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Cobram to Perth at 40km/h: Eric Annabel’s ride for charity

By Max Stainkamph

Jul 25, 2022

Ready to go: Eric Annabel will be driving from Cobram to Perth on his scooter to raise money for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

On Wednesday morning, Eric Annabel will jump in his scooter, which he normally drives around town, out the front of Cobram Discount Drug Store and down Punt Road.

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He’ll then head west for about 3543 kilometres before turning around and coming home.

Mr Annabel is riding his scooter to Perth and back to raise money for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation.

“I’ve had too many friends die from cancer over the years,” he said.

“Instead of donating every month I wanted to do something a bit more.”

Speaking on Monday, he’d raised just short of $500, but was hoping for more to come through before he takes off.

He said he was getting “a bit anxious” and just wanted to be on the road, with Mr Annabel expecting to spend about 15 days on the road each day, travelling just under 40km/h.

The scooter can get to 40km/h when empty, but for the trip to Perth it will have a trailer full of four heavy-duty batteries.

It’s been a plan nearly three years in the making, with the original trip scheduled for 2020 but delayed due to the pandemic and border closures.

He said he would be trying to send photos through to the Grand Central Hotel in Cobram, who would update people on their Facebook page of Mr Annabel’s progress.