Saving lives is the driving force behind this year’s Gympie Music Muster charity partner, Get Yourself Checked, pushing for greater prostate cancer awareness, early detection and improved outcomes for men in rural and regional Australia.
Mark Tobin, from Followmont Transport, has a strong family history of cancer and formed Get Yourself Checked last year with mate Brett “Knuckles” Hanly from Country Trucker Caps to raise awareness and get men, particularly, to take their health seriously.
Funds from the charity partner will go to prostate cancer awareness, research and equipment.
Gympie Music Muster CEO Greg Cavanagh said the charity stood out during a competitive selection process.
“It was a tough decision because we had some great applications, but unfortunately, we had to choose one,” Greg said.
“This is a new charity and it’s a good one to get behind. Knuckles and Mark are go-getters and we like that.”
Greg said the charity’s focus aligned strongly with the Muster’s audience and values.
“Prostate Cancer is one of if not the most commonly diagnosed cancers in Australia. So it’s important to get yourself checked.”
He said the regional focus was a key factor in the decision.
“We always like to see the funds channelled into rural and regional areas. As always we hope the Muster can make a difference.”
The charity is building a strong presence through awareness campaigns, fundraising events and branded trucks carrying the message across the country.
Mark said partnering with the Gympie Music Muster made sense for many reasons.
“It fits the audience you’ve got, which is that middle-aged demographic, and it sits well with the values of both Country Trucker Caps and Followmont Transport,” Mark said.
“It’s the right audience to send the right message, to add value to the Gympie Music Muster while making a difference to middle-aged men.”
He said awareness remained one of the charity’s biggest challenges.
“It still blows us away — we had 600 people at our gala event and 50 to 60 per cent of the men didn’t realise it was a blood test,” Mark said.
Mark said impact mattered more than fundraising totals.
“If we don’t raise any money, but we save one person’s life by spreading the message, we’ve done our job,” he said.
Brett said they also wanted to cut through confusion and rebuild trust around charities.
“We were going to a lot of events, supporting different charities, and never really knowing where the money was going,” Brett said.
“We wanted full transparency, where at any point we can show exactly where the funds are going and what they’re being used for.”
Greg said the Muster was keen to build on recent fundraising success.
“We raised just under the $150,000 last year (for River’s Gift) so our aim this year is to go beyond that milestone.”
Get Yourself Checked will be on-ground at the Gympie Music Muster in August 2026 with awareness campaigns, on-site engagement and fundraising initiatives aimed at encouraging early detection and starting conversations that can save lives.
