For Michelle Brady, riding her daughter to school was a simple, joyful part of family life. But over time, what had started as a healthy daily routine became increasingly stressful.

“My daughter went to Dutton Park Primary School originally and I have a son at Yeronga Primary School. When she started prep in 2016 we would ride up Fairfield Rd. She would be in the bike trailer and that was fine. But over the years ithe traffic became more and more congested and riding up that road felt reckless,” she said. “You had to ride up the footpath, which again has its challenges. Then you had to go up the side streets, which of course is much more time consuming up and down hills.”

As her son prepared to start school, Michelle began looking for a safer way for families to ride. That search led her to the concept of a bike bus, groups of students and parents riding together to school on a set route, with set stops, supported by adult leaders.

“With my son starting prep this year I really thought it would be great to get some bike buses set up to make, yeah, a safer way to ride,” she said.

Working with other parents, Michelle helped launch bike buses at three local schools in June 2025, including Yeronga State School, creating a visible and growing movement of families choosing active travel.

Strength in numbers

One of the biggest barriers to riding with children is safety – and another is hassle. For many parents, riding solo with kids in traffic feels daunting. Michelle believes the bike bus model lowers that barrier by creating a visible, predictable group.

“I also think that the more that you get people riding and riding in groups, the more it sort of highlights areas where infrastructure needs to be improved and has a collective conversation around it,” she said. “So I think there’s something great about people getting to ride once a week and they have that safety of doing it in a group. But there is also the collective that’s created that gets to have a conversation about what they want in terms of biking infrastructure.”

That collective presence has made riding to school more normalised and visible in the community, and will hopefully help create a local voice for change. While feedback has been sent to their local member around specific areas of concern for active transport users, there have been no outcomes or return correspondence as yet.

Running a bike bus involves practical coordination, particularly with school-day time pressures. Michelle says technology has been key to keeping families connected, with a WhatsApp chat group.

“We share location. So people then know exactly like, ‘oh, they’re running two minutes late, have we missed the bike bus or are they still coming,’ like they know exactly where we are,” she said. “People can also message and say ‘we’re running a minute late, we’re almost there, can you wait for us?’”

To keep the rides fun, organisers have leaned into atmosphere as well as logistics.

“We just bought these very cheap speakers that we put on bikes and we play music. That just is a lovely atmospheric piece and I think really, yeah, it just really adds to the atmosphere,” she said. We’re pretty keen to download the bike bus play list to see what makes the cut!

High-visibility vests help make the group noticeable and signal that the riders are part of an organised activity.

“It also gives people a sense that this is an organised thing, like this is a group. It’s not just something random that’s happening,” Michelle said.

Shared responsibility

With groups of children riding together, preparation is essential. Michelle says leaders carry basic equipment to ensure the ride can continue smoothly.

“We have first aid kits there and puncture repair kit, pump, just the basic things you need for a bike,” she said. “

Small incentives help keep children engaged and excited about riding.

“Snacks I think are really important, not necessarily too expensive and see if you can get a community group or similar to sponsor you,” she said.

The bike bus has also become a social focal point for families.

“The other thing we’ve done once a time is a BBQ or a picnic breakfast. And again, that goes down really well and we invited local members to that,” she said. “Again, that’s an opportunity for them to come and have that conversation about the demand.”

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How to Start a Bike Bus

Practical tips from Yeronga Bike Bus organisers

• Work with your local school and P&C
• Workshop the route, stops and a timetable
• Design a graphic of the route for easy sharing
• Share live locations via a chat group so families can see where the group is in real time
• Play music to create a fun, welcoming atmosphere
• Use high-visibility vests so the group is clearly identifiable
• Train ride leaders, especially for managing intersections and traffic
• Carry a first aid kit and bring basic bike tools such as a pump and puncture repair kit
• Provide snacks or develop a simple reward structure
• Seek sponsorship from community groups for materials and supplies
• Host social events like BBQs or breakfast rides to build community

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Working with schools

Working with schools has been very positive according to Michelle, including for hosting some of their social functions like a pancake breakfast. But an unexpected outcome of the Yeronga bike bus has been exposing the limitations of existing school cycling facilities.

