Mobilise TI and the Ports North Community Investment Fund are helping Thursday Island residents embrace pedal power with the delivery of 100 new bicycles aimed at boosting health, mobility and sustainability. Photo: Supplied.
The delivery of 100 new bicycles to Waiben (Thursday Island) is helping empower community health, mobility and sustainability.
The bombardment of bikes is the result of a grassroots initiative led by Mobilise TI and the Ports North Community Investment Fund, and aims to boost active transport options for the 3,000 residents of the island.
The initiative, championed by Mobilise TI founder Sarah Tedder and ambassador Elsie Seriat, follows the community working together over the past 12 months to refurbish and rehome dozens of second-hand bikes.
Waiben already has a dedicated cycleway, however, without a local bike shop or public transport, many families lack suitable options for getting where they need to go.
Ms Tedder said the delivery of the 100 new bikes represented a “significant shift” for how residents commuted around the island.
“These bikes will enable a significant shift for TI,” she said.
“They’ll connect families around the island and reduce barriers to education, healthcare, work, and community – especially for women, children, and families from First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
“We want other organisations and individuals to get on board so we can keep supplying bikes to TI and help even more people.”
Ms Seriat, who is also the Torres Shire Council mayor, is a founding partner of Mobilise TI and highlighted the rising number of cars on the island.
“It feels like there are more cars than people here, and traffic is becoming a serious problem,” she said.
“Encouraging our families to get outside for activities like cycling isn’t just enjoyable, it’s also essential for our health and wellbeing.
Member for Cook David Kempton praised the initiative and said improving mobility across the island would benefit everyone.
“The cost of buying and transporting bikes to TI can be quite expensive,” he said.
“Providing these bikes, and the training to maintain them, will not only enable locals to get around the island; it will also help enhance their health, skills and independence, in an environmentally friendly way.”
