17 February 2026

Why Tour de Cure’s Canberra to Hobart ride is mobilising Australia’s media industry around cancer prevention

In March 2026, riders will take on one of Australia’s toughest endurance challenges as part of Tour de Cure’s Signature Tour, a 10-day event featuring nine days of cycling from Canberra to Hobart.

For some participants, the challenge begins even earlier. Louder founder Andrew Hughes will ride from Sydney to Canberra ahead of the official start, extending an already demanding journey to help amplify the cause and its message.

“After 10 years of Louder, I took the opportunity to invest my efforts into charities focused on the health issues that most affect Australians: dementia, cancer and heart disease,” said Hughes. “These conditions will, unfortunately, touch all of us, our families or our friends, and I want to contribute not just through fundraising, but by helping drive awareness and prevention.”

Supporters can donate to Tour de Cure to back Hughes’ ride and help fund cancer research, prevention and support programs. He has already raised nearly $25,000 since 2025 and is aiming to reach $50,000 by 2027.

Once underway, the Signature Tour spans 1,408 kilometres and more than 20,600 metres of climbing, winding through the Snowy Mountains, crossing Bass Strait by ferry and finishing in Tasmania. It is widely regarded as Tour de Cure’s ultimate endurance challenge and one of its most significant fundraising initiatives.

At its core, the ride exists to raise funds for cancer research, prevention and support programs, while reinforcing a message health experts consistently emphasise: early detection saves lives.

The physical demands of the route are intentional, reflecting the long and uncertain journeys faced by people living with cancer. Tour de Cure uses endurance cycling as a platform to drive awareness, spark fundraising and encourage meaningful conversations around prevention and early health checks.

Almost everyone has been touched by cancer in some way, through family, friends, colleagues or personal experience. That shared reality is helping fuel engagement across Australia’s media, marketing and technology sectors, where participants are leveraging their networks to encourage individual sponsorship, workplace fundraising and broader organisational support, alongside the backing of Tour de Cure’s long-standing partners.

For many involved, the cause is deeply personal. Across agencies, publishers, platforms and media owners, lived experiences within teams and families are shaping why people are choosing to get behind the ride.

Participants consistently point to the collaborative nature of the effort. Event crews, sponsors, partners, riders and supporters all play a role in making the tour possible and extending its impact. Within that, Louder and others are participating as both riders and advocates, using their platforms to help the message travel further.

The call to action is simple: prioritise early detection, by sponsoring a rider, supporting Tour de Cure as an organisation, rallying teams internally, or encouraging open conversations about health.

Tour de Cure is a registered Australian charity, with funds directed toward cancer research, prevention initiatives and support services. Its funded projects and outcomes are publicly reported.

As the March start date approaches, riders are inviting the industry, and the wider community, to help carry the message further, supporting the ride, the research and the conversations that can make a real difference.