BETTER ON A BIKE: THANKS CENTRAL GOLDFIELDS
12 January 2022
Get into it, get onto it, Central Goldfields folk. This is a want-to-do program for anyone who has ever even once throught of a two-wheeler.
CMRT and the Central Goldfields Shire Council are bringing the joys of cycling to all ages and for all abilities this Summer and Autumn.
Our Better on a Bike program will run in Maryborough between February and April 2022. The program is made possible by a Shire community grant of $2000.
Janice Simpson, recently elected CMRT President, said the Shire is already home to thousands of people who own or want to ride bikes, but who may remain unsure of how to maintain and repair them. “That simple fact means for many people it’s harder to put the bike where they want it to be: as a source of enjoyment and a safe and beneficial means of transport and leisure,” Janice said.
Janice added that occasional riders also wanted to feel more confident on roads given the Shire’s current lack of lack of separated bike paths in the Shire. “Riders want to know the road rules concerning bikes and how to ride safely while sharing the road with other users,” Janice said.
The program will be delivered through a series of workshops. One of the workshops is designed to improve participants’ understanding of how to effectively maintain their bikes. Volunteers handy with an Allen key will run this 3-hour workshop.
Three further workshops will target teens and tweens, women, and the general population to share some strategies for safe riding, sharing the road plus an overview of laws that apply to bike riding. Participants will practice safe riding techniques during the workshops.
A further workshop will encourage those keen to explore what is involved in undertaking multiple day rides and longer bike touring.
Janice was delighted the Shire has backed CMRT’s proposal for cyclist engagement and education. “We’ve enjoyed great conversations with our councillors and our council officers who are keen to see more bike riders taking advantage of the open spaces, bush and farmlands that surround the Shire’s towns. It’s a credit to their vision that this program is being funded.”
CMRT’s CGSC-funded program begins in February 2022. If you’re interested in volunteering with CMRT to add your skills to the bike maintenance workshop, please enquire using the Contact Us form at the bottom of this page.
Janice is a former President of the Bicycle Network, Victoria’s peak cycling body, an experienced touring cyclist and a published novelist. Janice recently received her doctorate in creative writing from RMIT University.