Brookton’s Lachie Young will run the length of Canada in 2027 for ambitious $1m Blue Tree Project fundraiser

A young Brookton farmer who would wag school to miss cross-country is now lacing up his boots to run the length of Canada after a late-night joke grew into an ambitious mental health fundraiser.

Lachie Young will attempt to be the first Australian to achieve the 6500km feat. He plans to run it within 150 days with the goal to raise $1 million for the Blue Tree Project.

As of April 6, the 20-year-old had collected $8710.

Mr Young said the idea started as a “drunken joke” when holidaying in Vietnam in 2024.

“I left school in 2023 and all my mates had a good plan ahead of them, what they wanted to do, whether it’s uni or a job lined up, and I didn’t know what I wanted,” he said.

“I was overseas with mates having a chat about it, I felt I really wanted to do something meaningful, something I could work hard to achieve; a big goal.”

He said the group threw around outlandish ideas like kayaking across the ocean or cycling around an entire country, but they were inspired by Nedd Brockman who ran from Cottesloe Beach in WA to Bondi in Sydney in 2022 for the We Are Mobilise charity.

Despite wagging school to skip cross-country and always hating long-distance running, he said he was intrigued by the challenge of a charity run.

“I liked the grind aspect, waking up everyday and pumping out 50km,” Mr Young said.

“And knowing at the end of the 6500km, experiencing this feeling of success and achievement that I did something.

“I’ll never do something like this again, I don’t plan on being a long-distance runner after this is done, but the goal and grind really attracted me.

“Now I’m raising money for mental health, so I know I’m making a difference.”

Mr Young said he chose the Blue Tree Project after close friends and family recently opened up about their mental health struggles, including himself.

He said he never knew that they had been facing what is often an invisible battle and was motivated to spark those hard conversations and show others they are not alone.

“I hope more people open up and are not afraid to have a chat to someone about what’s going on,” he said.

“Over the last six months, I’ve faced my own mental health challenges. Growing up in a rural community, I’ve seen how heavy that weight can be and how often people carry it in silence.

“This run isn’t about breaking records. It’s about breaking the silence.”

Mr Young collaborated with the Blue Tree Project in mid-2025 when part of the Collegians Amateur Football Club after a teammate took his own life.

The team dedicated a mental health round with custom jerseys and they painted a blue tree at the oval.

He plans to paint four blue trees during his journey.

Five worn out pairs of sneakers in, Mr Young is only eight months out before tackling the second biggest country in the world.

Mr Young’s route begins in Sydney, Cape Breton Island Canada, and will primarily follow the Trans-Canada Highway to cross the finish line in Victoria, west of Vancouver.

Alongside football training, he runs 50km every morning and focuses on injury prevention at the gym in the evenings in preparation.

Mr Young said he hoped his fundraising journey influences others to think big and not hold back.

“If you want to do something, no matter how stupid or crazy it sounds, just go and do it,” he said.

“This is bigger than a run.”

Visit https://gofund.me/71a4c96c8 to donate or sponsor Mr Young’s cause.