This week on Friday 13 June 2025 a group of mates will set off from Hobart in a convoy of restored 1980s Subarus.

Their destination? The heart of the Simpson Desert — 8,000 kilometres of red dust, remote roads, and a bold mission.

They’re not doing it for adventure alone. They’re doing it to raise awareness for Parkinson’s — and for the thousands of Tasmanians living with a condition that is still too often overlooked.

Parkinson’s is the fastest-growing neurological condition in the world.

Here in Tasmania, more than 2,000 people live with Parkinson’s — and numbers are projected to double by 2040. Tasmania is believed to have the highest prevalence of Parkinson’s in Australia. Yet the condition remains under-recognised and underfunded, despite being more common than Huntington’s, multiple sclerosis, MND and ALS combined.

Parkinson’s is progressive. There is no cure. It affects men and women differently, and not just older adults. We are seeing rising rates of early- and young-onset Parkinson’s, bringing challenges with movement, mental health, sleep, pain and more. There is still stigma around Parkinson’s, and too many people feel they are facing it alone.

Research suggests that environmental factors such as air pollution, pesticides and industrial chemicals may be contributing.

Parkinson’s also presents a major issue for Tasmania’s ageing population — but the rates are increasing too quickly to be explained by ageing alone.

That’s why campaigns like “Crossing the Simpson Desert – Pressing On for Parkinson’s” matter.

They cut through the noise and spark national conversations about what it means to live well with Parkinson’s. They remind us that behind every diagnosis is a person, a carer and a community — pressing on with strength and resilience.

At Parkinson’s Tasmania, we are a small, volunteer-led organisation. We receive no government funding and rely entirely on donations, fundraising and gifts in wills to continue delivering vital support, education and advocacy across the state and nationally.

But our impact is significant. We recently led Tasmania’s formal response to the 20-Year Preventative Health Strategy. As part of the National Parkinson’s Alliance, we’re contributing to Australia’s first National Parkinson’s Action Plan. We support research and education initiatives including ParkinsonNet AU, the Tasmania Parkinson’s Project and the Parkinson’s MOOC — a free, evidence-based course for people living with Parkinson’s and those who care for them.

None of this would be possible without community-driven momentum. This campaign is a powerful example: a group of everyday people — including some living with Parkinson’s — choosing to do something extraordinary, for the cause and for one another.

So when you see the vehicles roll out from Hobart on Friday 13 June, know this: it’s more than a road trip. It’s a rally cry for better awareness, better care and better futures for people living with Parkinson’s.

Follow the journey and support the campaign:

www.parkinsonstasmania.org.au/pressing-on-for-parkinsons

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/share/18ev2AVNGb/

Mark Edwards, Angelo Curic, Malcolm McGinn. Images supplied.

Claire Myers is Incoming Chair, Parkinson’s Tasmania.

Tasmanian Times (TT) is a community-based news and current affairs service covering the island state of Tasmania. It exists to provide a diverse view of Tasmanian issues. TT creates and supports independent media content utilising the best of modern technologies and tried-and-true practices of public-interest journalism.

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