Ride founder and organiser, Slim Mckenzie.
Bearded men and tattooed women joined classic car lovers from Esperance, Kalgoorlie and further afield at the race course on Saturday morning for the annual Toy Ride.
They then headed down Castletown Quays, up Pink Lake Road and around the Great Ocean Drive, with a quick stop at West Beach, a drive through McDonalds, and onwards to Florisson’s car park for a sausage sizzle.
Founder and organiser Slim Mckenzie said they had more than 55 bikes and half a dozen cars participate, each donating an unwrapped toy as the entry fee.
The toys are all for needy families who also get a free Christmas hamper.
“They’re going to have a good Christmas like the rest of us,” Mr Mckenzie said.
“So very pleasing and the weather turned out to be all right.”
Local charity Restore Hope ran the sausage sizzle and also accepted cash donations.
Restore Hope representative Wendy Robertson said they raised $460.60 on the day.
“It was a bit more than last year, also we have 10 businesses supporting us for the Christmas Hampers,” she said.
“Looking to put together 30 hampers to distribute with the toys.”
The mental health awareness theme, always a component of the run, was very apparent this year with several riders wearing specially printed T shirts and singlets from the group Mates for Mates.
Mr Mckenzie, himself a member, said representatives had also come down from Kalgoorlie to support the event.
“Mental health’s important and every day we raise awareness,” he said.
