Drive Against Depression running four tarmac rallies for 2019

Mental health charity Drive Against Depression will run four tarmac rallies in 2019, designed to let drivers properly experience their cars on closed roads around Victoria.

The charity, which aims to raise awareness about depression and anxiety, has partnered with WD Motorsport Touring Super Sprint for events at Mount Baw Baw, Lake Mountain, Snowy River and Marysville.

Drivers are capped at 130km/h, but they're able to drive on closed roads at some of Victoria's most exciting locations. That means no police, no hidden cameras, and no oncoming traffic.

There's also a full motorsport safety and recovery crew on hand, should something go wrong. As for the broader purpose of the events?

"We’ve discovered that a passion for cars is a fantastic ice breaker, leading to deeper conversations about personal mental health journeys," said Sarah Davis, Drive Against Depression co-founder.

According to Davis, the events follow on from Drive Against Depression's existing cruises, designed to "provide a supportive, judgement-free environment for people to discuss the impact mental illnesses can have on lives".

Paul Maric actually checked out one of the events last year. For more information about the rallies, check out the Drive Against Depression website.