“The other really interesting thing is because everyone’s coming on the same day, it’s highlighted the lack of biking infrastructure at schools, so that’s pushed for requests for more bike racks,” Michelle said. “There’s room to have coordinated conversations… talk to the school about do they actually have good biking infrastructure? Because you would think they would have bike racks, but not necessarily that many of them.”

The presence of dozens of bikes arriving at once has made infrastructure needs impossible to ignore, prompting conversations with school leadership and broader advocacy for better facilities.

More than a commute

A bike bus isn’t just a safe way to chaperone kids to school by bike. A bike bus is about changing habits, building confidence, creating awareness and strengthening community connections among parents and children.

By riding together, families are discovering that cycling can be safe, social and practical while also creating a collective voice for safer streets and better facilities. The Yeronga bike bus is just one that we know of in Queensland, amongst others in on the north side and all the way up to the Atherton Tablelands. If you’re part of a bike bus in your community – get in touch!

For many riders in South East Queensland, the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (BVRT) has become the gateway to gravel riding. It’s well signposted, largely separated from traffic, easy to access by train, and supported by accommodation, cafés and bike-friendly towns along the way. In short, it’s beginner’s gravel riding done exceptionally well. But what about when you’re ready to graduate and ride in some new areas?

According to Hugh Wilson from Southern Queensland Cycle Trails Inc. more variety in gravel riding and multi-day bikepacking opportunities are closer than people think.

“Everyone’s familiar with the BVRT because it’s such a good route, and it’s really well organised and done,” Hugh says. But along with other locals, Hugh has developed a range of resources to help riders discover the riding around Crows Nest and beyond.

Southern Queensland Cycle Trails Inc. is the umbrella organisation working to introduce more riders to the riding potential atop the Great Dividing Range. Bringing together projects like High Country Gravel South Queensland and the Downs Burnett Cycle Trail, the group exists to promote the full spectrum of riding opportunities across the wider region. They aim to make it easier for riders to graduate from the rail trail and into genuine gravel adventure. To that end, that have a new website with a wide range of mapped routes, and maps are being delivered to a range of bike shops in South East Queensland, so riders can get a greater understanding of the extent of gravel riding in the south east of the state.

Mapping what already exists

A key part of that work has been relatively simple: mapping and wayfinding.

Working with local clubs and volunteers, including Jason Wyeth from the South Burnett Mountain Bike Club, Southern Queensland Cycle Trails helped develop the complete map for the whole region. At the heart is the Downs Burnett Cycle Trail (DBCT), a long-distance route that links towns, quiet country roads and gravel backroads across the region. But the mapping shows you can connect to the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail either from Esk, or up at Yarraman. And how you can ride on to Kingaroy, through Wondai and to Kilkivan. The result is a resource that provides well over a week’s worth of riding, enough for a few visits to the area.

“We went out, produced stickers and arrows, and just put them on some existing posts,” Hugh explains. “They’re really just there as reassurance to go with the digital mapping. To act as a reminder that yes, you’re on the right way, even if it feels like you’ve been going a long way through nowhere.”

It was a low-cost, high-return approach. A small council grant funded the initial work, while downloadable maps do most of the heavy lifting. The signage simply provides confidence for riders, something Hugh believes is critical for riders exploring unfamiliar territory – even with digital mapping on hand.

“A small sign for route confirmation makes a big difference for riders,” he says. “It’s low investment for quite a great return.”

Quiet roads, real riding

The Downs Burnett Cycle Trail isn’t a rail trail. It’s a mix of public roads made up of roughly 60 per cent sealed and 40 per cent gravel. It has been deliberately designed to avoid truck routes and heavy traffic.

“There’s very few cars on it,” Hugh says. “The ones that are tend to be people who live there, and they give you plenty of room. There’s no battle on the road at all.”

The riding around places like Crows Nest and Goombungee often surprises people. Smooth rolling gravel, wide-open country and long stretches where the loudest sound is your tyres on dirt.

“It’s exactly what people describe when they talk about wanting gravel riding,” Hugh says. “And a lot of riders don’t realise it’s there.”

