RIDIN’ 4 MATES IV

TROPICS TO THE BUSH

Darwin to Bulga • 27 June to 25 July 2026
4,415 kilometres • 29 days
Raising hope for the Mark Hughes Foundation

Dedication

To every person and every family whose lives have been touched by brain cancer.

To the riders who pushed through pain, wind, heat and rain. To the support crew who quietly made every kilometre possible. To the families, sponsors, friends and strangers who supported the journey.

And to everyone who gave, encouraged, laughed with us or simply believed in what Ridin’ 4 Mates IV was trying to achieve.

Every kilometre was for a purpose.

Forward — More Than a Ride

There are rides that challenge your legs. There are rides that challenge your mind. Some challenge you inner strength. And then there are rides that change your life.

Ridin’ 4 Mates IV became all of these.

It began with a simple idea: a group of mates would ride from Darwin to Bulga, crossing Australia to raise money for the Mark Hughes Foundation and help fight brain cancer. Over twenty-nine days they travelled through tropical savannah, red desert, cattle country, salt lakes, mining country, farming districts and mountain ranges.

They battled brutal headwinds, freezing mornings, scorching afternoons and rain that arrived when everyone thought the day could not get any harder.

But the memories that lasted were not only the hard days. They were the friendships, the laughter around the cookhouse, the support crew who somehow always had everything ready, the strangers who waved from the roadside, the extraordinary country and the quiet moments when someone realised just how lucky they were to be there.

This is not simply a story about cycling. It is a story about people, purpose, resilience, generosity and mateship.

The Leader — Brad Bates

It took the loss of good friends to brain cancer for Brad Bates to get angry enough to put his heart into doing something about it.

Doing it 4 Mates, then Ridin’ 4 Mates, gave Brad an outlet — a way of contributing to the fight against brain cancer. He had seen his friend Mark Hughes do something too, and from that idea came Ridin’ 4 Mates.

Brad’s first three rides, in 2022, 2023 and 2024, had already raised more than $158,000. For 2026 he challenged his mates, friends and family to take on another enormous task: Darwin to Bulga.

The response became Ridin’ 4 Mates IV — Tropics to the Bush.

Behind the Scenes — Sammy Harris

It takes more than an idea and a group of energetic riders to make a journey like this work. You need people like Sammy Harris.

Born in Singleton and raised in Bulga, Sammy did much of the invisible work. She thought of things, tidied up the mess, looked after sponsors, the budget and the money, and kept the machinery of the event moving. She had been there since day one.

The riders knew they would be lost without her.

The Support Crew — The Lifeline

Every day of the ride relied on the support crew. They were up early, organising breakfast and road supplies, packing camp, preparing morning tea and lunch, finding accommodation, setting up the cookhouse and making dinner.

They drove vehicles and trailers, moved ahead to establish stops, followed behind to deal with problems, and somehow still found the energy to join the madness at the end of the day.

They were not simply support. They were part of the journey, part of the experience and part of the team.

The Touring Team

The whole-ride team included Brad Bates, Matt Harris, Dane Macdougall, Martin Parker, John Gillard, Noel McCutchan, Bob McGuiness, Gavin Vickers, Danny Hanley, Ben Heil, Liam Bates, Mick Tanner, Steve McAllister and Matt Staley.

At Port Augusta, Jamie Prior and Steve Rae joined for the run home, with Workshirt becoming an important part of the support operation. Behind them stood a wider support team including Pat O’Hara, Paul Rubie, Muz, AJ, Darren Heil and Jaybee Burr. The exact combination changed as the journey unfolded, but the principle never did: everyone had a job, and everyone mattered.

Planning the Impossible

The original plan called for roughly 4,300 kilometres and an average of about 160 kilometres a day, with several days planned around or above 200 kilometres. The logistics were enormous: vehicles, trailers, camping equipment, food, water, first aid, communications, bike spares, generators, e-bike charging, accommodation and contingency plans.

There were first aid kits, a defibrillator, EpiPens, fire extinguishers, tyre repair kits, tools, a battery chainsaw, a welder and communications equipment. Water was a serious consideration in the hottest and most remote sections.

