PRIME Minister Tony Abbott has kicked off a three-day bike ride from Sydney to Dubbo to help raise funds for a depression treatment facility.

MR Abbott was in a group of about 120 cyclists who set out at 5am Friday to travel almost 400 kilometres from Taronga Zoo in Mosman to Dubbo’s Western Plains Zoo.

The prime minister is covering the first leg of the ride and won’t be taking part in the full journey.

He was expected to head for the Hills district before riding on towards the Blue Mountains.

The ride to raise funds and awareness for the Black Dog Institute will focus on depression, bipolar disorder and suicide.

Riders plan to spend the first night in Mount Victoria and continue through Lithgow, Bathurst and Orange, before stopping the second night in Molong and reaching Dubbo on Monday.

This article first appeared on ‘news.com.au’ on 17 October 2014.