Ride from the train – or the rail trail

Southern Queensland Cycle Trails sees the BVRT and other rail trails like the Northern Rivers Rail Trail and South Burnett Rail Trail as the perfect starting point for many riders, especially for riders building confidence.

“The BVRT is gravel for beginners,” Hugh says. “But the true adventure starts once you get up on top of the range.” And Hugh reckons that could be an ideal launching point for a multi-day ride.

With Wulkuraka station providing direct rail access from Brisbane, riders can load bikes onto a train, roll onto the BVRT, and then branch out into multi-day loops from Esk that take in Crows Nest, Yarraman, Kingaroy and beyond.

“It’s well within Brisbane people’s ability to catch a train to Wulkuraka, ride up to Esk, head up to Crows Nest, loop around, and come back down via Yarraman,” Hugh says. “That’s a three-day bikepacking weekend that probably wasn’t on people’s horizons before.” That’s just one of many options, as with a range of interconnecting routes, riders can easily tailor the rides they want to do.

Visiting the towns

Accommodation across the region is a mix of pubs, campgrounds, showgrounds, cabins and a growing number of short stay accommodation providers. In many cases, flexibility and local goodwill make the difference.

“There’s a pub at Kulpi where the publican will let you put your tent up out the back,” Hugh says. “You can use the public toilets once the pub’s closed, have a meal there, and move on in the morning.”

Bell, Kingaroy, Wondai and Crows Nest all offer multiple accommodation options, while smaller towns provide the kind of quiet overnight stops that suit bikepackers. Depending on where you want to stop on a multi-day ride, you may need to take a tent. But your adventure may involve visiting the area for day rides from centrally located accommodation – the choice is yours.

The work behind these routes was backed by an economic development grant, and Hugh is upfront about why.

“We looked at how much money people on bicycles spend,” he says. “We can’t control how many people ride, but the people who do ride spend money.”

He points to events and group rides as tangible examples: accommodation bookings, pub meals, café visits and local services all benefiting from visiting riders.

Sometimes the impact is even more personal. “We had someone come on one of our rides a couple of years ago,” Hugh says. “She enjoyed it so much she sold up and moved to Crows Nest. She’s now a member of Southern Queensland Cycle Trails and one of our ride leaders.”

More than just riding

Part of the appeal of riding through regional Queensland is what happens off the bike.

“There are little country museums, art galleries, men’s sheds and Indigenous cultural centres” says Hugh. Every country town has a story – and sometimes travelling at the speed of a bicycle is the perfect way to make sure the story is told.

That slower pace is, in many ways, the point. Gravel riding allows people to move through landscapes and communities at a speed that invites connection.

Southern Queensland Cycle Trails Inc. exists to connect the dots, inspire riders to look further, and make cycling a more legitimate and visible leisure activity across South East Queensland.

For riders ready to step into a new world of quiet roads and gravel lanes, look towards Crows Nest and beyond – there’s a wide network of rides to discover!

Visit: High Country Gravel SQ

Community-led bike events play a vital role in activating rail trails and cycling infrastructure, strengthening local economies and growing sustainable cycling tourism across regional Queensland. Many rail trail user associations, community groups and councils have the enthusiasm to host events but can lack access to practical, fit-for-purpose guidance on event planning, risk management and delivery. This Event Management Plan (EMP) has been developed to address that gap by providing a clear, adaptable and publicly available resource to support organisations of all sizes to confidently plan and deliver successful rail trail cycling events. 

Designed as a standalone guide, this EMP walks organisations through the key stages of event conception, planning, delivery and review, with templates and tools that can be tailored to local context, capacity and scale. The resource is intentionally non-prescriptive, enabling broad use regardless of an organisation’s relationship with BQ.  

By building local event management capability, the EMP supports the long-term sustainability of rail trail events, complements the Rail Trail Development Toolkit, and contributes to the Queensland Government’s objective of empowering regional communities to leverage bike tourism opportunities while ensuring events are safe, well-managed and community focused. 

We acknowledge and thank the Queensland Government for their support for this initiative. 