The cookhouse became the centre of the operation. Breakfast had to be quick, road food portable, lunch simple and dinner substantial enough to rebuild riders for the following day.

The plan was detailed. The reality, as always, was more complicated.

Day One — Darwin to Pine Creek. The Journey Begins

185 kilometres • 10½ hours • 25.4 km/h average

The waiting was over. Months of planning, some training and fundraising had led to this moment. The wheels rolled out of Darwin and the adventure began.

The opening day demanded respect. Around 185 kilometres lay ahead, with more than ten and a half hours spent in the saddle. It was a serious introduction. Every kilometre had to be earned, every rider had to find his rhythm, and behind them the support crew were already discovering just how much work was involved in keeping the whole operation moving.

And it was hot, hot and a bit lumpy. Every rider asked themselves different questions.

The scenery was different from Northern Territory normal, lots of green and all day there was an acrid smoke aroma, winter burning in the savannah.

The team was all over the place, catch ups every 30 ks and the front waited for the back just outside of town to finish the ride together.

We pull in to camp, shake eachothers hands and share beers. A great day for most, but reality was staring others in the face.

This was the moment Ridin’ 4 Mates IV stopped being an idea and became a journey — one kilometre, one rider and one mate at a time.

Day Two — Pine Creek to Katherine

Darwin to Katherine

The landscape began to change. The tropical north gradually gave way to the open country that would dominate the journey.

The kilometres accumulated and the routine began: ride, eat, drink, keep moving. Its early days but we need to concentrate on keeping the wheels roll, you cant waste time out here.

We were there to support each other, particularly those new to this stuff. Just focus on 30 ks, then 30 more, repeat, that will get it done.

The support crew found their rhythm too — food, water, vehicles, mechanical support and all the small jobs nobody sees but which make a journey like this possible.

Day Three — Katherine Gorge to Mataranka

146 kilometres

Flat roads and calm winds made for a well-paced day. The country was spectacular — green scrub, undergrowth and wide-open country. There was something almost surreal about riding through it.

There was also a small logistical kerfuffle at the end, with riders heading for one caravan park while the support crew had set up in another. Like most problems on the journey, it was solved with a laugh. A soothing dip in the thermal pools finished the day.

Day Four — The Journey Starts to Bite

Mataranka to the Highway Inn

More than 600 kilometres into the journey

Four days in, the ride team was humming. The average speed reached around 28 km/h despite high afternoon temperatures. The roads were kind and fast, and the traffic was exceptionally considerate.

Then there was Daly Waters — classic outback Australia, the pub, the people, the atmosphere and the stories. One supplied photograph captures the Patrick Moriarty $250,000 reward sign.

The adventure was growing, but the purpose remained serious. Brain cancer had taken mates. This ride was about doing something in their memory.

Day Five — Highway Inn to Newcastle Waters

125 kilometres • 745 kilometres in five days

The riders were becoming a machine. An average speed of 30 km/h told the story of a great day on the bikes. The roads were kind, the traffic was good and, for a little while, everything seemed right with the world.

Day Six — Newcastle Waters to Renner Springs

120 kilometres • 865 kilometres completed

Another 120 kilometres went beneath the wheels. The vastness of the Territory was becoming part of the experience, and the daily routine was settling in.

Day Seven — Where the Desert Came Alive

160 kilometres • 1,025 kilometres in one week

Seven days were complete. Along the edge of the Tanami Desert, recent rains had produced an explosion of vegetation, transforming country normally associated with dry-season dust into something almost unrecognisable.

Seen from the bike, it was sensational. Every hundred kilometres seemed to bring a different country. There was talk of attempting a 200-kilometre day tomorrow.

Day Eight — The Day That Asked Everything

225 kilometres • brutal headwind • heavy rain

Some rides test your legs. This one tested your character. The team rode 225 kilometres, with around 180 kilometres into a brutal headwind before heavy rain arrived for the final stretch.

It was cold, wet and relentless. There was nowhere to hide. Each rider had to find something deep inside and keep turning the pedals.

