BQ’s Weekend at The Downs was a huge success!

Quiet country roads, fantastic hospitality and a strong sense of community made Bicycle Queensland’s inaugural Weekend at The Downs a resounding success, with 220 riders enjoying three days of cycling on the Darling Downs.

Held from 23–25 October at Brymaroo Rodeo and Campdraft, north of Toowoomba, the sold-out event brought riders together for a weekend of gravel riding, camping, great food and entertainment, while delivering valuable fundraising opportunities for local schools and community organisations.

Delivered in partnership with the Rotary Club of Toowoomba, with support from the Queensland Government’s Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), Weekend at The Downs showcased the benefits of bringing cycling events to regional Queensland.

Despite some passing rain, and a lot of rain on the east coast, riders enjoyed excellent conditions across Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday, exploring quiet rural gravel and back roads on routes designed to suit a range of abilities.

Bicycle Queensland CEO Dr Matthew Burke said the atmosphere throughout the weekend had been overwhelmingly positive.

“People are super happy. Last night, there was rain outside the big shelter shed, but inside was just all smiles,” Dr Burke said.

“The riding’s been great. As one very wise man who came in off the ride said to me, ‘All the cars that I did not see were so great.'”

With minimal traffic, beautiful countryside and plenty of opportunities to ride with friends old and new, the event offered a memorable experience for participants.

Country hospitality delivers for local schools

One of the highlights of Weekend at The Downs was the warm welcome riders received from the small communities along the routes.

At Quinalow State School on Saturday, students and volunteers prepared a generous spread of food and refreshments, with the stop raising close to $2,000 for the school.

“The state school that we stopped at on the ride yesterday absolutely turned it on with treats for the riders. Really hospitable, really great spread. They absolutely went for it,” Dr Burke said.

Rotary Club of Toowoomba’s Steve Wilson said the visit was particularly rewarding because students had helped organise the stop as part of their Certificate II in Volunteering.

“The kids did all the preparation. It was part of a Cert II in volunteering. So it was a win-win for them and us,” Mr Wilson said.

“They were super enthusiastic, and we raised close to $2,000, which was a lot of money for a small school.”

Sunday brought another enthusiastic welcome at Kulpi State School, where parents, students and volunteers turned out to provide refreshments for riders.

These community stops were about more than a chance to refuel. They provided opportunities for small schools to raise funds, engage students in volunteering and share their hospitality with visitors to the region.

A partnership with a purpose

Weekend at The Downs marked a new chapter for the Rotary Club of Toowoomba, building on its experience delivering Ride the Range and embracing a new multi-day event format.

Mr Wilson said the success of the inaugural event had exceeded expectations.

“I am ecstatic that the event has gone so well. The weather’s cooperated with us. We had great registrations, great support from the BQ team, pulling all that together. It’s been wonderful,” he said.

“The people here are so friendly and everyone seems to have just had smiles on their faces the whole time.”

While Bicycle Queensland managed rider registrations, communications and event delivery alongside its experienced ride volunteers, Rotary brought invaluable local knowledge, volunteers and catering expertise.

That included the enormous task of preparing six meals for approximately 250 riders and volunteers across the weekend.

“The catering and the food side of it, to feed, with volunteers, about 250 people, for six meals and have the quality that Sean and the team have done has been exceptional,” Mr Wilson said.

Dr Burke said the complementary strengths of the two organisations had been fundamental to the event’s success.

“The Rotary Club have been fantastic partners. They bring a lot of local volunteers. They’ve handled the catering, they’ve handled a lot of setup at the site,” he said.

The partnership also meant the event could deliver a significant charitable contribution.

With raffles, auctions and fundraising activities held across the weekend, organisers anticipate the event will raise approximately $25,000–$30,000 for Rotary’s charitable work.

That includes youth programs in the Toowoomba region, alongside international projects in Papua New Guinea and Cambodia.

Dr Burke said riders had also appreciated learning more about the important work Rotary undertakes.

“They told their story last night to the riders. They had people come up afterwards and tell me they just never knew that the service clubs did this kind of stuff,” he said.

“They’re our charity partner on this event as well as our delivery partner.”

Mr Wilson thanked participants for their generosity and support.

“I would just like to thank everyone for their generosity. The riders, the participants, the volunteers, have all been very enthusiastic with the support of our auction,” he said.

A great foundation for the future

For BQ, the success of Weekend at The Downs reinforces the value of regional cycling events that go beyond simply providing great rides, as we build our suite of events across the state.

By partnering with local organisations, involving schools and community groups, and encouraging riders to explore regional destinations, these events create lasting benefits for the communities that host them.

With the inaugural event selling out and receiving such enthusiastic feedback, there is already optimism about what the future might hold.

“Because the first time has been so successful and everyone’s so enthusiastic, I am sure that we’re going to get a lot of positive feedback,” Mr Wilson said.

Bicycle Queensland extends its thanks to the Rotary Club of Toowoomba, the Department of Transport and Main Roads, the local schools and communities, and the many volunteers who helped make the weekend possible. We’re also grateful for the support of Winners Nutrition, Ground Effect Cycle Clothing and PieProof Helmets for the event.

And, of course, a huge thank you to the 220 riders who embraced the experience, supported the local communities and helped make the inaugural Weekend at The Downs such a success.