Tweed Shire Council yesterday launched a new collaboration with Cycling Without Age to bring an innovative and inclusive service to the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.
The collaboration will provide free trishaw rides for elderly individuals, people with disabilities, and those with reduced mobility, fostering community connections and enhancing access to the award-winning trail.
Nicole Manderson, Tweed Council’s Program Leader, Destination & Industry Development shared her enthusiasm for establishing the service. ‘Delivering an inclusive and accessible service for everyone through Cycling without Age has been our goal since first opening the Tweed section,’ she said.
‘Our opening weekend and community celebrations featured Cycling Without Age and we are very excited that a chapter has now been established in Burringbar to service the Tweed section of the Rail Trail.
‘This chapter will operate between Burringbar and Mooball for now, offering a unique outdoor recreation experience for those who might otherwise be unable to enjoy the trail independently. It’s a free service run by dedicated volunteers that aligns perfectly with the rail trail’s values of freedom, fun and connection.’
Committed to accessibility
Tweed Council says it is committed to delivering inclusive services as part of the Rail Trail.
‘The Northern Rivers Rail Trail is accessible for all, and we are very excited to support CWA to deliver this community service,’ said Ms Manderson.
‘It is a huge value add to our guest experiences on the trail and we know this will bring many smiles and joy to our community and rail trail guests.’
She noted that the service would not have been possible without the support of the Office of Sport and Recreation, who purchased the first two trishaws, the Burringbar Community for supporting the tri-shaw storage facility ‘and to the wonderful volunteers at Cycling Without Age who deliver this free community service’.
Tracey McDonagh, Community Captain at Cycling without Age Burringbar shared her excitement to launch the service. ‘We are very grateful for the support from Tweed Shire Council, the Northern Rivers Rail Trail and the Office of Sport and Recreation to launch Cycling without Age on the Tweed section of the Rail Trail,’ she said.
‘It’s been a team effort with Council and the NRRT supporting us with temporary storage and operational needs, which are two of the biggest challenges we face in establishing a CWA service.
‘We couldn’t have started this service without the support of the NSW Office of Sport and Recreation, and we thank them for funding our first two tri-shaws to the value of $50,000. We also look forward to growing our fleet and offering wheelchair accessible bike rides in the future,’ said Ms McDonagh.
‘It is a great day to launch this free community service to get people in nature and experiencing this beautiful part of the world and the Northern Rivers Rail Trail. We hope to see many of you soon.’
Heartfelt thanks
“A heartfelt thank you to the Cycling Without Age National body for their continuous guidance and support,’ added Ms McDonagh.
‘We are deeply grateful to our Burringbar chapter committee and our dedicated volunteers whose hard work and commitment make everything possible.
‘We also extend our sincere thanks to the Rotary Club of Mt Warning AM Murwillumbah and 99 Bikes Tweed Heads for their support.’
Cycling Without Age will operate on the Tweed section of the Rail Trail on the sealed section between Burringbar and Mooball on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9.30am–12.30pm.
Rides commence from the Burringbar rest stop at Masterson Park Burringbar where there is ample parking and an accessible public toilet. Bookings are encouraged and ride times are every half hour commencing at 9.30am with the last ride at 12.30pm.
To book, email CWA Burringbar at [email protected] with name, phone number, preferred time slot and the number of people. Each trishaw can accommodate two people.
For more information on how to book a ride or volunteer, please visit the Cycling Without Age Burringbar Facebook page.
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