For Natalie, RideWest is more than a challenging bike ride, it’s a chance to give back to her hometown. Growing up in the bush and now living in Augathella, Natalie has seen firsthand the impact that limited access to mental health support can have in regional, rural and remote areas.
RideWest is a biennial bike ride from Brisbane to Longreach, raising funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) (RFDS) Wellbeing Out West program. The program delivers free mental health education, counselling and support to people in the North West, Central West and South West Queensland regions.
This year marks Natalie’s third time joining the ride. She was first introduced to RideWest when the cyclists rode through Augathella on their way to Longreach.
“In my role as the local school principal, I’d get the kids involved and help the riders understand a little more about the small town their fundraising was supporting,” she said.
“We are a very tight‑knit community. People here really pull together, support one another, and genuinely enjoy being where we are.”
For Natalie, the connection between RideWest and the Wellbeing Out West program is deeply personal and makes it a cause worth pedaling for.
“Being part of a community that directly benefits from the funds RideWest raises and seeing firsthand the impact the Wellbeing Out West program has on small regional, rural and remote communities like ours makes it such an easy cause to get behind and want to be a part of,” she said.
The ride itself is no easy feat, covering 1,311kms in just eight days, which equates to about six to eight hours on the bike each day.
“Pedaling up the range on the first day is incredibly challenging, but the strength and power of the peloton keeps you going,” Natalie said.
“Knowing the real, positive impact this ride has on communities like ours is more than enough motivation.”
One of the most special moments for Natalie is riding into her hometown, with her family and students cheering them on.
“Being a little bush school, the kids get very excited about any visitors,” she said.
“The kids are often on their push bikes and every year a few of them challenge the riders to a race down the street.
“What is incredibly special for me is giving the riders a window into just one of the small communities they are helping, and the chance to hear real-life stories about difference the Wellbeing Out West program is making.”
Living in rural Queensland, you don’t have to look far to see the impact of the RFDS.
“The Flying Doctors is something we are all so familiar with out here,” Natalie said.
“On a training ride to Charleville, I saw a Flying Doctor plane fly over and my thought was that I am so please I am doing what I am doing.
“We’ve all grown up knowing that this service is there, and as well as critical care and clinics, we now have this essential mental health support that our people wouldn’t have access to otherwise.
To date, RideWest have raised over $2.6 million to support the delivery of the RFDS Wellbeing Out West program, strengthening mental health and wellbeing across Western Queensland.
As the team gears up for their ride on the 24 April to 1 May, we will be cheering them on. A huge thank you to every rider and supporter team member who makes RideWest possible.
You can learn more about RideWest and their impact here.
