Border town ‘bike library’ gets kids riding: Wewak Bikes for Schools

Thanks to their new ‘bike library’, students on the New South Wales-Victorian border are getting a taste for bicycle riding – and it’s proving transformational.

As part of Ride Nation’s Bikes for Schools pilot program, last year AusCycling connected the Albury Wodonga Bicycle User Group (‘BUG’) with Wewak Street School, a school in North Albury for students with intellectual disabilities.

The BUG sourced and repaired bicycles, then donated them to the school to form a collection of loan bikes.

Since then, staff have been regularly leading rides on nearby trails between Beechworth and Myrtleford, and teacher Doug McGhee says they’re keen to go further afield.

“We have been using all the donated bikes, as well as trikes and tandem bikes, and we’re about to start some longer rides on the trails from Wodonga to Tallangatta,” McGhee said. (Wodonga to Tallangatta is a distance of 35 kilometres).

“We have at least six longer rail trail rides planned for term 4, and we have put in a request for the school to purchase a bike trailer to help with transportation,” he said.

In one success story, a female student who rode a tricycle on a 20km trail ride subsequently decided to buy her own bike, and taught herself to ride a two-wheeler over the school holidays.

“Currently, students from six of the ten classes join us on rides, and my aim is to get as many students riding as possible,” McGhee said.

The bike library is giving more students the chance to ride, whether or not they own a bike.

Thanks to the support of the Rapha Foundation, Bikes for Schools aims to overcome the issue of equitable access to bikes by connecting schools and community mentors to create libraries of donated bikes in 30 schools across Australia. The bikes will be owned by the schools for use by all students.

AusCycling also provides instructor training and ongoing support for teachers and parents, so bike education can be embedded as part of day-to-day activities at the school.

Aside from the fun and enjoyment it brings students, bike riding is an important life skill that has benefits across health and wellbeing, transport, and physical literacy.

Clubs and BUGs who would like to take on the Bikes for Schools program are encouraged to contact Ride Nation via this online form.

About Ride Nation

Ride Nation is the participation brand and strategy of AusCycling. Ride Nation’s vision is for bike riding to be Australia’s number on physical activity. To achieve this Ride Nation works to support the complete cycling ecosystem of coaches, program providers, councils, event organisers and bike shops to create an environment where bike riding can flourish.

About Rapha Foundation

Founded in 2019 with the mission of building a better future for cycling and cyclists, the Rapha Foundation now funds more than 10 organisations around the world committed to inspiring, empowering, and supporting the next generation of riders and racers from under-represented communities in the sport.

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Photos: Doug McGhee, Wewak Street School