Community on board for Great Vic Bike Ride

ORGANISERS of a cycling event which will bring 3000 people to Myrtleford in November say they are thrilled by the level of support and interest already being shown by local community groups, businesses and tourism operators. Great Vic Bike Ride organisers held a public meeting in Myrtleford last week to discuss local opportunities for involvement in the biggest multi-day bike ride in the Southern Hemisphere, which will start in Wodonga on November 23 and end 501kms later in Healesville on December 1. Participants will stop overnight in Myrtleford on Sunday, November 24, accommodated at Myrtleford Recreation Reserve. Bicycle Network chief executive officer, Alison McCormack, said she was thrilled at the turnout and show of support from the community at last week's meeting. "We had community groups and businesses well represented and the local chamber (of commerce) had already started to rally the troops, with strong support from the council too, through Mayor John Forsyth," she said. Myrtleford Chamber of Commerce secretary Kerry Murphy said the chamber has secured funding to organise a lazy Sunday session in the public piazza to welcome riders and let them enjoy and savour the local hospitality, with music, food and beverages from 2pm to 6pm. "We will have a shuttle bus running from the rec reserve to piazza and we want visitors to enjoy our businesses while they're here," she said. "Other clubs and groups are looking at further involvement at the rec reserve." Ms McCormack said engaging with the communities is "100 per cent the bike rider’s favourite part" of the ride. "There is a big economic benefit for the restaurants, pubs, bars and accommodation...each rider spends an average of $35 a day on the Great Vic, injecting more than $100,000 each day into the region," she said. "Some 68 per cent of our participants say they'll come back to a town within 12 months, with more people in tow." Ms McCormack said they've been doing it for 40 years so it’s a well-oiled machine. "We will have traffic management in place, we’ve done several trips with police and generally we ride on 80km roads and during the time the bike riders are on it, it becomes 60km," she said. For more details visit greatvic.com.au.

Community on board for Great Vic Bike Ride

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