2025 Tour de Rocks - REGISTRATIONS ARE OPEN!
It is all systems go for the 2025 Tour de Rocks Charity Bike Ride. REGISTRATIONS are NOW OPEN!
The route is similar to this years Ride. But, we have taken your feedback on board and made a few changes. We hope these changes will make it more enjoyable for everyone. It is still a challenge, but we know everyone is up for the challenge. (The revised route is subject to approval from all the relevant Councils, NSW Police and Transport NSW.).
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Day 1 - Armidale to Ebor (97 kms) GOOD NEWS - The grass paddock and hill after Morning Tea are "GONE"! After our first Drinks Stop, we will head to Morning Tea at "Lambing Gully". From there we will head to Lunch at Wongwibinda Hall, before heading via the Old Ebor Rd and Guyra Rd to Ebor. It is still a big day, with plenty of elevation changes and some "little hills". Once again, we will be camping near the Ebor Hotel - just in case you need a cold drink to quench your thirst. Your bikes will be moved to Hernani - ready for Day 2.
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Day 2 - Hernani to "Aberfeldy" - Ulong (78 kms) We will start off the day at Ebor, acknowledging ANZAC Day, and paying our respects, as part of the Ebor ANZAC Dawn Service. We hope that everyone joins us by attending this special service on what is such a special day. We won't be leaving for Hernani until the service is finished. Breakfast will be at Ebor for everyone. We will be transporting all riders, by Bus, from the campsite at Ebor to Hernani for the start of the day. This is to ensure the safety of all riders. For 2025, we are camping on a glorious private property "Aberfeldy" - just out of Ulong. It is magnificent, plenty of space, better facilities and some great water holes to have a dip after a long day on the bike. "Aberfeldy" - Ulong is located just out of the town. You may still want to visit Ulong and the great shops there. You will also be able to have camp fires, in above ground "fire pits"! (Subject to any additional conditions imposed on us closer to the date.). You will need to bring your own firewood and take all rubbish, ashes etc. with you.
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Day 3 - "Aberfeldy" - Ulong to Woolgoolga (84 kms) The last day as we head to the finish line. The day will start with a ride through the beautiful "Aberfeldy" property. Some of the scenery is fantastic. After riding through the property, we will head back to the Eastern Dorrigo Way, a couple of drink stops and then all wait at the Woolgoolga Sports Oval. After re-grouping, everyone will ride in together. We know that the view from the finish in Woolgoolga will be worth it.
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​​There is plenty of Drinks Stops and support, along the route, to make sure everyone is looked after. It is an exciting and challenging route. Remember, the challenge of the ride is nothing compared to what those battling Cancer are going through!​​​
We can't wait to see you all in 2025 for another great adventure.
A message from the Children's Cancer Institute
Please take a few moments to read this message from Children’s Cancer Institute and watch the video.
This is Why We Do What We Do! We won’t stop until a cure is found!
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As we approach the end of 2024, I wanted to thank you for your kind and generous support throughout the year.
This year is particularly significant for the Institute, because it’s 40 years since our laboratories first opened. We were founded by a small group of parents and doctors of kids with cancer who asked themselves: ‘What can we do to make a difference?’
And it’s thanks to kind and caring people like you, who continue to ask this question, that allows us to continue to make great progress towards our vision of curing every child of cancer.
Some of our amazing Researchers and beautiful oncology families have recorded this video to personally pass on their gratitude for helping us in our fight against childhood cancer. Please take a minute out of your day to watch it below.​
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From our first day, it has been about researchers and clinicians working together to improve outcomes for children with cancer. The best illustration of this is the Zero Childhood Cancer Program (ZERO), our national precision medicine program for kids with cancer which we run in partnership with the Kids Cancer Centre at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick.
Over 2,000 children have now been enrolled on ZERO and, in June this year, we published the most recent results that show the precision medicine approach taken by ZERO significantly improves survival in kids with high-risk cancer. In fact, the 2-year progression-free survival of children who received their ZERO-recommended personalised treatment was more than double that of children who received standard therapy.
Put simply, more children are surviving because of ZERO. And more children are alive today thanks to supporters like you.
Because ZERO involves comprehensive genomic profiling of samples from every child enrolled, it's generating massive amounts of data and insights into all childhood cancers, which is driving a large number of research programs, both at our Institute and elsewhere.
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Here are just a few of the many highlights this year that you have made happen:
• Our researchers found that a new-generation drug for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, an aggressive leukaemia that mainly affects children, has 'excellent potency’ as a single agent and in combination with other therapies. Find out more.
• We discovered for the first time that a gene known as RUNX1T1 is essential for the development of neuroblastoma, opening up the possibility of a whole new approach to treating this aggressive childhood cancer. Find out more.
• A $5m grant was awarded to the Institute by ACRF to establish a ground-breaking childhood cancer early detection, prevention and treatment Program. Find out more.
• Associate Professor Paul Ekert and Chelsea Mayoh were featured in The Australian newspaper’s ‘Top 100 Innovators 2024’ list.
This significant progress is moving us towards a future in which every single child will survive their cancer. Where every child will have the opportunity to grow up and grow old. Because, like you, we believe that a life should be long. Kay, that has always been our vision, and I know it’s a vision you share.
On behalf of everyone here at Children’s Cancer Institute, and from all the children and families you are helping, I want to thank you for your support.
I hope you have a wonderful holiday season with friends and family.
Together, I believe we can and we will cure every child of cancer. As we say at the Institute, it’s not if, it’s when.
Warm regards,
Professor Michelle Haber AM
Executive Director
Children’s Cancer Institute
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