The event, which has been running for 26 years, will this year raise money for the Ballarat Health Services Base Hospital stroke unit.

While the event raises money for a particular charity each year, organiser Karen Wakeling said this was the first time it had been held in the Ballarat district. 

The group has up to 190 riders taking part at any given time, with some participants only participating in certain sections.

“People have been coming from all over – there are a lot of people from South Australia, New South Wales and Western Australia,” Ms Wakeling said. 

Ms Wakeling, who is a nurse at the Base Hospital, said the stroke unit was desperately in need of new equipment.

“We realised they (the stroke unit) were in dire need of some rehabilitation equipment, so we thought, ‘why not’,” she  said. 

Ms Wakeling’s father Ron Jewell and family friend Don Baker have been participating in the annual ride since 1986.

Mr Jewell’s father died of a stroke, while another brother, Peter, also had two major strokes, adding special significance to the event for the pair. 

The ride will also include dress-up nights, raffles, awards, a games day, colour-themed days and a dinner dance night.

Sunday’s section of the ride began in Smythesdale and finished in Snake Valley.