From dune to dune, man runs 380km across Simpson Desert for mental health
After more than three days of running almost non-stop, the 26-year-old from Traralgon, Victoria had finally completed his run across the Simpson Desert.
Readers are advised that this story contains references to suicide.
To some watching, it might have looked like the final strides of an ordinary race.
In truth, it was the end of a 380-kilometre odyssey across the Simpson Desert.
For Mr Bourne, the finish line was more than the end of a physical challenge. It marked the closing of a chapter that began in August 2021, the night he tried to take his own life.
"And now that the run is complete, it has all disappeared."
Years of battling mental health issues led Mr Bourne to that point.
"I was on antidepressants from 11 till 18 and then back on it when I was 22 when I was back in the hospital," he said.
But despite all of the medicines he tried, nothing seemed to work.
"If anything, [the medication] made it worse," Mr Bourne said.
But after the night he attempted suicide, he decided he needed to find a way forward.
"The pain on the faces of the people I love most when I came out of hospital is a memory I will never forget," Mr Bourne said.
Inspired by a story about a woman who had run across the South Australian desert in 2012, he set himself a goal: to run across the vast expanse of the Simpson Desert himself.
One of Australia's most unforgiving landscapes, the desert has 1,100 parallel red sand dunes.
While training for the run, Mr Bourne realised there was a bigger goal beyond his personal aims.
"I've had mates and those around me, people they love, lost to suicide and I realised it was more than me and my immediate circle," he said.
He decided to use his run to raise funds through the Speak and Share organisation.
"They give practical solutions to those suffering so they can manage their own mental health, and I think that's so important," Mr Bourne said.
Mr Bourne's journey stretched across endless red sand dunes, salt pans and dry creek beds through South Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory.
He completed the run in three days, 17 hours and 40 minutes, about nine hours short of the world record.
But this wasn't his first attempt.
In 2022, Mr Bourne set out to cross the desert.
But 203km in, injured and exhausted, the run was cut short and when he returned to Traralgon, he was unable to stop thinking about his abandoned pursuit.
"I went to the gym and ran 177km on the treadmill, just to prove to myself that I could do it," he said.
Lessons from the first attempt were incorporated into this year's run.
"It was like 35 degrees the first day and then even at night it didn't get below 28 [degrees]," he said.
Mr Bourne carried a hydration vest with enough food and water for an hour and a half at a time, refilled by his lead support vehicle when he needed.
At night he had icepacks on hand to deal with inflammation.
For runners, the Simpson Desert presents a challenge like no other, with its 176,500 square kilometres of endless sand and no shelter from the elements.
"I said that to my support crew before the run as well … there is absolutely no reason to stop this run, unless I physically can not move," Mr Bourne said.
In the final 40km of the run, the fatigue and lack of sleep started to hit Mr Bourne hard.
"I sort of hit a wall and stumbled through the next 10km," he said.
After a 10-minute power nap, he was ready to go again.
"I felt like I was flying when I was running that last section," he said.
Everything after that was a blur.
Mr Bourne hugged the first person he saw, a stranger who turned out to be a Birdsville local who had been inspired by the young man's effort.
"I have no idea who he was," Mr Bourne laughed.
Mr Bourne's body was shutting down, his brain only knew one thing — he had done it.
