Bourne’s conquered path recognised By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT   THE youngest man to run the Simpson Desert was deservedly named Latrobe City Citizen of the Year. Blake Bourne has done so much, in such a short amount of time, for the many out there who feel like all hope is lost. The 26-year-old was acknowledged for his outstanding mental health advocacy as the Citizen of the Year at the 2026 Latrobe City Australia Day Awards. In receiving the honour, Mr Bourne wished to push the attention away from himself and toward what has, and is still needed, to be done. “I think it was more just grateful that the work that we’re going is starting to get recognised,” he told the Express. “It’s not so much about me, but a reflection of the impact that we’ve been able to make. “Yes, a lot of what has happened over the last couple of years has started from me, but we wouldn’t have been able to make anywhere near the change or the impact we have if others didn’t get involved and hep support me along the way.” After a severe battle with depression in 2021, Mr Bourne set out an audacious goal for himself three years ago – to become the fastest to trek the Simpson Desert. After a few set-backs, in his second attempt, he completed the feat, and while not breaking the record set by ultra-marathon runner and former politician Pat Farmer, the Traralgon local still became the youngest to cross the 380-kilometre behemoth of a mission. Mr Bourne done so in three days, 17 hours, and 40 minutes. Looking back nearly six month later, he described the accomplishment as “a huge weight off my shoulders.” “Now that I’ve done it and ticked it off and did what I said I was going to do, now I’ve set that bar and that’s the standard moving forward,” he said. Standouts: Latrobe City Citizen of the Year 2026, Blake Bourne alongside 2025 Latrobe City Citizen of the Year, Mathias Wood. Photograph: Blake Metcalf-Holt Over the course of 2025, and in the lead-up to his historic run, Mr Bourne raised more than $40,000 for mental health charity Speak and Share, while also hosting community events such as Sip and Dip and The Uncomfortable Challenge. His contributions to Speak and Share pushed funding for more mental supports and workshops, catering some 1500 students to open dialogue around wellbeing and self-care. The Uncomfortable Challenge initiative was also a huge success, attracting more than 100 people to take part during the month of July, accepting and overcoming their personal vulnerabilities. Mr Bourne completed some strange and demanding objectives, such as walking for 24 hours straight and recently finishing a marathon in crocs. Pushing to expand The Uncomfortable Challenge across the country, Mr Bourne’s new goal is to see at least a thousand participants this year. All of these things have made him a true trendsetter in this mental health space. “There’s definitely been people that have reached out to me and said that I’ve inspired them, so in that respect, I guess (I’m an influence),” Mr Bourne said. “But, I think I more so see myself as a beacon of hope for those that are struggling can look and see if this average bloke from Traralgon can overcome these things then they probably can too.” Mr Bourne has more ventures on the horizon, with his next announcement set to be equally as impressive.

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Latrobe City honours local award winners STAFF WRITERS   LATROBE City Council has congratulated recipients of the 2026 Latrobe City Australia Day Awards. The awards recognise the selfless acts of Latrobe City locals who make Latrobe City a great place to live, work and play. Latrobe City Mayor, Sharon Gibson said award winners were all outstanding local citizens. “What a delight it is to celebrate all winners and nominees of the 2026 Latrobe City Australia Day Awards,” she said. “Every moment they’ve given has helped make Latrobe City the great place we know it is. Recognising them on this special day inspires me, and I’m sure many others, to give back and support our community.” Awards for the following categories were announced during a ceremony at the Gippsland Performing Arts Centre. (Feature stories on the winners will appear in future issues of the Express, along with local OAM recipients).   Community Service of the Year – Willow House Community Support (Paid Forward Program) WILLOW House Community Support Ltd is a grassroots volunteer-run organisation based in Newborough, dedicated to supporting individuals and families facing hardship.   Community Event of the Year – Traralgon Community Christmas Parade, Market and Grottos THE parade market and grottos event combines the spectacle of the parade, the fun of the Grottos and the festive stalls of the market to celebrate the joys of Christmas. The event is a combined effort from various local community groups working together.   Young Citizen of the Year – Emily Sutton EMILY has been part of the GippSport team for two years and is a member of the Changing Gippsland’s Game network, contributing to the promotion of gender equality in sport and recreation.   Senior Citizen of the Year – Jeffrey Sawyer JEFFREY is a dedicated and community-focused professional with more than 50 year’s experience across the energy, transport, youth services, and waste management sectors. Jeffery is well-known for his commitment to volunteering throughout the Latrobe City community.   Citizen of the Year – Blake Bourne LAST year, Blake became the youngest person to run 380 kilometres across the Simpson Desert, to advocate for mental health awareness. He raised more than $30,000 for mental health charity Speak and Share.