There were very few photographs that day because nobody had time for a camera. Barrow Creek became nirvana for one night: hot food, dry clothes, good mates and somewhere to rest.

Day Nine — Barrow Creek to Aileron

155 kilometres • 1,405 kilometres total

By now the ride team was humming and the support crew had become outstanding. The group had developed a rhythm that could only come from shared hardship.

The landscape was spectacular after the unusual wet season, with rolling hills and vegetation rarely seen in such country. Alice Springs was next.

Day Ten — A Milestone in Alice

Aileron to Alice Springs • 140 kilometres • 1,545 kilometres

The team rode 140 cold kilometres into Alice Springs. The riders were strong, the support crew were working brilliantly and the whole operation was running with growing confidence.

There was another reason to celebrate: fundraising had reached $123,999 for the Mark Hughes Foundation. After ten consecutive ride days, tomorrow would finally be a rest day.

Day Eleven — A Rest Day With a Purpose

Alice Springs

After ten demanding days on the bike, the team finally stopped. But the mission did not stop. The group was chasing $200,000 for the Mark Hughes Foundation and the fight against brain cancer.

The bikes could rest for a day. The purpose could not.

Day Twelve — Letting the World Roll By

Alice Springs to Ghan • 200 kilometres • 1,745 kilometres

This was a bike day in the purest sense: tap on the pedals and let the world roll beneath the wheels.

The country was astonishingly green after the rains. Undergrowth, succulents, herbs, flowers and green scrub changed the usual desert image completely. The riders could smell herbs and flowers in the air. Every sense was engaged.

Day Thirteen — Strength Forged on the Road

Ghan to Cadney Park • 167 kilometres • 2,085 kilometres

A cracking 167 kilometres went beneath the wheels. The morning began in thick wet fog. Camp was pulled and the riders were on the pedals at 7:15, riding through wet mist until around 11 am. Then the sun appeared.

The team reached Cadney Park around 2:30 pm, averaging 27.6 km/h — a figure that showed how much strength was building within the ride team.

Day Fourteen — The Road to Coober Pedy

Approximately 2,235 kilometres

The journey reached the great halfway milestone around Coober Pedy. More than 2,200 kilometres of heat, wind, early starts and long hours in the saddle were behind them.

The afternoon wind tested the group, but they gritted their teeth and rode as a team. That night the riders dined out, giving the wonderful support crew a break.

Day Fifteen — The Halfway Mark

155 kilometres • 2,235 kilometres

The road from Cadney Park to Coober Pedy added another 155 kilometres. The morning began beautifully after the crack of the whip. By afternoon the wind arrived, but the team had learned how to share the load.

Halfway was an enormous achievement for riders and support crew alike. The second half was waiting.

Day Sixteen — The Making of a Rider

Coober Pedy to Bon Bon • 170 kilometres • 2,405 kilometres

A tough 170 kilometres through cattle stations and Woomera took the tour to 2,405 kilometres.

The daily routine had become almost ritualistic: crack the whip, get enough daylight to ride safely, leave around 7:15, morning tea at 60 kilometres, lunch around 120, arrive around 3:30 or 4. All that time on the pedals meant dealing with heat, wind, fatigue and mechanical issues. These were days that built strength and character — and somehow they were fun.

Day Seventeen — The Magic of the Outback

Bon Bon to Pimba • 200 kilometres • 2,605 kilometres

A beautiful 200 kilometres took the tour through cattle stations, past lakes and across extraordinary desert country. It was one of the best 200-kilometre days on the bike.

Some days are remembered not for the difficulty, but for the beauty that made the distance disappear.

Day Eighteen — Crossing Australia

Pimba to Port Augusta • 180 kilometres • 2,785 kilometres

Long ramps and a strong headwind made the day hard, but the team completed it, shook hands and shared a beer.

For some riders this was a milestone in itself: becoming Trans Continental riders for the first time, crossing Australia from north to south by bicycle.

The journey had crossed the continent. The homeward run was about to begin.

