CORNER Inlet district businesses are backing South Gippsland Hospital’s Moovers team at this year’s Woody’s Murray to Moyne Cycle Relay on Saturday and Sunday, April 5 and 6, 2025.
Foster Service Centre, Foster Tyre Power, Qube Energy, Evans Petroleum, Foster Cellarbrations, Johnoelec, and the Foster RSL are all major sponsors with donations ranging from $1000 to $3000.
This is the third year in a row that the team members will be wearing the set of smart red, black and white cycling jerseys and vests the Foster Service Centre supplied to them in 2023.
Foster Service Centre proprietor Clint Hilder said that he and his wife Hannah and their staff were proud to continue their association with the SGH Moovers.
“It’s great being able to help this team of dedicated cyclists with their ongoing efforts to raise funds for the South Gippsland Hospital,” he said.
Evans Petroleum wholesale and distribution sales manager John Schelling said the fuel supply company was also glad to assist the SGH Moovers again.
“The hospital really is such an important part of our local community, and we’re happy to get behind such a worthy cause,” he said.
The Murray to Moyne is a charity ride that begins from either Mildura or Echuca on the Murray River in northern Victoria and finishes in Port Fairy at the mouth of the Moyne River on the State’s southwest coast.
The event was founded by the late Graham “Woody” Woodrup, a competitive cyclist from Port Fairy who set many long-distance records during his career, such as the Perth to Sydney, and the world 24-hour tandem.
Woody and his wife, Hester organised the first Murray to Moyne Cycle Relay in 1987 to raise funds for hospitals, health services and health-related charities, and this year will see the 37th iteration of an activity that has generated some $20 million to date.
The SGH Moovers have taken part in the Murray to Moyne every year since 2011, and last year the cyclists raised nearly $20,000 for the South Gippsland Hospital.
This year the SGH Moovers team consists of nearly 20 cyclists led by team captain Mick Manassa, together with a support crew of half a dozen or so.
“Even though training for the Murray to Moyne is hard work, we all have a lot of fun on our rides and while having a coffee together afterwards, because it’s as much as a social thing as it is about working towards a common goal,” he said
The team includes South Gippsland Hospital staff and volunteers, Foster Medical Centre representatives, and members of the Corner Inlet district community.
The SGH Moovers will divide into smaller teams of four or five cyclists, who will take turns to cover a total of 520 kilometres in two days.
They will leave Echuca first thing on Saturday morning, with each team cycling for an hour and resting for two hours, before arriving at Hamilton soon after midnight, where all of the riders will have the chance to sleep until daybreak.
Then the whole team will set off from Hamilton early on Sunday morning to ride the final 95 kilometres to Port Fairy together.
South Gippsland Hospital chief executive officer Paul Greenhalgh said both the Hospital and the SGH Moovers appreciated the generosity of all sponsors, large and small.
“Even though the event is just around the corner, the SGH Moovers are keen to hear from any other local district and Gippsland regional businesses, corporations and community groups as well as individuals who would also like to be part of this major fundraising campaign.”
“We will spend the proceeds from this year’s Murray to Moyne on the Acute Ward upgrades. A bequest from the late Mr Jeffrey Cox covers the project for the most part, however we need a bit more to ensure the rooms get a full makeover” he said.
“We are so grateful for the staff and volunteers riding for SGH to raise money once again, and we’d like to thank previous, current and potential sponsors for getting behind this year’s SGH Moovers team.”
For more information about the South Gippsland Hospital and the SGH Moovers’ 2025 Murray to Moyne team relay, and how to become a sponsor or make a donation, contact SGH CEO Paul Greenhalgh on 0427 093 058 or see southgippslandhospital.com.au.