For any queries relating to the EMP, please contact Bicycle Queensland on email – info@bq.org.au

Rail Trail Event Management Plan 

1a. Planning and Delivery Guidelines

1b. Event Management Plan Template

2. Event Proposal Form Template

3. Event Project Plan Template

4. Event Marketing Plan Template

5. Event Budget Template

6. Event Risk Management Plan template

7. Event Executive Plan Template

Sherwood Community Kindergarten deliver a play-based curriculum as part of their teaching methodology, and that includes bike riding, especially for how cycling can build a sense of community and independence. This year, thanks to funding from the Department of Transport and Main Roads’ Bike Riding Encouragement Program, the kindy ran a nine-week bike skills course that got every child riding confidently.

“For us, it’s not just about riding a bike,” says Skye, the Director at Sherwood Community Kindy. “It’s providing a skill for life. You want to provide that active transport ability for their life. Bike riding is like walking – it’s just something that we do as part of our community.”

Bikes are a part of life

Sherwood Kindy has always encouraged active pursuits, given they use nature play and are right next to a park, but this program took it to a new level. “From day one we’ve been riding in some shape or form at the kindergarten,” Skye explains. “It’s about normalising it, so it’s not just something special we do one day – bikes just become part of life.”

The children’s response has been enthusiastic. “Some of the children have already said, ‘When we get older, we want to be bike riders,’” Skye says. “They’re really engaged and it’s not gendered either. The girls are just as strong as the boys in their riding and their skill set as well. We’re promoting that it’s for everybody.”

The nine-week program was developed externally and focused on building core skills: balance, coordination, resilience, and confidence. Out of 22 children, 14 could already ride at the start. “Seven were non-riders,” Skye recalls. “Now everyone can ride without training wheels. How amazing is that? In week one, one child said, ‘I hate my bike, I don’t want to ride,’ and then got the skills and confidence the next day and said, ‘I love it.’”

That transformation has been powerful for children and families alike. “Every single child has been riding,” Skye says. “If they didn’t have a bike, the coaches brought in bikes for them so they could practise on one that was the right fit. A lot of the children have bikes that are too big – the ‘you’ll grow into it’ bike – but that doesn’t build confidence. You need the right size bike now to learn properly.”

Community effort

The program has united families around riding. “Before children even enrol, we tell parents this is something we do,” Skye says. “When parents visit the kindergarten, they see us out riding. And in the afternoons, the kids take their parents to the park to show them what they’ve learned. It’s building skills and it’s building community. When we are out in the park people come out and say, ‘Wow, look at them all riding.’”

Coaches played a vital role too, bringing in appropriately sized bikes and creating a fun environment. “We had a cyclocross course in the park with ramps and hurdles,” Skye says. “The kids had to dismount and run up with their bikes. It was brilliant and I’m sure there are some champions in the making already!”

Sherwood’s program took a holistic approach to riding and using bikes, but it started with road safety awareness. “We spoke about all those safety issues first,” Skye explains. “All the kids know that if there’s a pedestrian, we have to stop. We looked at signs, we practised ringing our bell at the right time, walking the course before riding it. It’s about teaching them to be safe and respectful road users from the beginning, and how to make the best decisions.”

That approach has been well received by the wider community. “People have been very respectful to the children when they’re riding in the park,” Skye says. “And we are always polite – we’re following the laws and showing that children can be part of the space safely.”

Running the program wasn’t without hurdles, and Sherwood Community Kindy has some advantages given their location. “Space was a big consideration,” Skye admits. “We’re lucky to be next to a park that’s not very busy. For other kindy services finding a safe, close space might be a challenge – but it’s a problem worth solving.”

Funding was another factor, as it meant the kindy could enlist an external group to deliver the sessions. “The grant was $5,000,” she says. “Which is not too bad. For what we got – more or less every child riding a bike – that’s spectacular.”

Skye is already looking ahead. “I’ve found another grant opportunity for next year because we want to continue this program. If not, we’ll fundraise or talk to our local members. We don’t want this to be a one-off – it’s something we do because we believe everyone should be confident to ride a bike.”

Getting rolling

For other kindys considering a similar program, Skye’s advice is simple: just do it. “This is the future. You have to get not just the children, but the families active. It’s not just for now, being able to ride a bike is a lifelong skill. It builds confidence, it builds community, and it’s so amazing to see the joy on the kids when they’re able to ride.”

