Nicholas Tremaine is riding through Eyre Peninsula this week as part of his Australian tour raising money and awareness for Dementia Australia.
Mr Tremaine’s mother was diagnosed with dementia in 2019, and the fast-acting decline of his mother’s health saw her moved into full-time care before the end of 2020.
“This occurring at the same time as a global pandemic saw that I had little time to remember her as she was,” he recalled.
“By 2021 our family saw this all repeated with my uncle in the same position and also moved into full-time care.
“Now only a few years on, although my mother’s health has stabilised I am unsure if when I visit her if she will remember who I am.”
Mr Tremaine hit Penong on Thursday, August 7 and spent a night in Smoky Bay with family, plus visited Murphy’s Haystacks, the Port Lincoln Show and was excited to be riding through the inland areas of Eyre Peninsula.
It is Mr Tremaine’s journey, watching his mother’s decline from being a vibrant, enthusiastic and community-orientated person, which motivates him to fight for others and take on the challenging mission.
“In recent years I have found a love for cycling, although I am just an amateur I enjoy getting out on the bike and exploring different areas,” he said.
“In 2025 I have set myself the mission of taking on the gruelling challenge of riding my bicycle unsupported all the way around Australia.
Mr Tremaine started his adventure in his home town on Kangaroo Island on January 1 this year, aiming to finish in Sydney by the end of the year – a goal of covering 40,075 kilometres.
“This is the equivalent of cycling the circumference of the earth, an average of 110 kilometres a day,” he said.
Dementia is the second leading cause of death of all Australians and provisional data suggests dementia will soon be the leading cause of death.
In 2024, it was estimated more than 421,000 Australians were living with dementia.
Without a medical breakthrough, the number of people with dementia is expected to increase to more than 812,500 by 2054.
“As I put my body to the test over the next year I will document my journey every step of the way, driving awareness for the need to fight for a better future for people living with dementia and hopefully one day a cure,” Mr Tremaine said.
“I aim to reach a fundraising goal of $1 million for Dementia Australia to aid in the research into dementia, its cause, treatment and prevention.”
To keep up to date with Mr Tremaine’s journey and to donate to the fundraiser visit his social media pages at @distance4dementia.