"And now that I have ticked it off I can leave that chapter behind, left out in the desert for sure."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
13 hours ago
- News.com.au
Inside new Mickleham home built to fight children's cancer
A brand-new house in Melbourne's north will be auctioned next month to raise funds for the My Room Children's Cancer Charity. The five-bedroom home at 36 Pasilla Circuit, Mickleham, was built by Henley Homes on a 412sq m land block donated by the Satterley Property Group. The 2025 Home for a Cure has been listed with $950,000-$1m price expectations. All proceeds from its sale will go towards My Room's efforts to help fund critical clinical care, family support services and research into rare and aggressive childhood cancers. The double-storey house features a kitchen fitted with 900mm stainless steel appliances, stone benchtops and a butler's pantry. A double-height void lets plenty of natural light in to the open-plan dining and living areas where sliding doors open to a covered outdoor space and large backyard. Upstairs, the main bedroom is equipped with a walk-in wardrobe and ensuite with a double vanity and separate toilet. Downstairs, three other bedrooms each have their own ensuite while the guest suite comes with a walk-in wardrobe and private ensuite. The house, modelled on a design from Henley's Mainvue Collection, boasts a 7-star energy rating thanks to its double-glazed windows and energy-efficient appliances. The abode is located in Satterley's Botanical estate where more than 30ha of open spaces, a shopping village and sports oval are planned to be built in the future. The Mickleham house is the third time Henley Homes and Satterley have collaborated for the Home for a Cure campaign. Satterley Property Group has partnered with Home For A Cure since 2018, donating eight land lots for homes to be built upon. My Room's chief executive Margaret Zita said no. 36 Pasilla Circuit 'represents the power of community to make a real difference'. 'Every dollar raised from its auction will help us provide essential support to families facing the unimaginable,' Ms Zita said. 'That includes emotional counselling, financial relief, clinical care roles and world-leading research.' Henley Homes's general manager of completed homes Ben Griffiths said the Home for a Cure was one of the most meaningful projects the company was involved in. 'From the entire Henley team, we give a huge shout out to the volunteer trades and suppliers who have donated their time and resources in making this amazing build a reality,' he added. Satterley's Victoria and Queensland general manager Jack Hoffman said the Home for a Cure initiative brought out the best in the industry. 'We are incredibly proud to contribute land for such an important cause and look forward to seeing strong interest at the open for inspections,' Mr Hoffman said. The house will be auctioned at 11am on September 6. Barry Plant Craigieburn's Romi Sleiman is managing the sales campaign.
News.com.au
13 hours ago
- News.com.au
Is soup actually a remedy to sickness?
Welcome to Ask Doctor Zac, a weekly column from This week, Dr Zac Turner explores if soup is a great remedy for illness. QUESTION: Hey Dr Zac, everyone says soup is the best thing when you're sick – but is there real science behind it? Do ingredients like garlic, bone broth and ginger actually help immunity, or are we just comfort-eating in disguise? And as a doctor – what would your recipe for a perfect soup look like. One that is so packed full of goodness it would tick lots of health and nutrition boxes? – Luke, 36, Bendigo VIC ANSWER: G'day Luke! Great question – absolutely everyone turns to soup when feeling c**p, but is it just nostalgic comfort … or is something deeper going on? Let's dig into some of the ingredients you talked about. • Garlic Yes, the mighty garlic has some legitimate science backing it. Its compound allicin (the one that makes you smell like a vampire slayer) can boost key white blood cell activity against bugs like cold and flu viruses – even evidence suggesting it might cut your chance of getting a sniffle by two-thirds compared to placebo. A Cochrane review, however, cautions that evidence is scant – only one decent trial supports it – so we can't hang our stethoscopes on it just yet. But it's tasty, so why not? • Ginger This zesty root packs a soothing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant punch – studies point to benefits for digestion, nausea, and potential immune support. It's not magic, but ginger in your soup may help dial down inflammation and give your tummy a break. • Bone broth Ah, bone broth – trend-alert! The hype is real, but so is the scepticism. It's loaded with amino acids like glutamine, glycine, proline – key for gut lining repair – and minerals including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc, all essential for a healthy immune response and intestinal barrier integrity. That said, strong human clinical trials specifically on bone broth … are pretty thin on the ground. And there's that tiny risk of heavy metals leaching from long-simmered bones, but worth sourcing wisely. So yes, there is science, but also – some hyperbole. Soup isn't a cure, but it is a comforting, nourishing ally your body will thank you for. Dr Zac's 'daily-super-soup' recipe Here's how I'd construct the perfect immune-boosting, gut-loving, comfort bomb: 1. Rich chicken bone broth base, simmered gently with a splash of vinegar to help pull out nutrients – loaded with glutamine, glycine, proline and trace minerals for gut health and inflammation control. 