THE wheels are turning again for the sometimes-cyclists who turn out each year - when not interrupted by COVID - to ride for a week raising funds for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

Sixty four people left Tamworth this morning to head to their starting point in Dubbo. They have come from all over NSW to take part in the 2022 Alive and Well on Farms Westpac Chopper Ride.

The ride will take them approximately 500 kilometres as they circle back to Tamworth, with overnight stops in Gilgandra, Coonamble, Baradine, Coonabarabran and Gunnedah.

One of the riders is former Baradine resident Cathy Purdy, who started on the ride in 2013.

"It was after I'd lost my husband and I'd heard about the ride from my uncle who used to take part. I started training as I needed to be doing something," Cathy said. "I didn't know a soul but I met all these beautiful people. I blame the chopper ride for being here in Tamworth now."

Cathy has only missed two rides since then and one of the people she met on that first ride was her future husband, Graeme Macpherson.

The two were married in April this year and will both be back in the saddle during the eight day cycle tour.

Cathy and Graeme on an earlier ride.

Although injury is preventing her full participating, Cathy is particularly looking forward to this year's ride as the route will take them through her home territory, including an overnight stay at Camp Cypress in Baradine.

"I've picked the best weather for my leg of the ride," said Cathy. "I've been so excited. I lived all my life in Baradine before I moved to Tamworth and it'll be great to be back there with the ride."

Saturday will see the riders enjoying a day ride in Dubbo before they hit the road on Sunday for the ride to Gilgandra.

Costumes are all part of the fun, with entrants searching out durable and bike-friendly outfits to fit this year's theme of Heroes & Villains.

Certain days also require special dress, such as Undie Mundy.

"You can imagine what sort of undies come out on Monday," says Cathy. "And then it's Tutu Tuesday."

Look out! Undie Mondy will be coming to a road near you (Gilgandra - Armatree - Gular - Coonamble). PHOTO: Cathy Purdy

From Gilgandra, they will make their way via Armatree to Coonamble for an overnight stay at the Terminus Hotel on Monday night.

With an unwavering focus on safety, the ride avoids the highways and takes the back tracks, which could be challenging in some areas this week after more falls of rain on Thursday 8 September.

The touring group includes a full support crew including safety vehicles, bike trailers, catering crew and a very experienced team of Riders who guide and support each other throughout the eight day, seven night trip around the wild west.

A rest in the shade for chopper riders on a previous trip. PHOTO: Cathy Purdy.

Tuesday will see the tutus head towards Baradine via Wooleybah, gathering at the Baradine Bowling Club for a debrief and the usual fundraising fun with the locals.

All the riders pay to enter the ride, with their fees also covering accommodation and meals. To qualify each entrant needs to raise a minimum of $500 in pre-race sponsorship commitments.

"As you can imagine, some people raise way beyond that and others only just make it," says Cathy. "We do take sponsorship and donations on the ride as well. We take along a couple of really good eskies to raffle along the way."

"We usually raise about $100,000 from each ride," she said.

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter’s annual fundraising challenge is to raise over $12M to keep its three bases in Newcastle, Tamworth and Lismore ready to respond 24-7 to those in need.

As a NSW Health Doctor, Dr Rob Bartolacci is part of the Helicopter Critical Care Medical Team who travels with the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter team in action. Dr Rob on the right. IMAGE: https://rescuehelicopter.com.au/

"Over the past two years, I have witnessed the amazing resilience of our Northern NSW communities as they faced drought, bushfires, the COVID pandemic and most recently, tragic flooding," Dr Rob said. "In the first 4 months of 2021 across our three bases at Newcastle, Tamworth and Lismore we have flown well over 500 missions."

The service was established in 1975 and Dr Rob says that it is through donations and sponsorship that the helicopters are so well equipped for emergency medical retrievals and inter-hospital transfers across the north of the state.

"We can give an anaesthetic, provide pain relief, give a blood transfusion, we can assist someone’s breathing or support their heart. We can even re-start their heart. All this happens in major hospitals every day, the difference is we do it in the air…", he said.

"While natural disasters and medical emergencies can occur without notice, the most common response we receive from patients is “I never thought I’d need the Rescue Helicopter”. 

One of the choppers arrive during the drought. IMAGE: https://rescuehelicopter.com.au/

After stays in Coonabarabran and Gunnedah, the Ride for a Chopper crew will make the final leg back to the Tamworth Helicopter Base on Friday 16 September.