March Newsletter 2005
· Next YarraBUG Meeting
· Gipps Street Steps Campaign
· Princes Bridge
· Clarendon Street - Think Tram
· Yarra Bicycle Advisory Committee
· Yarra Council News
· Lysterfield Lake Park
· Bicycle Victoria News
· Related News
· Local News
· Bicycle Maintenance Courses
· Group Rides
YarraBUG Meeting
A reminder that the first YarraBUG meeting for 2005 will held this Tuesday 8th
March, 7.30pm at Suede Bar, 284 Smith Street, Collingwood. We're back after
extended summer break and now we’re looking forward to 2005. After putting a
great deal of groundwork in 2004, it's time for the BUG to move forward to
another stage in its development. This involves YOU. Do you have spare time to
volunteer to develop social rides, some basic administration and community
networking? We'll love to hear from you.
Gipps Street Steps Campaign
YarraBUG's Gipps Street Steps campaign commenced at the combined BUG stall at
Bicycling Australia Show in October 2004. So it’s interesting to note the
article in Bicycle Victoria’s "Ride On" Feb-March magazine didn't mention
YarraBUG’s local campaign, even though at the BA Show, a BV Campaigns staff
member was handed a leaflet and had a 15-20 minute chat about the stalls photo
display of the steps and letter writing campaign.
Prior advice given by BV Campaigns suggested that YarraBUG to write to John
Thwaites (Minister Depart. of Sustainability & Environment/Depart. for Victorian
Communities), so we then designed and printed 150+ leaflets, which were all
distributed at the stall over the weekend. On BV's website is recent news that
they've met with Richard Wynne, Richmond MHR. YarraBUG wasn't contacted
concerning this. Now BV has been working on this issue for a while, but why
can’t they acknowledge that a local group is helping with the campaign as well?
What does an inner-city bicycle user group have to do to be kept informed of
developments in their local area? During the last 2-3 years BV has attempted to
change its attitude and has adopted a more open, friendlier approach to other
cycling groups. Or has it? Contact us at YarraBUG or BV and let us know your
thoughts.
The Discovery Trails Day on March 20 is a perfect opportunity for YarraBUG, and
anyone interested to get involved with a letter-writing stall planned for the
Gipps Street Steps. We've got a big folding table and we're going to use it!
(Weather permitting of course) More details to come next week so make plans to
get involved and meet plenty of cyclists and pedestrians who dislike those steps
just as much as we do.
Princes Bridge
You are urged to contact/write to: City of Melbourne, Town Hall, 90-120 Swanston
Street, Melbourne, 3000, Hotline: 9658 9658
mailto:
enquiries@... to politely but firmly request that
Melbourne City Council reinstate the shared paths on Princes Bridge.
Clarendon Street - Think Tram
Port Phillip BUG: Put Bikes Back in the Picture
Isn’t it fantastic that the State government, Vic Roads, Yarra Trams & the City
of Port Phillip are working to improve tram efficiency and passenger safety with
the “Think Tram” initiative? BUT...under current plans for the pilot program in
Clarendon Street, there is no safe way for cyclists to travel safely through
intersections and past the new tram stops.
· The distance between the tram tracks and the pavement is far too narrow for
bikes.
· For those confident enough to cross the tracks in traffic, riding along the
centre of the continuing lane between the tram tracks will slow trams and
motorists, causing frustration and animosity.
For more: contact Port PhillipBUG:
http://mc2.vicnet.net.au/home/ppbug/index.html
Yarra Bicycle Advisory Committee
Want to get involved in local government and influence cycling issues in Yarra?
All welcome to attend. 6.30pm, Richmond Town Hall, Meeting Room 1. 2005 Meeting
Dates: Wednesday 20 April, Wednesday 22 June, Wednesday 24 August, Wednesday 26
October, and Wednesday 14 December.
http://www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/council/vision/bac04.asp
Yarra Council News
Council Plan: Your Say
http://www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/council/vision/yoursay.asp
Yarra makes space for car sharing
http://www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/publications/news/car-sharing.asp
Need Wheels? Don’t buy a car - borrow one from Flo! Our cool cars live in
neighbourhoods near you. Self-service, on-demand - rent by the hour or day.