She also believes programs like this could be more widespread. “Brisbane City Council doesn’t offer anything like this for this age group,” she says. “Even the coaches hadn’t taught this age group before – but the little kids can ride. This is where you get the foundation skills.”

Ultimately, the goal is bigger than one kindergarten. “We need to get back to making sure every child can ride a bike before they start school,” Skye says. “It gives them joy, confidence, and a way to connect with their community. We should be encouraging it from the very beginning.”

It’s been 20 years since the tragic death of Amy Gillett, a moment that stopped the Australian riding community in its tracks and ignited a movement for safer roads. Since then, the organisation founded in her memory has evolved into one of the country’s leading national voices for road safety: Amy’s Foundation.

While its name has evolved, its purpose has not. As Managing Director Katey Bates puts it, “Our vision is zero deaths and injuries on the road. We do that through infrastructure, technology, and law, and by improving the relationship between road users. None of that is easy, but it’s essential.”

With Queensland’s road toll topping 250 for 2025 at the time of writing, the need to improve road safety, for all users, has never been higher.

Bates, a former professional cyclist and Olympian, brings both lived experience and sharp strategic focus to the role. She speaks with the energy of someone used to attacking from the front of the bunch, yet her thinking is methodical, data-driven and deeply layered.

“Everything we do, we look at through two lenses: what can we change now, and what do we need to work on for generational change?” she says.

Working Together for Safer Roads

Bates is quick to point out that road safety advocacy in Australia is dependent on collaboration, and to that end she recognises the different roles that organisations like Amy’s Foundation and Bicycle Queensland, or other state bodies play.

“Amy’s Foundation is unique because we operate nationally,” she says. “But that means we can’t get into every local or state issue. That’s where the incredible work of advocacy bodies like Bicycle Queensland is so important. A federated system of government needs state-based organisations to drive change on the ground. We can then focus on the national levers – things like technology, enforcement, and legislative reform.”

That division of effort gives Amy’s Foundation the flexibility to explore projects that complement rather than duplicate state-level work. For example, Bates points to their involvement in promoting technology that helps protect vulnerable road users. Amy’s Foundation have developed a Car Buyers Guide, designed to equip people with the tools needed to inform their purchase and ask questions about the integrated safety systems that modern cars have.

“Cars today have amazing safety features,” she says. “We’re working with partners to ensure those tools, things like automated emergency braking or cyclist detection, are used to make roads safer for everyone, not just drivers.”

She sees a similar balance between short- and long-term change in their approach to law enforcement. The Foundation’s Metre Matters campaign helped make minimum passing distances law across most of Australia. “That was a huge achievement,” Bates says. “But now we need to make sure it’s enforced. We’re working on ways to make enforcement easier for police, including technology that can record passing distances accurately.”

Anyone who has experienced a close pass but then struggled to find a clear and consistent way to have the issue enforced will understand how important this action on enforcement is. Any of us will automatically get an infringement notice for running a red light or speeding when driving in an area where cameras exist – so why can’t technology be used for similar automated enforcement for close passes on bike riders?

Developing lasting impact

For Bates, the key to sustainable impact is recognising that real change happens at multiple speeds.

“Take car safety,” she explains. “Right now, we can give every driver a car buyer’s guide that explains what to ask for in a safer car. This is a short-term action. But in the longer term, we’re pushing for changes to the Australian Design Rules, so those features become mandatory. That’s when you really shift the needle.”

The same mindset applies to culture. Bates believes that one of the hardest and most important parts of the Foundation’s mission is improving the relationship between all road users.

“It’s getting harder,” she admits. “We’re seeing empathy fatigue. People are tired, distracted and stressed. The result of that plays out on the road. We can’t just ask people to care more; we have to shift what’s socially acceptable.”

That’s where one of her most striking ideas comes in, and it requires a complete cultural shift for the majority of Australians and Australian media. Difficult – yes, but there are examples that Bates highlighted to show it’s not impossible.

“If you really want to know what culture change looks like,” Bates says, “think about how it became unacceptable not to pick up after your dog. Twenty years ago, people didn’t blink if you didn’t. Now, it’s mortifying. You’d never leave it on the grass because you’d be judged for it.”