2. Crushed garlic, pressed and rested 10 minutes before cooking to preserve the allicin that helps immune cells fight viruses. 3. Fresh ginger slices, for that anti-nausea and anti-inflammatory zing. 4. Veggie and herb boost – onion, carrot, celery, kale or spinach – for extra vitamins and antioxidants. These likely play a major role in viral battles, maybe more than the bones themselves. 5. Optional extras: a squeeze of lemon for vitamin C, a pinch of turmeric for added anti-inflammatory action (friendly, but still mild enough for daily love). Simmer until fragrant, ladle into a mug, and sip when sniffly – or any time, because life's too short for boring soup. Stay warm, Luke, and drink up – better days are bowl-by-bowl closer. Cheering you to health, Dr Zac Dr Zac Turner is a medical practitioner specialising in preventative health and wellness. He has four health/medical degrees – Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery at the University of Sydney, Bachelor of Nursing at Central Queensland University, and Bachelor of Biomedical Science at the University of the Sunshine Coast. He is a registrar for the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, and is completing a PhD in Biomedical Engineering (UNSW). Dr Zac is the medical director for his own holistic wellness medical clinics throughout Australia, Concierge Doctors.
News.com.au
15 hours ago
- News.com.au
‘Absolute trauma': Family of 28yo Aussie woman issue plea in rare cancer fight
An Australian woman has nearly exhausted all avenues in the search for a true diagnosis of a seemingly rare cancer, with her family now looking overseas in hopes of saving the 28-year-old. Janine Aqil has been diagnosed with stage four cancer, but her family say her doctors are unclear on the original source of the tumours and suspect it is a rare form of gene fusion cancer. 'She had countless rounds of chemo but didn't positively respond to it,' her husband Arsalan Aqil told NewsWire. 'Her oncologist said it's a fusion between two genes (FUS and CREN). 'This is her third diagnosis. They first thought it's a bowel cancer, then bile duct cancer, now after more in-depth findings they say it's an unidentified type of gene fusion cancer, which has spread into her liver. 'They need to do more research and study to find out the clues.' Mrs Aqil's family say the cancer was discovered by a routine blood test, though further tests proved inconclusive before a liver biopsy finally unearthed cancerous cells. The NSW woman has given up studying to be a teacher's aide. Her husband has stopped working to be his wife's full-time carer, and he himself has been hospitalised 11 times with extreme panic attacks. 'We are going through an absolute trauma,' Mr Aqil said. He says after his wife's disability payments cover the rent, not much is left even for food, let alone travelling to medical appointments. 'We have several upcoming appointments with different surgeons regarding a possible surgery, but it's not guaranteed as they have never dealt with this type of case before in Australia,' he said. 'All the surgeons want to have consensus and be very sure before going ahead with the surgery, as any error or inaccuracy could be life-threatening. 'We as a family have decided to take my wife overseas for treatment if nothing works out here.' The couple have sunk into $25,000 of debt and are surviving on food parcels from local charities. They are now trying to fund a last-ditch trip to the US for more advanced diagnostic attempts, with a rough goal of raising $100,000. Earlier fundraising efforts by Mrs Aqil's mother raised $11,000. A 2016 study looking at tumours and gene fusions says the prevalence of gene fusions varies widely between cancer types. Gene fusions occur in and frequently drive 90 per cent of all lymphomas, more than half of leukemias, and one-third of soft tissue tumours, a study published in Nucleic Acids Research says. In prostate cancer, one specific fusion is the most common genetic alteration, being found in over 50 per cent of patients. However, many recurrent gene fusions occur at low frequencies, such as one specific fusion which is present in 1-2 per cent of lung adenocarcinomas. Fusion genes are created when one part of the DNA from a chromosome moves to another chromosome. Proteins created by this change may lead to the development of some types of cancer, the US National Cancer Institute says.
