Tony Pearce training on the Murray River in preparation for his Paddle for Awareness. Photo: Supplied.
A former emergency services worker is preparing for another extraordinary challenge to highlight the mental health challenges faced by those in the emergency services.
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Since 2022, Tony Pearce has pursued this mission both solo and alongside fellow emergency service workers, beginning with ‘Tony’s Trek’ in 2023.
His next adventure, Tony’s Trek 2026 Paddle for Awareness, will see him paddle 2400km along the Murray River, from Bringenbrong, NSW to the mouth of the Murray at Goolwa, South Australia.
The 55-day trek will see him paddling 45 to 50km each day, carrying all his gear and sleeping on the riverbanks along the way.
Mr Pearce said he chose to paddle the Murray River as a way to spark conversations among those who witnessed his journey.
“I believe that if you are going to do these sorts of endurance events, they need to be big enough to challenge you personally and push you to your limits,” he said.
“They also need to be big enough that they cause others to ask you why you would be so stupid to do such a thing.
“That is critical because being asked that question opens the door for me to talk about the mental health situation in our sector, which then raises awareness as well as contributes to breaking down the stigma associated with it.”
Tony Pearce on Mt Hotham during the 2023 Tony’s Trek. Photo: Supplied.
When ‘Tony’s Trek’ first launched, Mr Pearce was Victoria’s Inspector-General for Emergency Management and chair of the Emergency Services Foundation.
With more than 40 years in the sector, he had seen many colleagues and friends struggle with their mental health and so he set out to use his profile to drive change.
‘Tony’s Trek’ raised $240,000, which was then used to run six Residential Wellbeing Pilot Programs for volunteer and paid emergency workers to help support their mental health journeys.
The following year, Tony’s Trek partnered with Side-by-Side Trek to take 26 emergency workers to Nepal to hike to the Mount Everest base camp, raising a further $40,000.
These funds have helped create the ESF’s new Lived Experience Program, set to launch at the Emergency Management Conference in Melbourne on July 29 and 30.
Mr Peace pictured during the hike to the Mt Everest base camp in 2024. Photo: Supplied.
Mr Pearce said the support he had received had gone well beyond his expectations.
“I must admit that Tony’s Trek being so successful that it might become a regular event really wasn’t on my radar,” he said.
“I think that from (2023) it was obvious to me that this was a valued concept and as such I decided to try and keep going with new Tony’s Trek events.
“Victoria has 139,000 active emergency workers across the state ... that means that most of us either have an emergency worker in our family, or know one ... so I also think that has contributed to the support for what I am doing.”
In preparation for the 2026 trek, Mr Pearce is currently in a year-long training phase, walking at least 10km per day daily, paddling his kayak on various rivers and hitting the gym.
He will set off on his journey on April 12, 2026 with the goal of raising $50,000 to fund another Residential Wellbeing Program for eight emergency workers who are currently struggling with their mental health.
Mr Pearce said investing in the mental health of emergency workers was vital for communities.
“We all have an obligation to try and make things better for others,” he said.
“Investing in emergency services mental health is also an investment in community resilience. Without these people who give everything for us in our times of greatest need, the world would be a far different place.
“We need to protect those who protect us, and that is the aim of Tony’s Trek 2026 – Paddle for Awareness.”
To keep up with his progress, follow the Tony’s Trek 2026 Paddle for Awareness Facebook page at tinyurl.com/yv9rsks9
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