ARARAT - The Barkly Street Ararat was packed with hundreds of motorcycles on Sunday morning as riders prepared to take part in the fourth annual Grampians Ride to Remember.
The event was organised by the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation - Ararat branch and saw 275 riders and pillions take part.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe addressed the large crowd before the ride got under way.
"I think it is a fantastic opportunity for people to demonstrate their support for the Blue Ribbon foundation, but also it is a good opportunity for motorcycle riders to come together and have an outing and heed the road safety message," Mr Walshe said.
"They go away from a ride like this and hopefully provide a little bit of motorcycle safety and leadership back into the community."
The 178 kilometre ride began in Ararat and took in the countryside of the Ararat Rural City, the Grampians National Park and townships including Maroona, Willaura, Moyston and Pomonal. The riders, made up region motorcycle enthusiasts, police, local government, community groups and Ararat branch members then travelled on to check out Lake Fyans in the Northern Grampians Shire before returning to Alexandra Gardens in Ararat for a barbecue lunch.
A 'Show N Shine' was held in the Alexandra Gardens and hadmore than 40 entries, with trophies and vouchers handed out to the best presented motorcycles and vehicles.
Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation - Ararat Branch co-ordinator Dianne Radford said despite numbers being down on previous years due to the warm weather, the ride was again a success.
"The Ararat Police Highway Patrol and the marshalls were great in making sure it was a safe ride with no mishaps and the sub-committee worked really hard in all the pre-planning leading up to the ride," she said.
Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe said that the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation was a marvellous contributor to the local community.
"Blue Ribbon have been able to raise money to fund emergency and vital medical departments in hospitals and much more, it is not there to benefit the police, it's there for the community," he said.
"It has also been good to meet with the Blue Ribbon members from Ararat and say to them thanks very much for what they do. They do a marvellous job, the Ararat Blue Ribbon foundation committee has just been absolutely fantastic.
"Since they've started, to what they've achieved, I think it is somewhere near the half a million dollars that has been raised, which is outstanding."
All the money raised from the 2012 Ride to Remember will go towards the East Grampians Health Service's new CT Scanner for the 'John McNally' Medical Imaging Department.
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