Our first delivery of 50 bikes and cycling workshops resulted in a ripple of happiness around town.

“The kids are happier and that makes the adults happy too” – Benita, parent

Our story

In 2014, Bike Creative Founder Chris and Anna cycled over 9,000km from Istanbul to Singapore. During the journey they were overwhelmed by the kindness of people, stepping out of their houses and welcoming them with smiles and offers of food when there was no sign of a shop. They just saw two cyclists.

Along the way, Chris and Anna found themselves running impromptu coaching sessions for people in remote places, using the bike to connect where language was a barrier.

Ten years later, Chris and Anna were living and teaching in a remote Aboriginal community in the East Kimberley. There were only a handful of bikes in town but everyone knew how to ride, because they shared. So Chris paid for 50 bikes, tools, and lights to be driven over 3,000km North of Perth, Western Australia. The children learned to build them, fix them, and ride them. Soon there were bikes everywhere and kids setting out on new adventures every day.

At NAIDOC celebrations, the whole community came together – culture, food, stories, and bike repairs happening side by side. Local paediatrician Dr Jean Bishop put it plainly: “This is exactly what the children need – something practical that makes them happy.”

Seeing a need Chris stepped away from his permanent teaching job in Fremantle and used his long service leave to start building the foundations of a remote cycling charity. With the help of a few friends and the support of Bikes for Humanity WA, the team fixed, disassembled and packed 150 bikes and spares into a shipping container. They bought a trailer using a Lottery West grant, and sent the bikes and trailer by road to Warmun in the remote East Kimberley. The container became a cycling hub, allowing Chris and his helpers to deliver bikes by road to remote schools in Warmun, Doon Doon, Purnululu and Ringer Soak.

“But this isn’t just a bike drop-off service” explains Chris, “we sit down on the ground with the children and teach them how to use the tools they need to build and fix their bike. We encourage teachers to join in, and we give the school a set of tools to keep them going. Then we teach cycling skills to help children ride safely on and off road, and we keep coming back to build the program.”

The Bike Creative is currently developing programs to help over 350 children across 7 remote places, including Night Space programs in Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek. They plan to return to each remote place every 8-10 weeks but need funding partners to help them achieve this.

If you can help, please get in touch.