Day Nineteen — Rest, Reset and Ready Again

Port Augusta • support-crew change • about $140,000 raised

The rest day at Port Augusta was a turning point. Jamie Prior, Steve Rae and Workshirt joined the team, bringing valuable vehicle capacity and support.

Looking back, their arrival was event-saving. The fleet had been stretched to its limits. Had a major weather event hit earlier in the ride, the consequences could have been serious.

They slipped into the team seamlessly, bringing support, space and entertainment. Around 2,725 kilometres were behind the group, with roughly 1,500 still to go. Fundraising had reached about $140,000.

Day Twenty — The Road Turns Home

Port Augusta to Peterborough • 120 kilometres • 2,951 kilometres

The day began with a punch in the face: a brutal headwind and the long, tough climb up Horrocks Pass. Everyone suffered.

Then came the descent and rolling country through Wilmington and Orroroo to Peterborough. Hard days make strong riders.

Day Twenty-One — Into the Cold

Peterborough to Olary • 170 kilometres • 3,065 kilometres

Three hours of frost and fog opened the day. Hands were wooden and feet were stone. At 11:30 the cold finally gave way to warmth and sunshine, turning a brutal morning into a rewarding finish.

By now the ride and camp vibe had become something special.

Day Twenty-Two — Crossing into NSW

Olary to Broken Hill • 120 kilometres • 3,185 kilometres

The team crossed into New South Wales on the homeward leg, with around 1,000 kilometres remaining to Bulga.

Flu had moved through the camp and made things uncomfortable for some, but the team kept grinding. The spirit remained high. The laughs continued.

Day Twenty-Three — The Beauty of the Outback

Broken Hill to Wilcannia • 200 kilometres • 3,385 kilometres

Another 200 kilometres took the journey to 3,385 kilometres. Benny Heil clocked 10,000 kilometres for the calendar year during the ride — a remarkable achievement.

The country remained extraordinary, green and full of life after the unusual rain season. Wilcannia proved memorable: interesting, friendly and welcoming.

Day Twenty-Four — Body, Mind and Spirit

Wilcannia to Meadow Glen • 200 kilometres

A cracking 200 kilometres began just after sunrise and finished around 5 pm. This was a serious event — a test of body, mind and spirit.

The riders were discovering things about themselves that only a journey like this can reveal. Two 200-kilometre days in a row demanded everything.

Day Twenty-Five — Another 200 in the Tank

Bush Camp to Nyngan • 200 kilometres • 3,785 kilometres

The team had become familiar with the machines they were pushing across Australia, with plenty of variety among the bikes and even more variety among the riders.

They were different people with different stories, but the road had made them one team.

Day Twenty-Six — Strength Through Distance

Nyngan to Dubbo • 170 kilometres • 3,995 kilometres

A beautiful 170-kilometre day brought the tour to 3,995 kilometres. The ride felt almost dreamy. The team was building strength every day, and that progress was deeply rewarding.

Then there was Benny’s bike — held together with tape and spoons. It was not textbook bicycle mechanics, but it was good enough to keep the machine moving until Dubbo. The story became another around-the-cookhouse tale.

Day Twenty-Seven — Closing In

Dubbo to Rylstone • 180 kilometres • 4,185 kilometres

The team chewed up a tough, lumpy 180 kilometres. Only two ride days remained.

The team was now a well-drilled unit: riders on the road, support crew keeping them fed and entertained, and every person contributing to the final push. The main thing remained the cause — the Mark Hughes Foundation.

Day Twenty-Eight — The Final Push

Rylstone to Muswellbrook • 170 kilometres • 4,335 kilometres

Another 170 kilometres took the tour to 4,335 kilometres. It was one of the most scenic legs of the entire ride, with climbing, descents and spectacular country.

The finish was close enough to feel. After thousands of kilometres, the riders could finally see the end.

Tomorrow: Bulga.

Day Twenty-Nine — Home

Muswellbrook to Bulga • final 70 kilometres • 4,415 kilometres

Seventy kilometres into Bulga completed 4,415 kilometres from Darwin over 29 days.

But the biggest moment was not the number. It was what was waiting at Bulga.

More than 500 family members and supporters lined the road, clapping the riders in and beaming with appreciation. Riding into Bulga was humbling. You rarely get a feeling like that.

