“Swim, Mick, Swim!”

Three local pranksters had no idea that their practical joke would lead to a much anticipated annual community event, and that over the next 30 years, the local hospital would benefit from over $163,000 in donations. It was, indeed, a series of practical jokes that led to what we know today as the Cohuna Bridge to Bridge.

Turn the clock back to 1992 when three mates had some harmless fun – in their words, they were clowns, pranksters, practical jokers. It began with an advertisement in the Farmers’ Weekly by Mick Farrant, advising that his mates the Dodgy Brothers (Ron Stanton and John ‘Straw’ Ely) offered hay carting. Both owned shops in town and were surprised at the sudden influx of calls from farmers.

In retaliation, Ron and Straw placed an advertisement in the paper announcing that ‘local renowned athlete Mick Farrant’ would undertake the Bridge to Bridge Endurance Swim of 10km from Daltons Bridge to the town bridge on December 13 and encouraged pledges to ‘Marathon Mick from Northvic’ (Mick was a partner in Northvic Transport).

“They gave me about three weeks to be ready for it. There was no training involved,” said Mick. “I thought it was funny and didn’t think much of it, but over that time, people were coming into the office saying they’d sponsor me – so I had to do it, I had no choice!”

Two weeks later, Mick put an advertisement in the paper stating that the Dodgy Brothers would accompany him in a flat bottomed duck punt using one oar only.

With Mick having little training, and perhaps not being the athlete they had made him out to be, Ron and Straw had little faith in Mick fulfilling the swim. Throw in a storm, complete with thunder and lightning, and Ron and Straw chose their beds over the duck punt, leisurely making their way to the creek later on that morning of December 13, 1992.

To their surprise, they found ‘Marathon Mick’ swimming slowly but surely, stroke by stroke, heading towards town. Having begun his swim from Daltons Bridge at 7.30am, Mick was cheered on by a large crowd of supporters as he approached and touched the town bridge, signalling the end of his epic journey after three and a half hours – and completing the first Cohuna Bridge to Bridge.

That solo effort raised $1,200 for the Royal Children’s Hospital Appeal. 

“I was amazed at the amount of people that pulled up in different places along the way and yelled out support, and the bridge was covered in people clapping and laughing and cheering. It was one of those things that was supposed to be a practical joke that just boomed somehow.” 

During his swim, Rob Barr, Brian Power, Paul Creswell and Bob Maud provided a boating escort, and Bob occasionally jumped in and swam with him. 

Following the success, Bob and Mick came up with the idea of inviting others to do the swim to raise money for the Royal Children’s Hospital and the Cohuna District Hospital. 

The Bridge to Bridge Classic – the 2nd Cohuna Bridge to Bridge – was held on Sunday, March 13 1994 and attracted 21 swimmers, including Geoff Dale’s sons, marathon swimmers William and Mark. Mark won the swim in 1 hour 48 minutes. The swim raised $4,000.

The 3rd Bridge to Bridge held in 1995 saw the introduction of the fun run, with 130 entrants and local athlete Scott Foreman taking the inaugural title. Foreman was also the winner of the inaugural triathlon introduced in 1996.

While Mick, Ron and Straw’s series of practical jokes put the wheels in motion for the annual Bridge to Bridge, they are all quick to point out that it is due to those who took on the running of the events in subsequent years that deserve the accolades. “It was all in good fun,” said Mick. “It’s raised a few dollars for the local hospital and the Royal Children’s over the years, so it’s turned into a good thing – and that’s been driven by a lot of other people of course.”

Bob and Marianne Maud co-ordinated the event until about 2000 when the Lions Club took over with Geoff Dale and Harry Weatherman co-ordinating the event. Geoff continued until 2018 when the Lions Club handed the event on to a committee of interested community members under the auspices of the Cohuna and District Progress Association and now under Cohuna Neighbourhood House.

The Bridge to Bridge evolved, introducing paddle and cycle events and even a two-day format. All events today are land based, with two trail runs through the forest and a short childrens run added to the program in the last five years, but the tradition of running, walking or riding from bridge to bridge continues.

Mick sums it up best – “For all the people that have had anything to do with that over the years, and there’s many, they’ve done a great job to keep it going. 30 years – it’s pretty good for a practical joke, isn’t it?”