. While it was �ne

Barry won the Man from Snowy River Stockman's Challenge, and I was

weather, we came across a fair amount of snow on the side of the road.

keen to have a chat to him about all that was involved with that. He also

Once again, we saw some pretty spectacular scenery – we had a fantastic

shared some great stories about his experiences with natural

view over the Kosciusko National Park. There were a lot of trees blocking

horsemanship and horse training. He caught a Brumby stallion in the

the road, so we had to ride through the bush quite a few times

bush and taught him to do tricks like jumping onto the back of the ute!

throughout the day.

Mikey and I cooked up some pasta for the group for dinner, and, after a

A highlight of the day was when we came round a corner to �nd a

long day at the oﬃce, we all slept in Barry's lounge room. A fantastic day!

brumby foal. It was the �rst brumby I had seen on the ride so far, and was

It was Mental Health day as well, which was also important for our online

pretty exciting to see these brumbies in the wild. We got quite close,

fundraising.

before the mother and a few other brumbies came out of the bush and galloped down the road.

Da� Eleve� Jagumba to Khancoban (32km)

Today was a 32km ride from Jagumba to "The Dargalls", a property

take in the surroundings, as we tried to keep moving and outlast the

located outside the town of Khancoban.

downpour.

When Lachie, James and I left that morning, we were surrounded by a

The highlight of the day was when Mikey showed up in the Audi support

thick fog. From the very beginning of the day, I had a feeling that the

vehicle, bringing with him hot chocolate and cookies. We were all so wet

weather conditions were not going to be favourable.

and cold, but the warm drink and food were a great morale booster, and

just what we needed.

We crossed a river and then had a really long, steep �re trail to the top of

the range. Though it was a relief to make it to the top, it started raining

We �nally arrived at ‘The Dargalls’ outside Khancoban and were greeted

quite heavily up there, and we were drenched within minutes. Lachie,

by Joan Sinclair. We had been put in touch with Joan through Peter

James and I were all cold and wet but we just chatted away, which kept us

Cochrane (Joan is Peter's aunt). Joan was so kind to welcome us into her

pretty positive. After we got to the top we then followed the ridge line for

home, and immediately �xed us up with a cup of tea and some much

a while until we came out at the main road.

needed hot showers.

Instead of walking down the dangerous main road, we found a grassy

After sending James Male oﬀ back to Yerong Creek, Michael, Lachie and I

track parallel to the road that was under the power lines and unmapped.

joined Joan and her niece Jenny for dinner and drinks at the Khancoban

We followed this along in the rain, and unlike other days, it was diﬃcult to

Hotel. Joan and Mikey got along like a house on �re.

Da� Twelv� Rest Day in Khancoban

Today was my �rst rest day of the trip, but it was still a very busy day. After

I was amazed at the great potential of the students at Khancoban Public

staying the night at "The Dargalls" there were the usual jobs to do in the

School, and I am sure I will hear great stories of their achievements in the

morning, including checking over the horses and making a trip to nearby

future.

Corryrong (just over the Victorian border) to restock food and supplies for the next few days. A local farrier also came to �x up a shoe on one of the

That afternoon a good family friend, David Vaux, arrived in Khancoban.

horses, which was much appreciated.

We headed to the Alpine Inn for a fundraiser BBQ that evening, where I

had the chance to meet with some Khancoban locals who were very

That afternoon, I had a special appointment at the Khancoban Public

generous with their donations to the Black Dog Institute, and were very

School. Mum, Dad, as well as my beautiful girlfriend Pip Corcoran arrived

interested to hear about the ride. We then stopped by the Khancoban

in the morning and they joined me. I was honoured to sit on "the throne"

Country Club where, again, I was so grateful for the support of the people

and have a chat to the primary children, many of whom are keen horse

there, not only with their kind donations, but also sharing their

riders themselves. It was a great opportunity to have a chat about my

connections to the cause. All in all, it was a terri�c day, and I felt rested

experiences at the Olympics, as well as share some insight into the ride

and recharged to continue the next leg of the ride.

and the issue of depression.

Da� �irtee� Khancoban to Geehi (31km)

We left Joan's property early that morning to ride through Khancoban on our way to Geehi. Joined by my Dad, Khancoban local Troy Caldwell, David Vaux and Pip on foot, we headed oﬀ through the hills and into the town of Khancoban. Though a couple of locked gates slowed us down, when we arrived in town we were met by supportive locals who sent us oﬀ with lots of cheers and well wishes. We were very fortunate to have a clear, sunny morning (while on the same day, other parts of the state had snow and cold temperatures). We passed some beautiful countryside, with the paddocks looking very green and lush, and checked out some large pipes used for the Snowy Hydro. After saying goodbye to Dad and Mum at lunchtime, we were joined by Nat Howlett and her daughter, Hayley, and niece, Mae. They rode with us until the edge of the Kosciosko National Park, and shared some local knowledge along the way. David and I continued on, �nishing the long day's ride a little behind schedule – with a river to cross before reaching camp at the Geehi Rest Area. Pip, Lachie, David, Mickey and I enjoyed a great feast of camp�re roast lamb and vegies, with some roasted marshmallows for dessert. At Geehi, we stayed at the Doctor's Hut - a very impressive hut with hard timber �oors and a �replace to keep us warm overnight. Another great day spent in good company.

Da� Fourtee� Kooloola Farm to Mount Clear (28.7km)