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Youngest to ever conquer the Simpson By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT   THROUGH heavy terrain, across three long days, an unbridled desire to see out a historic goal came true. Traralgon’s Blake Bourne became the youngest person ever to run across the Simpson Desert, mounting 380 kilometres along the red sand plains and dunes for a cause close to his heart. Adding to the fact he made history, over $30,000 was also raised for mental health charity Speak and Share during the course of his journey. While Bourne had his sights solely on setting the new world record, he ultimately had to make do with second best, finishing it still in a ridiculous time of three days, 17 hours, and 40 minutes. Traversing through taxing conditions (to the say the least) alongside a group of friends and family as his support team, he pushed through to the finish line in the remote town of Birdsville, Queensland. Pushing his body to the absolute limit, Bourne fought through illness, physical torture, and years of devotion to arrive at this exact moment. “Physically I felt strong the whole time, but fatigue definitely did start to set in towards the end,” he told the Express. Each step, every ounce of sweat, the mental fortitude, and the time taken to train for this mammoth mission began well before he took off on this running odyssey. The 26-year-old tasked himself with this all the way back in 2021. After years batting depression, he arrived out of the hospital with his head cleared for what he could do not only for himself, but to raise awareness. As a younger man, Bourne turned to boxing in his times of struggle, but in this latest crossroad, he looked to an objective otherwise viewed by many as crazy. “I was able to rely on (boxing) for about 10 years, and then had fallen out of love with the sport and I just needed something,” he said. “At the time, I didn’t really have anything and I read about someone who had run across the Simpson Desert and it was a simple as that.” That person was ultra-marathon runner and former politician Pat Farmer, who traversed the intersection of Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory nine hours and four minutes quicker than Bourne in three days, eight hours, and 36 minutes. The Traralgon local originally mounted his first attempt in 2023, and due to a range of setbacks including a torn calf during the build-up to the run, Bourne still managed 203.2km across a little over two days. “I was gutted because I knew that I had more in me when it was called off,” he said. To prove to himself, Bourne ran the remaining 177km on a treadmill, reinforcing his beliefs, if only marginally. Plenty to be happy about: During the course of his journey from training to crossing the finish line, he raised over $30,000 for mental health charity Speak and Share. Photographs: Jadyn Lam After a lengthy period of recovery in the wake of his disappointment, Bourne recommenced his journey back to the top of the mountain. “I had a few injuries, so I spent most of last year just getting on top of those (and) got the all clear from the sports doctor in December last year to start running again,” he said. “I started doing 30 minutes on, 10 seconds off, 30 seconds on, 10 minutes off, and just gradually (kept) building it up.” From the latter stages of last year through to July, Bourne readied for his second go round. Learning lessons from his first attempt, admittedly not going as hard as before, with his previous training runs including back-to-back days of 80km. In his latest, he still needed to gets the kays in, but dropped back the total running load significantly to keep himself as fresh as possible. “I wasn’t as fit as I was the first time, but I wasn’t as fatigued or sore, so I was able to get there with my legs and body feeling pretty fresh,” Bourne said. Taking off from the Alka Seltzer Bore in South Australia, and after a strong start, he developed gastro 50km in, making it an even more difficult effort as he dealt with stomach issues through to around the 300km mark. Bourne wore a hydration vest throughout his run, allowing him food and water for an hour and a half at a time, while also being treated in other ways by his support team. Learning from his last run, he increased his carbohydrates intake, giving him further energy to see him through. The plan was to have powernaps of 10 minutes every two hours, and then slowly increasing by five minutes throughout, but those periods would quickly be used up for massages and strapping. He estimated that he got around two hours sleep across the three-and-a-half days. Bourne dealt with polar opposite weather conditions as it switched from day to night, going from north of 30 degrees and then plummeting into the negatives once it got dark. “During the day, I was running at a good pace, but when it come around to night time and it got sort of -1, -2 degrees and the muscles just cramped up and got tight, which wasn’t even so much that it was painful, it was just that my legs just wouldn’t move,” he said. By the time Bourne knew he’d done it, emotions understandably poured out, embracing those who’d been there with him in the thick of it and even hugging people he didn’t know. In reflecting on his four-year voyage, he’s grateful for what he’s been able to achieve and for the people who’ve supported along the way. During his first attempt, Bourne launched ‘The Uncomfortable Challenge’, allowing those in the community to test their limits in any way they could. For each week of the month of July, people were tasked with doing one thing outside of their comfort zone in an effort to spark meaningful change around mental health by kick starting those uncomfortable conversations. Bourne had 40 members of the public take part in 2025, while many businesses, families and friends got involved also. “I’m very grateful for the partners and those involved who helped make the run possible, and then the community and everyone who’s supported my efforts so far as well,” he said. Bourne will now let the body rest, completing what was four years in the making, but may look ahead to future initiatives in the next few years. His fundraiser for Speak and Share helps cover the cost of one student (for every $20 donated) to participate in a mental health workshop, meaning that Bourne has helped more than 1500 young people. You can still donated to Bourne’s cause at www.blakesbigredrun.com