Her goal is to make cyclist hate equally uncool.

“Right now, it’s still somehow acceptable to mock cyclists – to sell merchandise that’s blatantly anti-cyclist, or to post online about how we ‘don’t belong on the road.’ That has to change. If you scare a rider, if you brag about close-passing, if you put an offensive sticker on your car, it should be seen as completely unacceptable. That’s how we’ll get real, lasting culture change.”

“Imagine if every cyclist in Queensland had just one calm, respectful conversation a year with someone who didn’t understand their perspective,” she says. “That’s thousands of chances to shift attitudes. It doesn’t have to be preachy. It’s about getting people to rethink those little moments.”

The impact of people power can drive incremental change that adds up. “Every time we behave respectfully on the road, every time we model patience or empathy, we’re teaching the next generation. That’s what I see with my kids – they notice how I respond. That’s culture change in action.”

Leadership Beyond Funding

Unlike most advocacy groups, Amy’s Foundation isn’t member-funded. Its supporters include philanthropists and business leaders who are personally invested in road safety.

“That independence gives us a lot of flexibility,” Bates explains. “Our donors aren’t just giving money, they’re giving expertise. The intellectual capital is priceless.”

It’s a model that values ideas and innovation as much as dollars. “Yes, we need to keep the lights on,” Bates says, “but our biggest asset is the calibre of people who believe in what we’re doing. They help us see things differently and sometimes completely outside the advocacy bubble.”

For Bates, that mix of community action, smart policy, and collaboration across sectors is what keeps Amy’s Foundation pushing forward.

“There’s no single solution to road safety,” she says. “We need state bodies like BQ fighting for better infrastructure. We need national organisations like Amy’s working on technology, law, and enforcement. And we need every rider – or every person – modelling respect and empathy on the road.”

And the drive is simple: making roads safer for everyone who uses them.

“Culture change, technology, law – they’re all part of it. But what really matters is remembering that we share the road. Every decision we make, big or small, should start from that.”

amysfoundation.org.au

For Bicycle Queensland member Kathryn Good, bikes have never just been about sport or recreation. They’ve always been part of everyday life.

“I grew up in a riding family,” she says. “My dad would take me to preschool in a trailer on the back of his bike. Me and my brother would be bundled in together, and he’d ride to work afterwards. He was a very keen cyclist, so I definitely grew up seeing bikes as a normal way to get around.”

That early exposure set the tone. Kathryn learned to ride when quite young , including a few inevitable spills along the way, but it wasn’t until university that cycling really became central again.

“When I started uni, I didn’t have a car. I couldn’t afford one,” she says. “So I started riding to and from campus because it was simply the best way to get around. I think anyone who rides regularly in Brisbane probably becomes an advocate by default. You see what’s working, what’s not, and you experience both the freedom and the frustration of riding here.”

Her daily route to the University of Queensland was a mix of suburban backstreets and arterial traffic with little access separated bikeways back then. “I was a headstrong 18- or 19-year-old taking the lane, being assertive about my right to be there,” she laughs. “These days I’m probably a bit more cautious. Preserving my life feels more important!”

That first-hand experience shaped Kathryn’s perspective on cycling advocacy. “You do eventually realise that a lot of people just don’t like you because you’re on a bike – for no other reason,” she says. “But the good news is, I think that’s changing. The rise of e-bikes has made a huge difference. More people are discovering that a bike is just a convenient, affordable way to get around. You don’t have to be a ‘cyclist’ to ride a bike.”

It’s that distinction that Kathryn believes will help move Queensland forward. “Not everyone who gets into a car sees themselves as a motoring enthusiast,” she points out. “They just drive to get around. That’s how it should be for bikes too.”

The opportunities in Brisbane

Kathryn is quick to acknowledge Brisbane’s progress. “We do have some amazing infrastructure. I’m lucky to live right near the Bicentennial Bikeway, which made commuting into the city so easy for years,” she says. “But there are still so many gaps, especially around key destinations like shops, stations, and schools.”

Her wish list? “A network that actually connects where people live to where they want to go. Major roads should have bikeways, the same way they have footpaths. For example, from Toowong to Indooroopilly there’s no direct, safe route by bike. You end up taking massive detours or dealing with narrow overpasses and missing links. It’s that last kilometre that often lets people down.”

