Community service cycling

Camaraderie: members of the PROBUS cycling group in Bendigo enjoy companionship and keep fit.

PROBUS is a community service program of Rotary clubs, an association of active retirees who join together to provide regular opportunities for them to keep their minds active, expand their interests and to enjoy the fellowship of new friends. Membership is open to anyone of good character who has had some measure of responsibility or achievement in any field of worthy endeavour.

PROBUS originated in the United Kingdom in 1965. Yes, it was a lady who added the notion that the needs of all people who were in retired families and not just male Rotarians could be met by a new community based club. So it was in England in 1965 and 1966 that PROBUS was conceived independently by two Rotary clubs. The first PROBUS Clubs formed in the South Pacific area were New Zealand in 1974, Australia in 1976 and the Philippines in 2007.

Bendigo MTB Club history continues on a marathon event

Off and racing: the Bendigo MTB Club caters for all ages and levels. Photo: Steve Blake www.akunadigital.com.au

The Bendigo Mountain Bike Club had its beginnings in 1986 when a group of nine riders used to meet regularly on a Sunday morning at the Spring Gully General Store and head off for three hours of tough riding in the bush. This small group saw the potential for MTB riding in the state forests surrounding Bendigo.

They rode the tracks on One Tree Hill and in the Spring Gully Reserve, following trails already there and creating new ones. There was no club affiliation at this stage; it was simply a group of blokes looking to ride for fun and for fitness training for road competition.

Bendigo MTB Offers weekend warriors a chance to prove their metal

Excitement: MTB racing gets the heart pumping. Photo: Steve Blake - Akuna Digital Imaging Bendigo

The Bendigo Mountain Bike Club is hosting the third round of the Victorian State Enduro series on Sunday May 24th. Bendigo Cycles of 52 Edward Street, is the major sponsor of this 6 hour test of endurance.

The Enduro series is run by Mountain Bike Clubs throughout the state and is available to riders of all skill and fitness levels. From the Solo “hard nuts” to the “weekend warriors” 2, 3, 4 person teams, these endurance events are for everyone catering for all levels of riding ability – former world cup competitors, Commonwealth Games MTB riders compete on the same track at the same time as the “humble mtb rider.”

Bendigo Triathelon Club a growing Community

The club currently is proud of over 140 athletes having competed in the last 12 months boosting membership across all age barriers with members in their 60’s still competing regularly right down to under 10’s. The clubs knows that without the valued support of local sponsors that this growth would not have been possible.

The club high lights has been over the last 20 years “Seeing athletes of all abilities grow over the years, some to elite level while others have had great longevity and are the motivators behind introducing new members to club level and beyond”.

Castlemaine Cycling Club 30 years young and virbrant

There were a few riders getting together to train over a period and they met one day to discuss starting a club, and a meeting was planned.  The Club was formed with a Public Meeting on 18th May 1978. There were 18 people present. Mr Barry Thornbury took the Chair and was voted in as the inaugural President.  There was a  motion: That a Cycling Club be formed and it be named the Castlemaine Amateur Cycling Club. Moved Mr A Morrow, 2nd Mr S Robins and Carried.

There were 18 present on the first night and the first race meeting was set for the 27th May 1978. The current membership is 62 and rising, with a strong component of juniors in the club.