A Hobart man is preparing for a “gruelling” adventure next month, all in the name of mental health.
Kelvin Smith will attempt to push a 240kg piano to the summit of kunanyi/Mt Wellington to raise $40,000 for Tasmanian charity Speak UP! Stay ChatTY.
“Mental health challenges can happen for any of us, so it is very important that we can support each other in breaking down stigma and encouraging conversations,” Smith, known as ‘Piano of Tasmania’, said.
“SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY have an amazing way of facilitating that right across our wonderful state.”
Smith will begin the 1,200m climb from the city to the mountain’s peak on November 16, stopping at various points along the way to perform short piano pieces.
“We’ll have a little mini performance at Mures on the waterfront and then push our way through to [Cascades Brewery Bar] at about 2pm and have a small performance … and then work our way up to Fern Tree Tavern for 6pm.”
“And then we have a little break, wait till 9pm and they’ll close the gate there at Bracken Lane and we start the grueling kind of ascent to the summit.”
Matt Lancaster from Participate Tas is overseeing Smith’s training in the lead-up to the climb.
He says the piano will be weighed down with bricks during training to make the actual climb a little easier.
“Anybody who’s run it in the Point to Pinnacle or ridden their bike up it realises that there are places where the gradient is really steep,” Lancaster said.
“So, as much as this is an endurance challenge, Kelvin’s got to be really powerful and strong to get up some of those short segments.”
Pushing the piano through the night, Smith hopes to beat the first runner in the Point to Pinnacle around 9:15am on November 17.
After making it to the summit, he plans to put on a celebratory performance at the finish line.
