SORRY PHOTO WOULDN"T COPY
4 Heidelberg Leader July 10, 2012
ED: HB PUB: HBV DATE: 10/7/12 PAGE: 4 COLOUR: CMYK
John Belanger (left) and Tim Marsden are embarking on a 680kmtrek across the Victorian Alps, the distance equivalent of scaling Everest
seven times. Picture: JOSIE HAYDEN N02HB300
High times for a brave duo
IVANHOE EAST
JOHN Belanger is ready to face all
the highs and lows Australia’s
mountain ranges have to throw at
him, all to raise money for a cause
close to his heart.
The Ivanhoe East property
developer, along with friend and
Camberwell firefighter Tim
Marsden, wi l l this
November tackle the 680km Australian
Alps walking track, which
has been compared with ascending
and descending Mt Everest seven
times.
The track travels from Walhalla
in Victoria through the Great Dividing
Range and finishes in Canberra.
Mr Belanger said the 38-day jaunt
would test the pair, both physically
and mentally, as they try to raise
more than $5000 for Beyond Blue in
honor of a close friend dealing with
depression and anxiety.
The 32-year-old, who was born in
Montreal, Canada, said the duo had
spent 18 months training, often facing
serious dehydration and
exhaustion during test runs. But he
said he was confident the two would
be ready by the time they embarked
on their mammoth effort.
‘‘In my family we have a very long
history of hiking, so I originally
looked up these trails and I thought
I’d be able to go 40 days,’’ Mr
Belanger said.
Details: beyondblue.org.au.
To follow the pair’s journey go to
their blog: oz4adventure.blogspot.
com.au
NEWS
3-12