Petrol, insurance, cleaning, maintenance and registration are all included.
http://www.flo.net.au/
Ask the community for a hand and register a site for Clean Up Australia Day
http://www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/publications/news/clean_up.asp
Lysterfield Lake Park
YarraBUG member and avid MTB rider Steve Barnett, has updates on the State
Mountain Bike Course at Lysterfield Lake Park. Steve has been part of the
community consultation and assisting course designer Ben Monroe.
Construction is now underway on the new 6.3 km racecourse for the 2006
Commonwealth Games. It is expected this could be finished within the next few
months. Talks have started about the upgrades & re-routes to the existing
recreational trails. Some trail building work is to be tendered out and
volunteers may do some from the MTB community. For more: Office of Commonwealth
Games Coordination
http://www.dvc.vic.gov.au/ocgc/Projects/Infrastructure_Projects_Home.htm
Lysterfield MTB:
http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/lysterfieldmtb/
Bicycle Victoria News
BUG’s on Bicycle Victoria website:
At the moment the links to other BUG's are in a PDF document on the BV website.
Many people have commented it’s very difficult to easily obtain information
about BUG contacts and rides. Do you think BV should develop a web page solely
devoted to BUGs with hyperlinks to websites and email addresses? Contact BV and
let them know what you think, Ph 8636 8888 (1800 639 634 country callers) Email:
mailto:
bicyclevic@...
Office: Level 10, 446 Collins St, Melbourne
Dear BUG or club, Ride On® Love BUG (and club) award
Staff on the Ride On® magazine team at Bicycle Victoria are currently working on
the June/July issue, which, because we are all so fond of our bicycles, is going
to be loosely themed with Love. As you probably know, we are now running our
BUGs and clubs list twice a year and are featuring articles on individual groups
in other issues. For June we would like to have a story on the BUG or club with
the best, most romantic story of love in the saddle.
So please give this some thought: is there a couple in your group who have met
over the casual fixing of a puncture and fallen head over handlebars in love? Is
there a tale of two good riders who have, against all odds on an uphill ride,
tumbled into each other's arms and cycled happily ever after?
Let us know - give us a bit of their story so that we can write an article -
and you could be the featured group for the winter issue as the winner of the
eminent and amorous Ride On® Love BUG (and club) award. Please drop us a line or
send us an email within the next couple of weeks.
Regards, Gavin Wright. mailto:
gavinw@..., Postal reply: Attn Ride On team,
GPO 1961R, Melbourne 3001
Rail Trail Discovery Weekend - 12, 13, 14 March 2005
Single-day events on rail trails across Victoria. The Labour Day long weekend in
March each year is Rail Trail Discovery Weekend. Rail trails group’s host
special one-day events to entice you to visit and experience all that the trail
has to offer. Because the events are spread across the weekend, you can visit
more than one trail in a region.
http://www.bv.com.au/Content/NavigationMenu/Events/Rail_Trail_Discovery_Days/Rai\
l_Trail_Discovery_Days.htm
Discovery Trails Day
Discover Melbourne's wonderful parks as you ride along great bike paths to your
indulgent destination – the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival at Federation
Square! Sunday 20 March marks the first time Bike Path Discovery day will be
held in Melbourne so mark this in your diary now!
http://www.bv.com.au/Content/NavigationMenu/Events/Bike_Path_Discovery_Day/Defau\
lt351.htm
Related News
Latest News from the Australia Bicycle Council:
http://www.abc.dotars.gov.au/news.htm
The Victorian Sustainable Development Conference 2005
http://www.halledit.com.au/conferences/vicsustainable/
Bushwalking Australia has put out a walking policy
http://www.bushwalkingaustralia.org/html/Towards a Walkable Australia.pdf
Advocates more walking based activities in schools, working to implement
"walking buses" to encourage more children to work to and from schools.
