Sixteen years after first leading the of Queensland Police Service’s (QPS) involvement in the Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance, Officer in Charge of Gold Coast Highway Patrol, Senior Sergeant Bradyn Murphy will participate in his final remembrance ride, as a serving police officer this September.
The 2026 Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance will take place on Saturday 12 September, with riders from every state and territory travelling from their capital city to the National Police Memorial in Canberra to honour their fallen colleagues.
This year, more than 1,800 motorcyclists from across Australia are expected to converge in Canberra at the National Police Memorial.
Senior Sergeant Murphy has been a constant presence in the national ride since 2010, helping lead Queensland’s participation in the event.
Wall to Wall was established in 2009 as a reminder of the officers who paid the ultimate price in the line of duty, while also raising vital funds for Police Legacy.
Today it has grown to bring together thousands of current and former police officers, family members, friends and supporters from across the state and raised more than $ 2 million to support police and their families in their times of need.
Queensland Police Service Acting Commissioner Brett Pointing said the Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance was a powerful demonstration of the enduring bond shared by the policing family.
“Wall to Wall is a poignant reminder that those who lost their lives protecting their communities are never forgotten,” Acting Commissioner Pointing said.
“Every kilometre travelled reflects a promise to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and to support the families, friends and colleagues who continue to honour their memory.”
“This year holds particular significance as Senior Sergeant Murphy completes his final Wall to Wall Ride as a serving member of the Queensland Police Service.”
“For 16 years, Senior Sergeant Murphy has shown extraordinary commitment to honouring our fallen colleagues and supporting the families left behind.”
“His dedication reflects the values at the heart of Wall to Wall – respect, mateship, service and remembrance.”
For Senior Sergeant Murphy, the ride carries a deeply personal significance.
After joining QPS in November 1985, he went on to complete the police motorcycle course in 1988 and has now spent almost four decades as a police motorcycle officer, including seven years as a senior police motorcycle instructor at the Driver Training Unit.
Senior Sergeant Murphy was approached to become Queensland Coordinator of the event in 2010 and, spurred by the memory of his late friend Sergeant Dan Stiller, he accepted.
Today, sixteen years later, he continues to ride.
Reflecting on the years since his first ride in September 2010, Senior Sergeant Murphey says Wall to Wall is so much more than a motorcycle ride to Canberra.
“Wall to Wall is about remembering our mates, remembering their families and making sure the sacrifices they have made whilst bettering the lives of so many Queenslanders is never forgotten,” Senior Sergeant Murphy said.
“For me personally, having known and trained Dan, the ride has always carried a deeper meaning, you never forget the people you work besides, those who you’ve trained or called friends.”
Every year, Senior Sergeant Murphy has witnessed the ride grow from its early days into one of the largest events on the Australian policing calendar and explains that there are moments during every ride that stay with you.
“One of the things I love most is seeing the people who have long since retired from policing coming back year after year,” Senior Sergeant Murphy said.
“These people catch up with their old mates, sharing stories, and remembering those who are no longer with us.
“It doesn’t matter what state you come from or what circumstances brought you there, everyone is gathered for the same reason. It is incredibly powerful.”
Each year since 2011, the Queensland Commissioners baton – a hand-crafted wooden style classical police accoutrement which symbolises the solidarity of the policing community – is carried to the Canberra National Police Memorial.
The baton is engraved with the Wall to Wall ride logo, the QPS logo, and the wording ‘We will remember them’.
The centre of the baton is hollow, and contains a scroll sealed within, that bears the names of any serving police officers from their state who were tragically taken in that calendar year.
It is with hope each year that each state will carry an empty baton, meaning no lives were tragically lost that year.
The baton is a symbol of remembrance, this year Senior Sergeant Murphy will be passing the honour of the baton to a fellow police motorcycle officer, Stephen Young.
While this will be his final ride as a serving officer, Senior Sergeant Murphy has no plans to stop riding, with his commitment to honouring fallen colleagues set to continue long after his retirement.
With honour they served.
