Yarra Bicycle Users Group: advocacy & awareness in Melb’s inner northern suburbs

Next Yarra Social Ride

Sustainable Living Festival

Hi everyone,
Time to put bottoms on seats and go riding at talking pace in the lovely February sun to Eltham.
Meeting at Fairfield Park car park, we can ride at a leisurely pace along the Main Yarra trail bike path and a short section of the Diamond Creek trail to Eltham, for lunch.There’s lots of native birds and serene bushland to enjoy on the way with almost no use of public roads. Paths are a mix of asphalt and firm gravel, mainly flat with 2 or 3 short hill climbs. Some basic fitness is required or at least the ability to ride a 20km distance.

We will stop at Eltham for lunch or you can BYO. There are no Café stops on the way but there are a couple of toilets and watering holes. Bring water, snacks and sunscreen, your mountain bike or hybrid bike in good working order and a sense of adventure! You can either return via the same route on bike or catch the train from Eltham. Parking is available at Fairfield Park, or along Heidelberg Road.

Ride Details: Fairfield to Eltham via “Main Yarra Trail”. Date: Sunday 19th February 2006: Meeting place: car park at Fairfield Park, Heidelberg Road Fairfield, Melways Map 30, ref J 12. Meeting/start time: 10am. Distance: 24km one way/48km return ride.

What to bring: Your lunch (or money to purchase food at café), snacks, weatherproof jacket, water/drinks, sunscreen, repair kit or a spare inner tube. A bike helmet must be worn.
Suitable for mountain bikes, hybrids and touring bikes. Road bikes may not be suitable for the gravel section. Contact: Please phone/email Karen Douglas on 0419 412 401 or 9639 1822 or kdouglas@cpsuvic.org. Remember, if you’re not out cycling, you’re just marking time.

This week the Sustainable Living Festival commences at Federation Square, see below for bike and transport themed talks:

Seeds for Change: 1/4 century on! Philip Sutton, Alan Pears, Chris Mardon, John Dick, Deborah White, Dr. Ian McPhail, Jim Castles (host) The Edge. Thursday 16th | 6:30pm - 8pm. What’s changed, what was predicted and recommendations. The authors of “Seeds for Change” analyse the past 25 years in the light of their influential book. “Seeds for Change” is a book on the energy crisis and its implications for Victoria and Australia. But it is also about people and lifestyles, government and decision-making, and many other issues that are rarely linked with energy.

Tips and Tricks for Cycling: Damon Rao, Louise Sales and Frank Fisher: Design stage. Friday 17th | 11:30am - 12:30pm. Speakers will talk about some of the inhibitions people have about getting on their bike and some constructive ideas on how to get going. Last year there were almost 1 million motor vehicles sold in Australia and 1.2 million bikes. People are buying bikes but are they getting as much use out of them as they could? Louise Sales explores the issue of women and cycling. Frank Fisher gives some advice on how to make the bike-rail connection. Finally, Damon focuses on the basics of getting started.

Health and Transport: Prof. John Pucher, Dr. Jan Garrad, Dr. John Merory, Elliot Fishman (host) Transport choices have powerful effects on our health. Living close to a freeway makes you four times as likely to be obese. This forum outlines why this is the case and how your transport behaviour can work to improve rather than decrease your health and that of the community. Come and find out why active transport (walking and cycling) is not just cheaper but proven to increase your life expectancy. Saturday 18th | 2:30pm - 3:30pm

Re-imagining Our Cities: Prof. John Pucher, Prof. Peter Newman, David Engwicht, Dr. Jan Garrard (host) . Sunday 19th | 12pm - 2pm. The shape and feel of our cities has been influenced in no small way by our transport choices. Our current transport behaviour, dominated by the car has resulted in large proportions of the city being paved over - to make way for road and parking space. This is just one of the many difficulties of mass car use in urban areas. This forum brings together some of the world’s leading urban thinkers to ignite our imagination to what might be possible in a city less dominated by the car.

