Drive Against Depression Spring Drive Day
Self-care, mindfulness, grounding and self-sacrificing are all terms I’ve been hearing a lot more
lately. It's a patch i'm punching through currently; thankfully with great support.
That’s a heavy way to start my wrap of another excellent drive day with the Drive Against Depression (DAD) team.
As someone who has battled mental health well before I was able to recognise it, putting things in words is comforting. A notion that's not dissimilar to the essence behind a DAD drive day; fostering a safe space for discussions about mental health.
Being involved brings me an inner peace that I struggle to describe.
With 50 cars and a very healthy passenger count, it was an early start out to a vibrant Cook @ Kurnell. Boasting water views and an eclectic setup (the kitchen was in a bus!) there's plenty of seating to take in the sunshine and ocean views.
It was great to see old friends from the last drive and meet new ones over a cup of coffee and a bite to eat.
With full bellies and wide eyes, it was time to hear from our guest speaker, Arrnott Olssen.
I’ve always loved hearing from the guests at these events. It’s a great way to break down the stigma and a wonderful way to both learn about the human and take in different ideas.
Arrnott is a man of many talents, and I was lucky enough to have him as a passenger on the outbound leg of the drive. A vocalist, chef and TV presenter were the highlights many will know and talk about. Underneath he was just another guy and most importantly, a son who shared the grief of losing his mother.
It was a heartfelt tribute that went on to discuss the tools that he used to get back on track.
Arrnott also holds events for men to get together in the form of Menletstalk.
With these thoughts in mind, it was time to point 50 metallic noses south bound. It’s always a kick to drive in convoy; but as lead car for the event, I had the unique opportunity to take in far more cars in the rear-view than I’d ever experience before!
As is always the case at a DAD drive, there is something for everyone. Everything from a gorgeous classic Monaro to a 996 GT3, a Focus ST and a gaggle of MX-5’s. We even had a Tesla that drove up on FSD from Adelaide!
My steed for the day was a Mustang GT. It made for the perfect lead vehicle, with a distinct duality of purpose. It steers well, sounds great and really can’t be missed in its eye-searing metallic orange jacket.
If you live in Sydney and like to drive, there’s a very good chance you’ve driven “The Nasho” at some point. Turning into the Royal National Park at Engadine reveals a two-lane run through a vast array of different scenery.
A favourite amongst motoring enthusiasts of both 2 and 4-wheeled persuasions, it provided a break from Sydney traffic whilst getting some fresh air through both human and automotive air intakes.
Before long we arrived at our first stop; Flying High Cafe at the stunning Bald Hill Lookout.
Any manner of time here is a good thing, with glorious views across the ocean, right down to the commencement of the Seacliff Bridge.
The next leg departed the Nasho on a coastal route through Scarborough and Bulli. I’ll call them cute towns, but the reality is these are thriving communities with plenty of interesting places to stop and take in the view or grab a bite to eat.
The Seacliff Bridge is a sight for sore eyes. Seemingly jutting from the rockface to the right, it runs over the ocean in a picture-perfect set of bends.
A tight convoy made from some beautiful imagery courtesy of the team at Digital Fuel Productions, before we continued to the Illawarra Brewery in Wollongong.
With the sea breeze cooling everyone off on an unseasonably warm spring day, and plenty of chats amongst friends new and old, we soon drew a range of raffle prizes from our partners.
Uniden provided a couple of dashcams to supplement the already generous portable speakers and other items provided to all attendees on the day.
A $150 voucher from Wipertech went to the person who changed a wiper blade fastest at our start point, and Ford Australia gave one lucky winner a Ford of their choice for a week.
Departing up the hill from Wollongong with a full belly and a decidedly full cup was a satisfying feeling indeed.
If you’ve not been on a Drive Against Depression drive day, try and make it happen. It doesn’t matter what you drive, where you’re from, or what may be challenging you.
Just come with a passion for your car and driving it, along with an open mind.
Check out the website below for more details!
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