Velorats ride raises nearly $35,000 for local healthcare

The Velorats cycling team has raised just shy of $35,000 through this year’s Murray to Moyne Cycle Relay, continuing their strong partnership with the Rotary Club of Ballarat West in support of local healthcare.

Now in their fourth consecutive year fundraising for Grampians Health Ballarat, the Velorats have built a reputation for backing projects that deliver real, local impact.

This year, funds raised will support the purchase of a dedicated Home Dialysis vehicle, an essential resource that will expand access to life-sustaining treatment for patients across the region.

Velorats Captain Ross Huntington said completing this year’s ride reminded the team why they continue to get involved.

“There’s nothing quite like the Murray to Moyne,” Mr Huntington said. “Riding over 500 kilometres as a team, through the day and night, really puts into perspective what people in our community are going through.”

“You feel the fatigue, the elements and the distance but you also feel the support the whole way along. That’s what sticks with you. Knowing every kilometre ridden helps fund something that will directly support patients back home makes it all worthwhile.”

The Murray to Moyne Cycle Relay sees teams ride from Echuca to Port Fairy via Stawell and Hamilton, raising funds for health services and community projects across regional Victoria.

Shaun Finlayson, Nurse Unit Manager – Home Dialysis at Grampians Health Ballarat, said the impact of this year’s fundraising will be felt directly by patients receiving care at home.

“A dedicated home dialysis vehicle will allow our team to provide more timely and flexible support to patients across a large regional catchment,” Mr Finlayson said.

“It means we can deliver training, equipment and urgent assistance when it’s needed, helping patients safely manage their treatment at home. That kind of support improves independence and reduces hospital visits whilst making a real difference to quality of life.”

The dedicated Home Dialysis vehicle will support clinicians to deliver training, equipment and in-home care more efficiently, improving access for patients managing chronic kidney disease.

With this year’s contribution, the team have raised nearly $200,000 for Grampians Health Ballarat, funding vital projects outside of government funding. In 2025 their efforts funded a Microwave Ablation device for the Radiology Department at Ballarat Base Hospital, giving patients access to minimally invasive renal cancer treatment closer to home and reducing the need to travel to Melbourne.