Josh rides for the Royal Flying Doctor Service

By Callum Ludwig

A generous young Upper Yarra resident with a passion for bike riding is putting his pedals to good use this month for a worthy cause.

Josh Dowling has joined the Royal Flying Doctor Service’s Oceans to Outback fundraising campaign this October, where supporters all over the country walk, run and ride to raise money for the crucial service.

Josh said he thinks supporting the RFDS is very important and was something he realised after a trip to central Australia.

“People in remote areas don’t have close access to emergency services or hospitals so the RFDS being able to get out to people in need keeps them alive,” he said.

“I feel really good about the idea that it might help to save a life, the funds raised so far have helped to buy 21 laryngoscopes,”

“(In central Australia), you could be driving on a road and see nothing for kilometres, but there could just be a house in the middle of that and someone lives there, but they might need help and there’s no quick way of doing it.”

At the time of writing, Josh has raised $866 through his efforts and has ridden 44km of his 150km goal. He has now raised enough to pay for 22 laryngoscopes.

Josh said he and his parents negotiated 150km with the thought that it was achievable to ride about 5km a day.

“I’m a bit behind my schedule due to a few things but I’m really keen to reach my goal, getting out riding is showing me new places,” he said.

“I love riding my bike a lot and I try to go riding nearly every day, whether I’m doing a challenge or not,”

“I like riding in my street, with friends and neighbours and sometimes stunt riding or doing jumps we have made.”

Josh has found plenty of places to ride so far, getting rides done close to home, at Lillydale Lake and his longest ride: along the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail from Seville to Yarra Junction which took about two hours.

“I am already thinking about doing it again next year, I would love to see if others would be interested in joining me,” Josh said.

Anyone interested in donating to Josh’s efforts can do so at: oceanstooutback.org.au/fundraisers/joshdowling/oceans-to-outback.