Mayor’s Message - Friday 29 September 2023

Biketober is coming to Ballarat, this October. It is a fun, free and friendly biking challenge for the entire community to take part in throughout the entire month.  

The initiative is for everyone, especially non-riders. It’s a great chance to try out bike riding and join up with an experienced rider to enjoy an active mode of transport.  

At the City of Ballarat, we are pleased to join with Biketober. The challenge is to ride to work, ride for leisure or for exercise, ride with friends and family, or any way you wish to.  

As a Ballarat resident, registration is simple and free. Follow the instructions at www.lovetoride.net to fill in your details and link your profile to your workplace or club.  

Anyone aged 13 years and over can participate for free.

When you register and sign up with a workplace or club, you receive the first year of RACV bike-assist for free, to ensure you won’t be left on the side of the road if you can’t ride.  

Our city is becoming increasingly bike friendly with recent openings of major new separated bike paths on the Canadian Creek Trail, Sturt Street and Learmonth Road towards Miners Rest.

Works on further infrastructure will commence this financial year with an additional separated trail along Sutton Street. While consultation has recently closed on a new link along the Glenelg Highway and early scoping is underway for a range of other linkages across the city.  

Communities with high levels of bike riding are healthier, more connected, consume less energy, produce less emissions and experience less congestion on the roads than those with low levels of bike riding.  

Spring is the perfect time in Ballarat to get back on the bike and explore.  

If you are unsure or nervous about Biketober, check out the Ride Ballarat section of visitballarat.com.au for some great off-road and completely separated routes.

- Mayor Cr Des Hudson