Bob Montgomery, an 82-year-old charity cyclist, died unexpectedly but peacefully on Monday, August 3rd, 2026, just one day after completing a monumental six-week bike ride across Australia. The journey, which he called "One Last Ride," covered nearly 5,300 kilometres (3,300 miles) from Broome in Western Australia to his hometown of Bowral in the NSW Southern Highlands.

Montgomery and his 18-year-old grandson, Tom Malcolm, raised approximately A$105,000 (about $74,000; £55,000) for a motor neurone disease (MND) charity during the ride. This was Montgomery's sixth fundraising ride supporting MND NSW, a cause deeply personal to him.

The pair were welcomed home on Sunday, August 2nd, 2026, with "roaring applause" from family, friends, and local community members. MND NSW chief executive Liam O'Meara reported that Montgomery experienced a medical episode on his way home from a function at Sydney's Rose Bay on Monday.

Tom Malcolm had pushed an extra 150 kilometres from Bowral to Sydney, where supporters gathered to greet him. Former South Sydney Rabbitohs player and MND sufferer Jai Arrow was also in attendance.

Montgomery's wife of 59 years, Jenny, was by his side during his peaceful passing. She said he was "still passionately sharing his message only hours before his passing." The family described Montgomery as a "beautiful soul" overwhelmed by the kindness and support from the community.

Reflecting on the ride, Montgomery told ABC he was motivated by the people he met along the way and enjoyed a "beer or two" at each stopover. "There's so many stories and so many people we met along the way who put their hands into their pockets to throw some cash in, which is fantastic," he said.

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