Even more February news …

Next YarraBAC Meeting: call for Agenda items

Connecting Cycling Melbourne: Thursday Feb 16th

From Bicycle Victoria: Kew Boulevard Sunday Circuits

Now I’m thinking about the next Yarra-themed social ride. How about a loop of Yarra Boulevard starting at Collins Bridge, out to the puppy farm and back down to Victoria Street for a yummy meal + refreshments?

If you’re not familar with Yarra Boulevard, read below about BV’s car-free ride on this Sunday 12/2. Also look at this link to the Yarra Bend ParksVic map. After ride destination: Tho-Tho Bar & Restaurant, 66 Victoria Street, Richmond. 6.30pm, Wednesday 22nd February. What do you think, a good opportunity to start training for the MBTC MAD Ride? Now onto the news:

1. Yarra Council Bicycle Advisory Committee Meeting, Wednesday 15. February 2006. Richmond Town Hall Meeting Room 1, 6.30pm. Please forward any agenda items to Richard this week for the next BAC agenda: Richard Smithers, Transport Coordinator. smitherr@yarracity.vic.gov.au

2. Connecting Cycling Melbourne - Health & Culture in Planning for Bicycles is a free 1 day event featuring speakers from a variety of fields. This is a free event, lunch & refreshments are included with your registration.

9:30am - 4:30pm, Thursday, February 16th at the Department of Infrastructure Theatrette, Level 29 80 Collins St, Melbourne. More information & RSVP (by Monday Feb 13th) please contact Elisabeth Williams, Ph 9655 6227. elisabeth.williams@doi.vic.gov.au. This is a free event, lunch & refresements are included with your registration

Keynote Speaker: John Pucher Ph.D. Professor of Urban Planning, Rutgers University, USA. PUBLIC HEALTH: The Key to Public & Political Support for Walking & Cycling

Speakers:
Jan Garrard: School of Health & Social Development - Deakin University. Changing travel ‘cultures’: the missing link in promoting active travel in Australia?”

Elliot Fishman: Project Officer - North Yarra Community Health Cycling for Transport and Health - A Community Project

Emma Dean: TravelSmart Project Officer - Department of Infrastructure. Cycle Smart - Interactive web program to support cycling

Harry Barber: CEO - Bicycle Victoria. Applying a Copenhagen approach to bicycle facilities in Swanston St

Tony Barton: Acting Manager Bicycle Program - Vic Roads. VicRoads’ bicycle program, data & indicators, standards & guidelines & on-line maps

David McCaffrey: Sustainable Transport Officer - City of Port Phillip. Developing the Cycle Plan 2005 - 2010, Taking pedal power to the streets

Susie Strain: Transport Planner - City of Melbourne Developing the 2007 City of Melbourne Transport Strategy

Stephanie Potts: Senior Project officer, Engineering Programs - City of Melbourne
Sam Donato: Coordinator, Traffic Engineering - City of Melbourne. Developing the 2007 City of Melbourne Bicycle Strategy

Damon Rao: TravelSmart Project Officer - Department of Infrastructure. Developing a TravelSmart Map system

3. Kew Boulevard Sunday Circuits

Location: Yarra Boulevard, Kew (Mel Ref 44.J2) Date: Sunday 12 February 2006. Time: road closures in effect from 6am to midday

Ever wanted to ride on the road but worried about the traffic? Following the success of car-free “Sunday circuits” in some of the world’s other great cycling cities, Melbourne’s bike riders will have exclusive use of Kew Boulevard this Sunday, 12 February. From 6am to midday, the Boulevard will be closed to all motorised traffic, providing an ideal opportunity for cyclists to have a hit-out on one of Victoria’s most popular bike riding routes.

All are welcome to this free event. We would love to see as many riders as possible taking up this opportunity, so please spread the word to friends, family and colleagues - with enough support, we look forward to developing Sunday circuits on a regular basis throughout Victoria! Plans are already underway for a second event on Sunday 12 March, which will include an opportunity to race against the clock and test yourself against some of Australia’s leading young cyclists. Our membership team will be on hand this Sunday with all the details - see you there!