Local News
Farmers Market, Saturday 12th March, Collingwood Children’s Farm
Market goodies include: Yummy leisurely breakfast - sausages, bacon, eggs, and
fruit juices mmm! Fabulous stone fruits - peaches, nectarines, local berries &
cherries, new season snow peas, broad beans and zucchini flowers, organic beef,
milk, ripe red tomatoes, ice-cream and much more....
http://www.farm.org.au/html/farmers_market.html
Rose Street Artists Market
Hours: Sat 11am to 5pm, 60 Rose Street, Fitzroy, Ph: 0410 138 686
http://www.rosestmarket.com.au/
Bicycle Maintenance Courses
At Brunswick Street Cycles: Workshop Lessons are now being held first Tuesday of
every month at 6pm in Brunswick Street and 5:30pm in Greensborough. Cost is $20.
Bring your bike in and we can show you basic or advanced repairs.
http://www.brunswickstreetcycles.com.au/shop
Group Rides
At present YarraBUG cannot afford the insurance to hold our own rides. But that
doesn’t stop you from organising your own personal rides with “friends”. Just
don’t refer to any Yarra-based rides as “YarraBUG” organised - just yet Take
care, and please utilise common sense when organizing any personal bike rides.
We want to hold our own rides soon, just need to develop some guidelines. Check
these groups for ride details:
Not thrilled much by the Grand Prix Circus in Melbourne this weekend? Try this
instead - Ride the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit! 5–6 March 2005, 12–3pm
both days. Back Beach Road, Phillip Island. Adults $10.00 Children $5.00
Tickets to be purchased from the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit Visitor
Centre. Last ticket sales 2.45pm
BYO bicycle and helmet. Electric Scooter rides also available, $40.00 per person
(No license required, minimum age 14 years). For more: Phone: 5952 9400
Greenspeed OZHPV Challenge - 2–3 April 2005 (There will be a couple of YarraBUG
folk attending this!)
A fun weekend with a series of races to determine the best overall design for
Human Powered Vehicles. Held at the State Motorcycle Sports Centre, Broadford.
For more: Phone: Damian Harkin on 0402 346 961
http://www.ozhpv.org.au/events/comingevents.htm
Darebin BUG Rides
http://www.darebinbug.org.au/rides.html
Lysterfield MTB - rides in Lysterfield Park
http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/lysterfieldmtb/
Audax Australia (Long distance cycling)
http://www.audax.org.au
Kona Week In- Weak Out Dirt Crits
http://www.fullgaspromotions.com.au/dirtcrits.html
Hawthorn Cycling Club Road Criterium season 2005.
http://hawthorncycling.org/racing/racing.asp
Melbourne Bicycle Touring Club - check rides program
http://www.mbtc.org.au
Mountain Bike Orienteering
http://www.vicorienteering.asn.au/events/mtbo/index.htm
Cycling Guide to the Great Ocean Road:
http://www.greatoceanroad.org/cycling/index.asp
Victorian HPV
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/vichpv/
Tour of the Southern Grampians
http://www.colerainetour.com/
Bicycle Wagga Wagga - Easter Bike Rides
http://www.bww.org.au/
Wilderness Bike Ride
http://www.wildernessbikeride.com.au/
Upcoming events
Know about an event you would like to see in the next YarraBUG Newsletter? Want
to write a letter or short article? Then please feel most free to contact us.
Contact Carol:
C.Skinner@... Ph: 9419 7958 or Chris:
yarrabug@... Ph: 0407 825 467.
Not forgetting, our website will be up and running soon, there’s too many things
to do & simply not enough time to do them! Anyway, cheers, happy riding and hope
to see you out there soon.
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