A Short History

Geelong West has a tradition of cycling. As early as 1869 the folk at the Wellington Street Methodist Church provided the riders for the very first velocipede races at Highton, the second in the colony. William Gaulton the coachbuilder and William Humble the foundry operator were both associated with the church. Geelong West began its love affair with bicycles when they were babes in arms but big news in Paris.

When the high wheeler penny farthings were around in the 1880's their riders 'took spins' out to places like Fyansford and the pleasure gardens at Batesford, through the streets of Ashby and Little Scotland. When the roads were bad, often very bad 'croppers' were not uncommon. Those same high wheeler riders used the Western Swimming Club facilities at Western beach, sportsmen they were in many fields. These were the days when the Pivot Club rode in navy jersey and cardinal socks, their captain, Mr J Dent with bugle, kept order.

At the time of the pneumatic tyred safety bicycle in 1896 Edwin Clarke, James Herd and Owen Purbrick, local crack riders on the road and track competed successfully in Melbourne and Jimmy Carpenter won the famous Warrnambool and Austral races making him a legend of all time in the colony. Cyclists rode with their male companions helping to liberate the 'weaker' sex.

By the time 1914 arrived Geelong West had a reputation as a place where dogs on the road were a nuisance and the trams a problem for older bicyclists. These were the days when everyone rode a bicycle.

The Geelong West Cycling Club was set up in 1911 to become one of the longest surviving clubs and numbered amongst its members the legendary Russell Mockridge, perhaps Australia's greatest road and track cyclist, Olympic gold medallist and world champion. His races against Syd Patterson and international stars at the West velodrome in the 1950's are still remembered by those who attended.

By 1977 Geelong West joined forces with other municipalities to trial the first of the great bike plans to sweep the world at the time of the great energy crisis. Geelong led the way in bicycle planning in the world then. A bicycle users group, a touring club and perhaps the best 'bike ed' in the world are legacies.

Now cycling is big time again. The Geelong club has never been bigger, with plenty of juniors riders coming up through the ranks the future is bright for cycling in Geelong.

By Rod Charles