Kathryn believes cultural change is just as important as infrastructure. “Lower speed limits, better pedestrian crossings, more driver awareness – those things help everyone, not just people on bikes. It’s not about choosing one mode over another. It’s about designing streets that are safe and comfortable for all users.”

The Story Bridge Bike Bus

Kathryn’s advocacy came into focus during Brisbane’s Story Bridge Bike Bus campaign, a grassroots response to the closure of key cycling access routes across the bridge after ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

“The idea was part protest, part practical solution,” she explains. “We wanted to raise awareness, but also to provide a way for people to actually get across safely. Seeing groups of riders using the bridge every day sent a message: people ride here, and we belong here.”

Riding on the Story Bridge traffic deck is completely legal – but not palatable when there are shared paths either side. With those closed, safety in numbers was a core motivation for the Bike Bus. “We had people who’d been crossing alone for weeks, including one older gentleman who carried his golf clubs to Nudgee. He told me he’d been doing it solo until the bike bus started. I just thought if that were my grandfather, I’d want someone riding with him. Even if we only helped one person get across safely, it was worth it.”

That sense of care and of community resonated widely. “We had overwhelmingly positive feedback,” Kathryn says. “Of course there were a few negative Facebook comments, but most people saw the value. And interestingly, there were no crashes during our rides.” Unfortunately the Bike Bus did receive a number of close passes, a reminder of the public education that needs to happen around sharing the road and transport equity.

The project also highlighted something deeper. “When drivers regularly see bikes on the bridge, they start expecting to see them and that makes it safer for everyone.”

Why advocacy matters

Kathryn joined Bicycle Queensland for the same practical reasons many members do – insurance, peace of mind, and connection to a like-minded community. But she sees the real value in BQ’s advocacy work.

“The advocacy side is so important,” she says. “There’s an increasing number of people using bikes for transport who don’t think of themselves as advocates. But the work that Bicycle Queensland does benefits everyone. You shouldn’t have to be a protester to be able to ride safely — but somebody has to do that work.”

“BQ helps communicate what’s needed around safety, infrastructure and the lessons from other cities. We know what works. We just need to apply it here, and we need a voice to keep reminding decision-makers that this matters.”

Brisbane 2032 and beyond

Like many in Brisbane’s active transport community, Kathryn sees the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games as a defining opportunity.

“The Olympics are a once-in-a-generation chance to transform how people move around Brisbane,” she says. “Cities like London and Paris used major events to deliver lasting change with better public transport, green corridors, cycling infrastructure, and public spaces. We can do the same.”

The funding, she argues, is already there. “What we need now is political will. The legacy of 2032 shouldn’t just be about medals or stadiums. It should be about how Brisbane evolves as a city. If we get this right, the benefits will last for decades.”

“We have a chance to make Brisbane a city where choosing to ride is easy, safe, and normal,” she says. “Let’s not waste it.”

Kathryn Good was BQ’s Individual Advocate of the Year

When hundreds of riders roll out from the University of Southern Queensland campus on Sunday, March 29, for the 2026 Ipswich Scenic 100, they’ll be taking part in something more than a bike ride.

Behind the start line, the road marshals, the refreshment stops and even the parking crews stand a team of Lions – volunteers from across south-east Queensland who have spent months planning every detail of this iconic community event.

For Lions Brisbane West President Pat Marrinan, the Ipswich Scenic 100 represents the best of what the service organisation stands for: locals giving back to their communities.

“Delivering community benefit is a big motivator for all of us at Lions,” Pat says. “We’re about getting money into the community for projects. That’s the reason Lions exist.”

The Brisbane West Lions Club was founded in 1979, when Bellbowrie was a new and growing suburb on Brisbane’s western fringe.

“Bellbowrie at that stage was a new suburb, and some of the local men saw the need for a community club,” Pat recalls. “They established what was called the Lions Park on Birkin Road, and that park still exists today.”

The club began with around 30 members, Pat himself joined the following year, and like many Lions branches, it quickly became a hub for local initiatives.

