By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A DANDENONG-based businessman’s campaign to honour his late son and raise awareness about depression will be haring around the Mount Panorama circuit at the Bathurst 1000 motor-racing meet on 7-9 October.
Craig Membrey, who owns Membrey’s Transport and Crane Hire, has toured his Kenworth T904 showtruck with a powerful mural of his son Rowan nationally over the past five years.
The truck has been a regular feature at the Berwick Show in recent years.
The cause will again be featured on a 2014 Porsche 991 with a huge rear-wing spoiler and Beyondblue in the Carrera Cup this weekend.
It will be promoted to Beyondblue’s 126,000 Twitter followers.
Mr Membrey hopes the mental health message will also reach out to the hordes of motor-racing followers lining the mountain track and watching the race on TV.
“Suicide is 100 per cent preventable if you ask for help.”
David McMillan of Rowville-based DNA Racing has supplied his car for the run. He rates driver Max Trigg as a big chance to take the podium on the weekend.
Mr Membrey said the drug ‘ice’ and the influence of social media ruined happy-go-lucky Rowan five years ago.
At the time he didn’t realise Rowan was in such jeopardy during what was an horrific teen suicide cluster in Casey.
At the start of his Make it Happen campaign, Mr Membrey just wanted to save at least one life.
Mr Membrey said he had been inspired by former Beyondblue chief executive Jeff Kennett who told him that dozens of young lives would have been saved.
“I’m not a hero,” Mr Membrey said.
“I’m just a father who lost a son.”
For help, contact Beyondblue on 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au.
