September 11, 2017
Nine motorcyclists and their support vehicle paid a whistlestop visit to the South Burnett on Monday morning as part of an epic 4000km ride from Darwin to Canberra.
The group are participants in the annual Wall To Wall Ride For Remembrance, a charity ride that promotes motorcycle safety and commemorates the service and sacrifice of Australia’s policemen and women.
The ride was established in 2010 and also provides an opportunity to raise much-needed funds for police charity organisations.
When they arrive in Canberra, the riders will join 2000 other serving and former police officers from every State and Territory for a commemoration service at the National Police Memorial on September 16.
As they had just five days left to cover the remaining 1200km between Kingaroy and Canberra, the riders couldn’t stay for much longer than the time it took to eat breakfast at the Utopia Cafe.
The riders told southburnett.com.au the trip from Darwin to Longreach had been fairly drab – long roads without a bend and very little traffic.
But from Longreach to Kingaroy the country had steadily improved, and they were impressed with how pretty the South Burnett looked.
One rider said he had fond memories of Murgon and a bakery he had patronised many years ago.
The group also had two special young riders aboard: Samuel (BJ) Meredith and his mother Amee, who were riding in honour of their late father and husband Brett Meredith.
Brett died in 2010 after being bashed in a Katherine nightclub on New Year’s Eve when he intervened to stop a fight.
He had joined the Northern Territory police in 2008 after 18 years with the NSW police.
The other special pillion passenger on the ride was Bronte Blackwell, who was riding with her father Owen.