By the early 2000s, the club was looking for a major annual fundraiser that could help support its growing list of projects. A few cycling enthusiasts among the members suggested a bike ride. The idea stuck.

“The ride started in Ipswich and at the time it was fairly basic,” Pat says. “For the first three years the event didn’t go as well as hoped – 2004 was really the make-or-break year.”

But the club persevered, refining the event and building connections with nearby Lions branches. That determination paid off. The ride grew steadily, moving to its current home at the University of Southern Queensland Ipswich Campus about 15 years ago. Today, all routes start and finish at the university which provides a base that gives the event a strong community feel and room to grow.

More routes in 2026

For 2026, the Ipswich Scenic 100 will offer four route options to suit a range of riders: 160km, 100km, 50km and a new 25km course.

“The 160 goes out through towns like Rosewood, Harrisville, Kalbar and Boonah,” Pat explains. “The 100km follows the same roads out to Harrisville before turning back, the 50km goes to Rosewood and returns, and the 25km travels to Walloon and back.”

The shorter 25km course is a new addition designed to welcome riders as young as 12 or anyone looking for a more relaxed challenge.

Beyond the start and finish line, five Lions clubs pitch in to make the event happen each year. Ipswich Lions manage parking at the university, while Scenic Rim clubs including Harrisville, Boonah, Rosewood and Fassifern handle marshalling duties and staff the five refreshment stops along the route.

“It hasn’t been easy,” Pat admits. “We’ve had our ups and downs. But it’s been great that those clubs have stuck with us. We also make a donation from the proceeds to each club, which they then use in their own communities – one even built a skate park for local kids.”

Delivering for communities

The Lions’ model is simple: every dollar raised goes back into the community. With minimal overheads and all-volunteer labour, the results add up quickly.

Over the two decades the Ipswich Scenic 100 has been running, the Brisbane West Lions Club estimates it has raised around $1.3 million for local causes. The Ipswich Hospital Foundation has been one of the key beneficiaries, alongside countless smaller community initiatives.

“The 2024 event delivered a profit of $75,000 that we could give away,” Pat says proudly. “We only have basic expenses, so we can generate a sizeable amount to donate, depending on the number of riders.”

While the 2025 edition was cancelled due to weather and flooding, the club is already channelling its energy into making the 2026 event its best yet with Bicycle Queensland proud to come on board as an event partner.

Pat, who has been involved with Lions for more than four decades, says the Ipswich Scenic 100 has become much more than a fundraiser, it can be seen as community spirit in action.

“Part of why Lions exist is to help the community,” he says. “That might be by way of donations, or by personal assistance. And that’s what motivates us to do the event – to be able to donate funds and see that they’re used properly.”

It’s a formula that works. Every Lions club keeps overheads to a minimum, ensuring that almost every dollar raised is returned to the community.

“If you give a dollar to a Lions club, that dollar gets donated,” Pat explains. “Everyone is a volunteer, and that’s one of the things I like about it.”

Like many service clubs, Lions face a challenge in attracting new members as people’s time becomes more stretched. But Pat believes the camaraderie and purpose that come with being a Lion are as valuable as ever.

“The best way to get involved is to come to a meeting,” he says. “We have two a month – one is a business meeting where you’ll learn about what the club does, and the second is more social. You have to have those outlets and enjoy yourself – it can’t all be business.”

For Pat, the motivation to serve is its own intrinsic force.

“I’ve always wanted to help people,” he says. “I became a lawyer to help people, and that extends to Lions. I like seeing someone deal with a problem through the help we can provide – making their life a little easier.”

The Ipswich Scenic 100 isn’t just an event for cyclists, it is also a celebration of what community spirit can achieve. From the volunteers at each rest stop to the riders who take on the challenge each March, it’s a reminder that small acts of generosity can make a big difference.

And as Pat puts it, that’s exactly the point.

“We’re proud of what we’ve achieved,” he says. “It’s not just about cycling it’s about building stronger communities.”

The Ipswich Scenic 100 will be held on Sunday, March 29, 2026, starting and finishing at the University of Southern Queensland Ipswich Campus. Bicycle Queensland is proud to partner with Lions Brisbane West for this iconic event. Tickets are available via the BQ website.