Mackay Black Dog Ride 2022: Bruce Crowther talks mental health advocacy
More than 300 riders have helped raise more than $12,000 for the annual Black Dog Ride, supporting greater awareness for mental health. See the photos and read why it’s a cause close to Bruce Crowther’s heart.
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More than 300 bikers and supporters have raised more than $12,000 for mental health support and awareness through Mackay’s Black Dog Ride 2022.
The ride’s incredible success - one of 65 held on Sunday across Australia - is largely attributable to Bruce and Denise Crowther who hold the cause close to their hearts.
Mr Crowther has been at the forefront of mental health and suicide advocacy after losing a family member to suicide, and working in the mines observing what he labelled a poor mental health culture for more than 15 years.
Mr Crowther rode in this year’s Black Dog Ride for the eighth time and he has a clear message for the Mackay community.
“My son-in-law died from a drug overdose and he had been trying to be clean and sober for five or so years, but he relapsed in it and ended up taking an overdose of hot heroin,” Mr Crowther said.
“It was very devastating for not just me but my daughter who is a recovering heroin addict.”
Mr Crowther said too many people felt suicide was their only option because they did not reach out to loved ones to admit they were struggling with mental health, leaving families in the dark until the worst unfolded.
He said the purpose of the Black Dog Ride was to raise money for mental health services in Mackay but more importantly create conversation and encourage people to reach out about their mental health struggles before it was too late.
“When you think someone is good and they have their life together and all the sudden it turns around and they're gone, you think to yourself ‘why couldn’t they talk to me?’,” he said.
“I hear that a lot when I talk to people who have lost family members to suicide and they say ‘why didn’t we know and why did they not talk to us?’.
“That is the basis of the Black Dog Ride, fundraising is important but if we can just get one or two people talking to somebody on the day and say ‘I’m struggling a bit mate’ (then it’s worth it).”
Mr Crowther said after working in mines all over Australia, he noticed how prevalent poor mental health was, with miners being away from their families for months at a time.
“Having worked in the mines, and stayed in the accommodation villages out there, to my way of thinking is they are an existence, not a life, and it can be very depressing living in that situation,” he said.
The 2022 Black Dog Ride raised money for various mental health services in Mackay.
Mr Crowther said one of the most important fundraising goals for the event was for a new Mackay mental health co-ordinator.
He also said the Black Dog Ride would also raise money for a new mental health first aid worker who travelled to mines to support miners’ mental health.
“Our main object is to find a new mental health co-ordinator, as the former one who has been running the mental health first aid courses in Mackay for several years and is now moving to Brisbane,” Mr Crowther said.
“So money will go towards training a new co-ordinator.
“The money will go to different grants as we are talking about setting up another mental health first aid worker who can go out and give talks, seminars, and train people to be aware about what’s happening around their workplace and encourage people to talk about.”
Denise Crowther said it was a special ride as it was the 10th anniversary for the Mackay Black Dog Ride.
Mrs Crowther said in past years they had raised more than $10,000 and this year they expected about 300 riders to participate.
“The money we raise goes to a national fund and it is given back to the community in various ways,” she said.
This year’s ride was the biggest in the 10-year history, with a previous record of 250 riders smashed as more people took up the cause.
Mrs Crowther said she put it down to mental health being more prevalent in people’s minds.
“It’s talked about a lot more; not always in the right circles but we’re getting there,” she said.
“It’s an incredible cause.”
She said all funds raised would go back to the Mackay community.
“Prior to Covid we had 300 riders but obviously in the past two years they have been down,” she said.
The motorbike ride started from Bunnings in North Mackay and took most of the back roads to the Kuttabul Hotel for a morning stop and then ending at the Pinnacle Hotel in Pioneer Valley about noon.
At the Pinnacle Hotel, there were raffles and all the riders had lunch together to spark conversation about mental health awareness.
Ms Crowther said anybody who wanted to participate in the ride could register online here or on the day.
“If anyone wants to follow the ride in their car, they are more than welcome,” Mrs Crowther said.
“There is also a new ride starting from Proserpine and they will meet up with the Mackay group at the Kuttabul Hotel and ride on to the Pinnacle.
“They will have their own ride next year.”
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