For a few unforgettable minutes the riders were not simply cyclists finishing a ride. They were part of something much bigger. After twenty-nine days on the road, they were not simply finishing. They were coming home.

The Quiet Achievers — Matt Harris and Dane Macdougall

Every long-distance ride has its surprises. For many of us, those surprises came in the form of Matt Harris and Dane Macdougall.

Neither came into the tour with the long-distance cycling background of some of the experienced riders. The first few days were about finding their rhythm and learning how to ride day after day. Then something changed. By about the third day, they found their groove.

From there they grew and grew. Every morning they climbed back onto the bikes with more confidence. The kilometres that had looked intimidating became another part of the day’s work. Their performance made you shake your head. They did not merely survive the ride; they embraced it.

Keeping the Wheels Turning — Benny and the Bush Mechanics

The team had very few mechanical issues and hardly any punctures. Collectively, the bikes covered an enormous distance, with only around ten or twelve punctures across the journey.

Then there was Benny. He cracked a rear component and the team improvised. Knives, spoons and electrical tape became the repair kit. It was not textbook bicycle mechanics, but it was good enough to keep the machine moving until Dubbo.

That repair became another story around the cookhouse — a reminder that when something went wrong, someone simply found a way to fix it.

The Cavalry Arrives — Port Augusta

Workshirt’s arrival at Port Augusta, together with Steve Rae and Jamie Prior, was event-saving. The team had been desperately short of vehicle space. Had a major weather event hit earlier, the consequences could have been serious.

The new arrivals brought critical vehicle capacity and support. They slipped into the team seamlessly and quickly became part of the rhythm, adding both practical help and entertainment.

Sometimes the most important moments of a long expedition happen behind the riders.

The Heart of the Camp — The Cookhouse

The funniest moments were often sitting beside the cookhouse. Darren and Pat supplied entertainment along with sensational ride food. The daily guessing game of what would appear for morning tea, lunch and snacks never failed to baffle the riders.

Those meals were more than fuel. They were morale, routine and community. A sandwich, a hot dinner and a laugh could make the difference after a long day.

What the Ride Taught Us

This was no easy event. Most of us understood that from the beginning and faced it head on. The ride had a way of finding out who had it and who didn’t.

When the headwinds arrived, when the cold settled in, when rain soaked everyone and when the body wanted to stop, every rider had to look inside themselves.

The journey revealed strength, but it also revealed character. Again and again, the team found a way forward.

The Fundraising Story — More Than Kilometres

At the heart of the ride was the Mark Hughes Foundation and the fight against brain cancer.

Fundraising grew throughout the journey: $123,999 by Alice Springs, around $140,000 at Port Augusta, $146,000 as the team closed in on home, and ultimately more than $177,000, with donations still trickling in.

The figures are more than numbers. They represent people who chose to support a cause, families who know the impact of brain cancer and a community willing to turn kilometres into hope.

The Pins Are in the Map

Every pin on the map represents more than a location. It represents a day of effort, a challenge overcome, a friendship strengthened and a moment shared.

Darwin to Bulga. Thousands of kilometres. Countless memories.

The ride is finished, but the story remains.

Epilogue — More Than 4,415 Kilometres

When people look at a map, they see a line stretching from Darwin to Bulga. They see 4,415 kilometres and twenty-nine days.

Those who lived the journey see something entirely different.

They remember the crack of the whip before sunrise, the first rays of warmth after a freezing morning, the headwinds, the rain, the cookhouse laughter, the support crew, the country and the people met along the road.

They remember that the bikes were only the vehicle.

The real journey was about mateship, courage, generosity and hope.

By the time the team rolled into Bulga, they had travelled far more than the distance shown on the odometer. They had built friendships that would last a lifetime. They had discovered strength they did not know they possessed. And together they had inspired a community to contribute more than $177,000 to the fight against brain cancer.

The bikes will eventually gather dust. The tyres will wear out. The maps will fade.

But the stories will not.

Some journeys finish at the destination. The best ones stay with you forever.

The Tour