Community
12 June, 2026
From country town to MCG
A CAMPERDOWN ex-pat has made waves at this year’s Big Freeze event in Melbourne as the inaugural community slider at the King’s Birthday event on Monday.
Dr Josh Saunders grew up in Camperdown, having attended St Patrick’s Primary School and Mercy Regional College before moving to Melbourne to study medicine at Monash University.
He, along with his family, have been active in raising funds and awareness for FightMND prior to hitting the big slide.
FightMND is an organisation aiming to raise funds for research and ultimately a cure for motor neurone disease (MND), which attacks the motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord and results in loss of muscle function.
Dr Saunders said it was “a privilege and a thrill” to be a part of the Big Freeze event at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
“It was all over in the blink of an eye and very cold, but it was such a thrill to be at the top of the slide looking out over the MCG, seeing Neale Daniher’s name on every screen and seeing that absolute sea of Big Freeze beanies everywhere,” he said.
“FightMND had a competition this year – anyone who signed up to do their own DIY Big Freeze was automatically entered to go into the draw to be chosen to go down the slide at the MCG.
“I happened to be lucky enough to get picked as the very first community slider.
“It’s been a very heavy last few weeks with Neale Daniher passing away, and there’s been a huge sense of loss, grief and sorrow, as well as hope and determination.”
A general practitioner in Creswick, Dr Saunders took to the slide alongside Australian celebrities including Sam Mac, Amy Shark, Cooper Woods, Andy Lee and Nathan Jones.
He said this year’s theme for the costumes worn into the icy pool was ‘people who inspire you’, with his choice being Australian singer-songwriter Paul Kelly.
“Paul Kelly has always been a favourite of mine,” Dr Saunders said.
“He’s really good at taking those big emotions and setting them to music in a way that helps them make sense.
“I was also thinking a lot this week about his song ‘From Little Things Big Things Grow’.
“To see this thing Neale Daniher started as just an idea grow and grow to become bigger than the MCG and big enough to take on motor neurone disease is truly inspirational.”
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Dr Saunders said the cause is close to his heart, with the disease running through his family.
His fundraising efforts over the past few years have seen him and his family participating in backyard ice bucket challenges, running lemonade stands along the coast during summer and even participating in the Great Ocean Road Running Festival.
“We’ve tried anything we can to raise awareness for this,” he said.
“We’ve been really lucky enough to do that in association with Bumblebee for MND, which is a 1977 Holden panel van which is painted bright yellow and emblazoned with the FightMND logo.
“Bumblebee travels around the country – anywhere and everywhere – to go to events to raise awareness about motor neurone disease, connect with people and give them an opportunity to learn more about this cause and get involved in fundraising.
“We were lucky enough to have the Bumblebee down at the MCG last week in preparation for the Big Freeze.
“It’s been incredible to be involved in this, with our extended family getting behind this.”
Dr Saunders said his Camperdown upbringing allowed him to see the importance of grassroots-level fundraising efforts for causes such as FightMND.
“I think it reflects beautifully the moment of what’s happening now,” he said.
“Coming from Camperdown, being involved in the local community growing up and seeing the impact of grassroots community fundraising has been influential for me.
“To know that I can take that into my community now – I live around Creswick and Ballarat – and for that to flow on to the national stage at the MCG is incredible.
“Neale Daniher has done so much for this cause – more than anyone would have ever thought possible for one person – and it’s the responsibility now of grassroots and community fundraisers to carry his legacy forward and continue to fight MND.
“Coming from Camperdown and seeing the impact that positive change in the community has is hugely important, influential and timely at this point in the legacy of FightMND.”
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