By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
>>>> Precede or breakout <<<< They rode through snow and they rode through the desert but childhood friends, the Bearded Posties, never doubted themselves for a second. NARRE Warren North resident Phil Cerbu, 23, and his 20-year-old Queensland mate Anthony (Tony) Tutuian spent 34 days riding 8000 kilometres across Australia on a pair of ex-postie motorbikes, raising more than $3000-and-counting for child rights’ organisation Save the Children Australia. The pair set out from Mr Cerbu’s home in Narre Warren North on 14 June, riding inland through Mildura, Alice Springs and Mount Isa to Normanton on the Gulf of Carpentaria before turning back to Brisbane - Mr Tutuian’s hometown - along the coast on 17 July. "It was a once in a lifetime experience," Mr Cerbu said. "We’ve come back bruised and tired but full of energy." The duo, who decided to grow beards for the ride as a marketing tool, decided to dedicate their trip to Save the Children after Mr Cerbu discovered the organisation online. Save the Children works in more than 100 locations around Australia and 120 countries worldwide, providing education, health and protection for vulnerable children. The fundraiser was not out of the ordinary for Mr Cerbu who has spent a lot of time overseas volunteering his time to help children in need. Kazakhstan, Uganda and Bolivia are just some of the places Mr Cerbu has visited in order to help under-privileged kids. "It’s something I’ve been passionate about for a long time. "I’ve travelled a lot and wanted to do something like this ride for a while," Mr Cerbu said. "When I came back to Australia after being away, I Googled children’s aide and found Save the Children." Having grown up together and already planning to travel with each other, Mr Cerbu approached Mr Tutuian with the idea of raising money for the cause. Riding through snow in Falls Creek and across the dust beneath Ayers Rock, the Bearded Posties’ (in name only after their bikes former occupations) journey took them everywhere. "We had an idea of where we were going, I would check Google maps and make out rough routes and a day-to-day itinerary," Mr Cerbu said. "There’s something about being on the road and not having much of a choice. "I’ve wanted to do something like this for a while." In addition to riding through some of Australia’s most spectacular landscapes, Mr Cerbu said one of the best things about the ride was being able to share it with his mate. "When I sit back now and think of the distance we covered, it really is amazing," Mr Cerbu said. "And the journey was shared with my best friend - that was the biggest highlight." But whatever happened to the iconic beards? "They’re still going," Mr Cerbu laughed. "We’re both very attached to them!"