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From dune to dune, man runs 380km to beat mental health struggles After surviving his lowest point, 26-year-old Blake Bourne runs across the Simpson Desert, turning pain into purpose to raise awareness of mental health.

From dune to dune, man runs 380km to beat mental health struggles #simpsondesert #blakebourne #SpeakandShare

Bourne set to tackle the desert again By TOM HAYES   TWO years after attempting to break the record to become the fastest person to cross the Simpson Desert on foot, Traralgon’s Blake Bourne will be out to try again this winter. Across a four-day period in August 2023, Bourne made his first attempt at running the 380 kilometres in less than three days and eight hours, in an attempt to break the current record set by Pat Farmer (379 kilometres in three days, eight hours and 36 minutes) in 1998. Unfortunately for Bourne, it wasn’t to be at the time, running 203.2km in 53.5 hours (two days, five hours and 33 minutes). But despite the disappointment, Bourne took much away from that experience. Going into the run, he was faced with a number of physical challenges, as injuries stunted his ability to train in the lead-up to the world record attempt. During training, he suffered a torn hip labrum, hip bursitis, bone stress in the femoral neck, a torn calf, and two weeks before the run he tore both of his patella tendons, to which he said “leading into the run the most I’d ran was probably about 10 kilometres”. Despite the pain and failed attempt, the effort was incredible, and on top of that he raised more than $21,000 for charity. Since the day he stopped running in the Simpson Desert, Bourne has continued to strive towards a second attempt, which he will endure once again this August. “I learnt a lot through my efforts last time, and this time around I’m changing things up,” he said. “I’ll have with me two to three support vehicles to ensure I’m able to run the entire thing non-stop, whilst also having the appropriate personnel required, and carrying food and water.” The objective remains the same: run 380km across the Simpson Desert in less than three days and eight hours. And once again he will be raising money for a great cause, with an extended focus on the fundraising front. “Through this run, my aim is to spark meaningful conversations around mental health and raise much-needed funds for suicide prevention, with all money raised going directly towards Speak & Share, with the goal of raising upwards of $38,000, which represents $100 for every kilometre run,” Bourne told the Express. “In the lead up to my run across the Simpson Desert, to help assist with fundraising efforts I will be hosting a community fundraising initiative with prizes for those who take part, such as a family pass to Luna Park. “The challenge is called ‘The Uncomfortable Challenge’, and each week people will set their own uncomfortable challenge.” Throughout this challenge, participants can set and complete their own uncomfortable challenge and fundraising target, with every $10 raised counting as one entry into the giveaway. On his socials, Bourne has showcased a plethora of uncomfortable challenges, recently undertaking amusing challenges such as sorting skittles with chopsticks, standing in a lake overnight, and doing 1000 steps for every degree (Celsius) which saw him walk over 200,000 steps in a week. Much has changed since preparation for the first run, and Bourne’s body appears to be in much better nick now compared to two years ago. “Given I was significantly injured a couple of years ago, my body’s feeling a lot better,” he said. “Definitely not running as long as I was. (I’m) doing a lot more strength training (and) focusing a lot more on strength training than I was previously.” Speak & Share is described as “a not-for-profit mental health organisation who encourages the tough conversations and challenges the stigma associated with mental health”. Bourne’s passion for mental health awareness was sparked by his own personal experience, which he told the Express in 2023. “I’ve been through a few mental health battles myself,” he said two years ago. “I’ve seen mates go through the same thing and watched mates lose people to suicide. “The impact and seeing how it affects their lives, I don’t want anyone else to go through that pain, so I’m doing this to hopefully spark some change and bring those (suicide) numbers back down.” Keep an eye on Bourne’s Instagram (@blakexbourne) for updates regarding the run and his preparation, as well as his uncomfortable challenges. For more information about Blake’s Big Red Run, ‘The Uncomfortable Challenge’, and to donate, visit: blakesbigredrun.com

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