Former Gunnedah man Wayne Irwin led the Let’s Beat the Bastard Ride in memory of his much-loved brother Dale who lost his battle with cancer last year.

Despite the rain, about motorcyclists and drivers from around Australia started out from Gunnedah and travelled a 400-kilometre route that took in Narrabri, Wee Waa and Pilliga – the village where Wayne and his brother grew up. 

“Brilliant, despite the weather,” Wayne said.

‘We lost some bikes because of the weather but we gained a couple of extra cars.”

The ride wrapped up with a dinner, raffles and live entertainment from the Budgies at the Gunnedah Services and Bowling Club. Wayne’s daughters, Rebecca Ruhhman, Stacey and Veronica all attended. Rebecca is a Gunnedah girl and took on the role of emcee. 

Wayne said 93 attended lunch at Pilliga Hotel and more than 140 gathered at the bowling club.

“It was a sensational weekend,” he said.

“Pilliga Hotel did a fantastic job for a little pub.”

The former local said a former Boggabri man, Steven Jobson, won a motorcycle in a raffle and donated it back to the cause. 

“Mike Brady did a quick auction and we auctioned it for $1000,” he said.

Wayne said the weekend was “pretty special”.

“There are people now that will be friends forever that I'd never met before [and] old friends I hadn't seen for 30 odd years.

“Being in Pilliga with my daughters and my family was pretty spectacular.”

Wayne said the event exceeded his expectations.

“When I first started, I thought we might get a couple of grand and just before the ride, I thought we might get six grand but to end up with $8800 is pretty special,” he said.

Wayne has already registered the event as a business and said “we'll be back to do it again next year, bigger and better”.