Grafton one stop in 5500km journey

Helmut using pedal power to get clean water in Kenya

RIDING FOR CHANGE: Helmut Meyer, from Germany, rode through Maclean and Grafton on a 5500km ride to raise money for clean water projects in Africa. Picture: Jarrard Potter

TRAVELLING thousands of kilometres to help raise money for clean drinking water in Kenya, cyclist Helmut Meyer is on a mission to inspire.

Stopping into Maclean and Grafton this week, the rider from a small village near Bersenbrück in Germany has travelled more than 5000km on his latest fundraising trip to Australia.

This is the third charity bike ride the 51-year-old has taken part in, after covering 8721km in 83 days in 2015 around Australia, before circumnavigating the Baltic in 2017, covering 7875km.

Mr Meyer has been a regular visitor to Australia after first arriving in the country in 2004, where in Coober Pedy he caught opal fever, and returned seven times over the years to try his hand at mining opals in Lightning Ridge.

This year, Mr Meyer started his journey in Sydney on August 19, before travelling to Melbourne and along the Great Ocean Road before returning north to Queensland and back down the east coast of Australia.

"We all have the possibility to make the world a better place, and I think the secret to happiness is in making other people happy," Mr Meyer said.

Mr Meyer said he has been working for the Umunumo circle of friends for 15 years raising money for water projects in Africa.

Originally published as Grafton one stop in 5500km journey