Esteemed ultra-endurance cyclist Lachlan Morton is gearing up for his longest and most ambitious challenge yet. Later this week, he’ll depart on a 14,200-kilometer lap around Australia to raise money for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Get the scoop here…

Photos by EF Education-EasyPost

Lachlan Morton is back home in Australia, and he’ll soon pedal away on an attempt at the Around Australia Record aboard his road bike to raise funds for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF), a not-for-profit organization that helps children in remote Australian communities gain access to stories and books, especially those told in their native languages. He’ll start and finish in his hometown of Port Macquarie, New South Wales.

Lachlan Morton, Great Southern Country, Around Australia Record

Traversing bush roads and remote highways around Australia’s hot and rugged coast, the current record for “the Lap” stands at 37 days, 20 hours, and 45 minutes. The record was established by Arthur Richardson in 1899, who returned home to Perth after 245 days on the road. The current fastest time was set by Dave Alley of Brisbane in 2011, and to beat the record, Lachlan will need to pedal an incredible 400 kilometers (~250 miles) a day. The total distance is roughly double that of his longest previous effort, the Alt Tour. In a video on Instagram, Lachlan said it’s by far the biggest ride he’s ever done and that, “It’s very daunting, but I’m very excited.” Unlike his earlier rides, this one will be supported, and he’ll have friends and family following him in a camper to share the journey with him and keep him well-fed and safe.

  • Lachlan Morton, Great Southern Country, Around Australia Record
  • Lachlan Morton, Great Southern Country, Around Australia Record

Beyond raising money for a worthy cause—a common theme of Lachlan’s incredible rides—part of his motivation for going after the Around Australia Record is a chance to see new places, fill in the gaps around his home continent, and meet some of the people who call the less-traveled regions home. On the subject, Lachlan said, “Australians have a very strong sense of community. People interact with each other a lot, but they also rely on each other. I think that’s born out of the fact that it can be a harsh place and everyone has to make the most of it and just get on with it. I grew up with that kind of mindset and it speaks to me a lot. The last time I did a big trip in Australia was with my brother when we rode to Uluru. Through experiences like that you realize that you don’t know all of Australia. Australia is big. There are all these amazing people who live out in remote areas who you won’t cross paths with unless you go out on a big trip like this.”

Lachlan Morton, The Divide film, GDMBR

In exchange for sharing regular photo and video updates from his inspiring ride, Lachlan hopes folks will consider making a small donation to support the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, and every $10 raised will put a book into the hands of a child living in rural Australia. He’s already raised around $3,500 of his $10,000 goal, and we hope to see the total amount soar well beyond that goal. You can make a donation here.

You can find a much more detailed overview of Lachlan’s Australian record attempt over at EF Pro Cycling and follow his journey starting September 5th here. All the best from us, Lachlan!

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