What motivated you to join Bicycle Network’s Board of Directors?

I had always been passionate about the power of riding to change lives because I’d seen the impact it had on my own physical and mental health. But I was motivated to get involved after I came off my bike on some unmarked construction works and broke a collarbone and some ribs. For a year, I tried to get the construction company to pay my out of pocket expenses to no avail. I spoke to the Bicycle Network Riders’ Rights team, BN’s lawyers wrote a letter and I was reimbursed within a week. I felt like I should give something back and decided to get more involved at that point.

What motivated you to volunteer with Bicycle Network?

I initially volunteered for the Great Vic with a few friends in 2016 as an opportunity to explore new places, meet new people and try something new in between finishing university and starting full-time work.

Tell us a bit about your role on the Great Vic Bike Ride

The Event Control team monitors what is happening on the ride, at the campsite and anywhere in between! We work in shifts to answer phone calls from riders, staff, volunteers and the community who have questions, concerns or queries about the bike ride.

What is your favourite thing about volunteering on the Great Vic Bike Ride?

Every day of the Great Vic I am amazed by the scale of the event, the ‘community’ that is built at each and every camp site and the spectacular new sights and towns we’re fortunate enough to explore (so the answer is everything!).

What motivated you to start volunteering with Bicycle Network?

I’ve been riding bikes all my life – I wanted to give something back.

Tell us a bit about your role as an office volunteer?

I’m a part of the events team and I help with admin duties such as printing, laminating and updating important documents.

What is your favourite thing about volunteering at Bicycle Network?

Working with the events team.

What motivated you to start helping with Super Counts?

I am a keen cyclist and so the motivation was 2-fold. Firstly, to give back to the cycling community and to raise valuable funds for my Rotary Club and give back to the community as a whole

Tell us a bit about what you do as a Super Counts volunteer?

I coordinate all of the members of our Rotary Club plus cycling buddies to undertake bike counts, as well as conduct the count myself, and then ensure all of the results are entered and returned to Bicycle Network.

What is your favourite thing about volunteering?

It gives a great sense of self-worth and of contribution to our society.

What motivated you to volunteer with Bicycle Network Tasmania?

I was a bike rider and environmental activist in my younger years, and when I retired I was again looking for something useful to do in the community. I attended a meeting of (then) Bicycle Tasmania and liked the people involved and the organisational style (just enough formality). I was nominated to the committee by an old friend and I’ve been very active with bike advocacy of all types ever since. I’m passionate about making riding in Hobart and across Tasmania safer and more fun for people of all ages and abilities. People have the right to be offered safe options for transport, and riding is so brilliant for health, social connection and the planet.

What motivated you to volunteer with Team Bicycle Network?

I had completed Peaks Challenge and was one of only a few women who had completed it, so was actually asked to join to promote women’s cycling to increase participation – from there I have not looked back. 2021 will be my 10th Peaks Challenge in a row and I can not wait!

Tell us a bit about your role as part of Team Bicycle Network.

I am the team captain. The team are here to support riders achieve their goals. We are a team of 22 people, each of us have completed Peaks Challenge at least three times before getting on the team so all have great experience of the ride and what it entails.

What motivated you to volunteer with Bicycle Network?

I think bike riding is fun and very satisfying. While riding with a casual bike riding club, I noticed new members commenting about why they had not started riding earlier and I realised that many more people would love bike riding as I do if they only gave it a go. Looking for an opportunity to share my passion and experience with others I volunteered at Around the Bay where I could help individuals and families enjoy the event, and perhaps encourage them to do more riding after the event. I have not looked back since.

What is your favourite thing about volunteering at Bicycle Network’s workshop?

The people at the workshop are awesome. I always learn so much when I go and I have a great time. The staff and volunteers are always welcoming and ready to help. I love getting involved in fabricating and renovating equipment and machinery and I love chatting with others about biking events and participating in the event preparation process.

Edward Leihitu

For more than ten years now, Edward has been a highly respected member of our Great Vic Bike Ride and United Energy Around the Bay event teams.

It’s clear that he has a passion for ensuring our riders are kept safe and well supported out on the road, having joined our riding marshal team on the Great Vic and the WARBY team at United Energy Around the Bay each year.

Geoffrey Taig

Geoff is one of the longest serving members of our riding marshal team on the Great Vic Bike Ride, having joined us on every event since 2010 – an incredible achievement!

During this time, he also joined us at United Energy Around the Bay as well as three Great Escapade events where he travelled with us to Western Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania to volunteer.

Jim and Julie Rees

Jim and Julie are two of our most loyal volunteers at United Energy Around the Bay, where for many years now they have taken on the role as ferry attendants down at our rest stop in Queenscliff.

In 2019, they also joined us on the Great Vic Bike Ride where Jim joined the volunteer operations team and Julie helped keep the riders fed as a part of the lunch team.

Sandra Portlock

For many years now Sandra has been one of our most active event volunteers – in the past 10 years alone, she’s joined our events team on over 20 occasions!

A true all-rounder, Sandra has helped in a variety of roles and across many of our events, including the Great Vic, United Energy Around the Bay, Peaks Challenge Falls Creek, Great Escapade New Zealand, Great Escapade Tasmania and Gravel Grit You Yangs.

Richard and Ruth Langman

Richard and Ruth have been stalwart organisers of Bicycle Network Tasmania’s Bike Week event, the Kingsborough Treasure Hunt, for more than 10 years.

In the months leading up to the event each year, they devote many hours to organising all aspects of the event from securing permission to use land to promoting the events to local schools and the media.

Vivienne Zoppolato

Vivienne is one of the most highly valued members of our Great Vic community, where for many years she has been a part of the Eco team.

The Eco team are responsible for ensuring the campsites we visit are left in an even better condition than when we arrived – it’s an incredibly important role and its one she takes great pride in! She took over as the team leader in 2019.

Alasdair Sinclair

Alasdair is a key member of our Eco team on the Great Vic, which he has been part of since he first joined our volunteer team in 2012.

Frank Coppens

Frank is the team leader of our amazing SAG team on the Great Vic. He’s also a regular at many of our other events including Peaks Challenge and United Energy Around the Bay.

Margaret Sewell

Travelling all the way from Western Australia to join us each year, Margaret is part of the lunch team at the Great Vic Bike Ride.

Peter Dodd

Pete has given many hours of service to Bicycle Network’s events over the years and he is a key member of our workshop team in Sunshine.

Stewart Livingston

A key member of our SAG team and one of our event regulars – there hasn’t been too many events he’s missed, having joined us on 20 occasions since 2013.

Tim Austin

Tim has been a member of our campsite team on the Great Vic for the past seven years. In 2018 he stepped up to take on the role of team leader.

Vivek Prabhakar

Vivek first joined our team on Around the Bay in 2011. Since then he has joined us on many occasions across multiple roles, most recently in Event Control on the Great Vic in 2019.