Bicycle Queensland celebrated a big 2025 with partners, members, advocates and stakeholders in Brisbane last night. The end of year function was held at the Queensland Parliament. The Hon. Brent Mickelberg, Queensland’s Minister for Transport and Main Roads, and the Hon. Bart Mellish, the Shadow Minister, both spoke at the event. This recognises the importance of cycling for government and how BQ is helping more Queenslanders to get out bike riding.
The Chair of BQ, the Hon. Rachel Nolan, was there. So was the Hon. Mark Bailey – who also previously held the transport portfolio in state government. Other guests ranged from bicycle retailers, members of Bicycle User Groups, other MPs, local councillors, bicycle bureaucrats, organisations that have partnered with us on our advocacy, and members of the BQ board.
The past 12 months saw BQ jumping back into events, expanding our regional advocacy, campaigning on e-mobility, and appointing a new CEO in Matthew Burke. The evening presented an opportunity to not just reflect on 2025, but to look forward. As Chair Rachel Nolan noted:
‘We’re an organisation of a huge network of friends and fellow travellers. We are about bikes, obviously, but we are also about bikes and active transport more broadly. And I think bikes are the best mechanism to change the fundamental nature of the world we live in.’
‘What we envisage at BQ is … at its simplest, a transport system where [providing for and using bikes] is a mainstream idea. Not a transport system in which that’s an add on. We want cities, in some way like they used to be – where kids can ride to school, where it is safe and nobody really gives that a second thought.’
Minister Brent Mickelberg spoke about the recent wins and the challenges in the transport space, and the opportunities for local governments right now:
‘This week we were pleased to announce our new Active Transport Grants program, unifying the local government cycling and walking grant programs into a single streamlined program, to represent fresh ways to work with local councils… in a more flexible model.’
He also noted the importance of Brisbane 2032 and its relevance for visitors as well as for residents during the Games and beyond.
‘We want to support and encourage active travel as it relates to 2032, it’s really important to maximise those opportunities for residents and visitors to walk and to ride to Games but also to other key destinations across the state. It’s a catalyst for us to invest in communities. Active transport is a big part of where we need to go. Active transport corridors will be important for 2032 but will also provide a legacy for active transport post 2032 – that’s a key priority for the government.’
BQ was especially pleased that the Minister noted the importance of creating bike and micromobility parking as an essential feature to encourage and support active transport for the Games. Most members will be aware there is negligible bike parking at most Queensland stadiums.
Shadow Minister Bart Mellish spoke about the impact that Bicycle Queensland and Bicycle User Groups have not just on developing cycling communities, but also their advocacy for safe cycling:
‘I also want to acknowledge the input Bicycle Queensland has had into the inquiry into e-mobility; both Matt and Rachel have been engaging in a very positive way, which I really appreciate. This is a really important thing for governments to get right.’
Mellish also discussed how the 2032 opportunity is such an important thing to get right, looking to the recent examples and success of Paris, with how their investment in infrastructure saw such a dramatic mode shift not just for the Games, but as an ongoing transport choice.
Our CEO Matthew Burke addressed guests celebrating recent wins for cycling, such as the new active transport links on the Coomera Connector on the Gold Coast. He noted BQ had written to TMR’s Nerang Office to congratulate them on that work. At the same time, he noted TMR’s rail branch had deleted a key part of the funded active transport corridor between Woodridge and Kingston on the Faster Rail project. BQ will be trying to get this reinstated.
He also noted the success of this year’s Weekend at Wondai event and that we are going to repeat the same event format, with minor improvements, in a new Weekend at Pomona in 2026. BQ will also be doing a “Hallowheeling” family ride as part of a road safety campaign around Halloween, when many US children are killed and injured each year.
Inaugural BQ Awards
Matt took the opportunity to make three Bicycle Queensland awards for major achievements for individual bicycle advocacy, for leadership and for community project achievement, as judged by BQ staff. In 2026, we aim to open these awards to formal nominations from our members in a broader, open process.
Excellence in Individual Advocacy: Kathryn Good
Kathryn helped lead the Story Bridge Active Travel Alliance and its Bike Bus, a project that created a safe crossing of Brisbane’s Story Bridge after the shared paths on either side were closed by the Brisbane City Council. The advocacy helped bring forward Council’s actions to fix and re-open this important part of the bike network, in a shorter timeline than many had expected. Kathryn is also part of Pedal Party – a group that organises fun and inclusive mass rides in Brisbane, including an upcoming night-time ‘glow ride’ in January. She noted:
‘It’s critical now more than ever, that we keep engaging with our local representatives at every level of government. They have so much power over our everyday lives in this city when it comes to transport infrastructure.’
Excellence in Leadership: Councillor Peter Mitchell
With his team at Redlands City Council, Cr Peter Mitchell has delivered a more connected and inclusive network of active transport pathways and riding facilities through the Redlands Coast Active Transport Strategy. He helped revitalise Council’s active transport committee, engaging with local cyclists. He also helped bring cycling to greater importance within the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ), hosting their first forum on cycling earlier this year. Peter said:
‘People who are riding or walking are problem solvers. We’re solving problems with the environment; we’re solving problems in the economy; and, we are solving problems with transportation. We’re not beggars. We are part of the solution and all of the data supports that.’
Excellence in Community Project Achievement: Mike and Margie Browne, Pioneer Valley Rail Trail
Establishing a rail trail is an exhausting process, working with the (very good) Rail Corridor Management team at TMR, local government and other partners. It takes a lot of paperwork and a lot of late nights for the volunteers who take it on. Though others started the journey towards getting the Pioneer Valley Rail Trail established, it was Mike and Margie Browne who led the group that has now made the first 7km section a reality. With other trail development happening in Eungella, there is the potential for the valley to become a world-class cycle tourism destination. On receiving the award, Mike Browne said:
‘The Pioneer Valley Rail Trail is now a permanent fixture in the Pioneer Valley and the Mackay area – it just needed someone to build it so they would come. We’ve got buy-in now from all levels of government… and we really appreciate the support of Bicycle Queensland and everyone here.’
Beyond the awards and speeches, the evening offered the chance for stakeholders, partners and advocates to connect, discuss projects and engage with policy makers. At Bicycle Queensland we would like to say thank you to every one of our members for being with us in 2025. We hope to achieve more for you, our members and supporters, in 2026.
