Elcho Island Mums on Bikes ride high on donations from around the world

When these inspirational mums on a remote island off the coast of Arnhem Land began riding bikes each night to get fit, they caught the attention of their community and the world. 

But since forming last September, the Elcho Island Mums on Bikes group has had a rollercoaster of a ride. 

The group had all of its equipment stolen (and returned), negotiated donations and corporate deals, and received offers of help from across the globe.

Still, each evening, the women cobble together dozens of bikes with basic tools and basic knowledge to go out for a pedal.

The 10-kilometre ride around the town and surrounding scenic graded roads is a social occasion for all the family.

Initially, they could not get their hands on enough bikes to meet demand.

However, after an ABC story, people from all over the world offered bikes, money and support.

The Dusty Divas running group in Alice Springs held a fundraiser; a Scottish woman said that since a Scot invented the bike, she was connected to them; and Heather Seidel from Texas, in the United States, knew she couldn’t send a bike, but wanted to donate the cost of a new bike.

“It’s no longer safe for me to ride a bike here,” Ms Seidel said.

“It’s so wonderful seeing the joy on the women’s faces.”

Tyranny of distance

Galiwin’ku, the local name for Elcho and also the name of the island’s largest town, is 515 kilometres east of Darwin.

Sending a container full of bicycles by barge to the island would cost thousands of dollars, but the operator has gifted their services-in-kind.

Participant post office worker Verity Burarrwanga, 31, has been overwhelmed by the response.

“I felt so touched when I first heard the people on the radio, and saw the comments, what they were saying about me,” she said.

“It really touched my heart.

“I’m really proud of myself for what I’m doing for my kids.

“I feel so blessed.”

You never forget…

Ms Burarrwanga, who had not been on a bike since a childhood cycling accident, was coached by her daughter Amelia to ride again.

“She was my first teacher since my childhood,” she said.

“It was great when I started my first ride, it was amazing.

“When my kids saw me riding a bike, they gave me a big smile, which cheered me up. I was so surprised.

“I would like all you guys to come and enjoy your life riding a bike instead of just sitting in the car.

“Because riding a bike, it’s exercise for our body inside and out.

“It’s really helped our fitness and health.”

The wheels keep turning

The dynamo behind the operation, Belinda Morton, stores scores of bikes that are awaiting shipment to the island at her other mainland home in Palmerston.

Ms Morton, a Shepherdson College Families as First Children educator, spends her holidays and spare time collecting donated bikes.

A local handyman helps service them.

The bikes are destined for a purpose-built cage in her carport in Galiwin’ku.

The cage became necessary after the group’s initial fleet of nine bikes was stolen after riding became popular on the island.

“In a community like this where resources are scarce, and a kid’s bike at the shop will cost over $200, I think young people were seeing the fun that we’re having and they wanted in on that,” Ms Morton said.

“It was an indicator of success.

“You’re onto a winner if everything gets taken.”

Only so many places

But bikes can only go so far on a 60-kilometre-long island.

“It’s a game of hide-and-seek,” she said.

“The Mums on Bikes went around to the houses and just sat down and talked with families and with the young fellas about what this means to us.”

While the bikes were returned, the group has faced other setbacks including the essential school bus needing a service in Darwin, local sorry business, which can shut down an entire community, and the arrival of COVID-19.

Big plans … and some helmets too

Ms Morton says the group is considering using donations to secure weather-proof premises, more bikes, equipment, helmets, and tools.

“We want to look after what we’ve got before we ask for donations again,” she said.

Also on the cards is maintenance training for men “to upskill in that area and help support the women in the community”.

“And the mums can learn about it too,” she said.

Helmets are a bone of contention in social media comments.

“I think we’ve got three or something, and then people feel weird if there’s only three,” she said.

“We’re working towards it. We’ve started with nothing.”