Australian Cycling Luminaries Awards – National Award Winners Announced

Media Release: Wednesday, 27 November 2023

The winners of the national Cycling Luminaries Awards were announced this evening at the annual Awards event hosted by Deakin University in Melbourne.

The Awards, hosted by Deakin University, also featured the launch of the RideScore Active Schools Evaluation Report by Deakin’s Professor Neil Coffee.

Distinguished Professor Rachel Huxley, Executive Dean of Deakin University’s Faculty of Health, provided the opening Key Note at the event which celebrated the inspirational leaders, outstanding programs and infrastructure making the choice to ride a bike easier, more convenient and safer across the country.

2024 Award recipients are:

Leadership Award – Anthony Aisenberg
Bike Culture Award – Equitable Commute Project, Victoria
Built Environment Award – Toowoomba Safe Streets, Queensland

Awards key facts

The Australian Cycling Luminaries Awards are organised by WeRide and were first held in 2002. The 2024 Awards were hosted by Deakin University.
Nominations were received from across Australia, more information at weride.org.au/what-we-do/cycling-awards/about-the-awards
An independent judging panel selected finalists and winners, see them here weride.org.au/cycling-awards/judges
Full list of all nominations can be seen here: org.au/what-we-do/cycling-awards/about-the-awards-2-2/2024-awards-nominations/
Awards finalists list can be seen here: org.au/announcement/australian-cycling-luminaries-awards-national-finalists-announced/

RideScore Active Schools

A first of its kind in Australia, the RideScore Active Schools Program (RideScore) has significantly boosted the number of children scooting and riding to school. During the evaluation period:

55% increase in cycling and scooting to school
57,835 individual trips recorded
201,400 kilometres travelled
More: https://www.weride.org.au/ridescore/

Professor Neil Coffee – RideScore Evaluation Report author, 2024 WeRide Cycling Luminaries Awards event at Deakin Downtown. Photo: Jay Town

Colleen Penny – Sunshine Coast Council, 2024 WeRide Cycling Luminaries Awards event at Deakin Downtown. Photo: Jay Town

Professor Neil Coffee – RideScore Evaluation Report author, 2024 WeRide Cycling Luminaries Awards event at Deakin Downtown. Photo: Jay Town

The RideScore Evaluation Summary Report – click here: weride.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/RideScore_Evaluation_Summary_Report-final-web.pdf

The Cycling Luminaries Award for Leadership: Anthony Aisenberg

Professor Rachel Huxley presents Award to Anthony Aisenberg, 2024 WeRide Cycling Luminaries Awards event at Deakin Downtown. Photo: Jay Town

Anthony Aisenberg, 2024 WeRide Cycling Luminaries Awards event at Deakin Downtown. Photo: Jay Town

Responsible for Australia’s largest crowd-sourced bike data project and the smash hit ‘unconference’ Transport Camp, Anthony has brought his expertise and passion to create better connections for vibrant cities.

As an Urban Planner and the Founder of CrowdSpot, a company specialising in map-based community engagement and data collection, Anthony Aisenberg is one of our most innovative leaders in user-generated data and public engagement and is making a significant contribution to people who ride bikes and better communities in Australia.

The Cycling Luminaries for Built Environment Award: Toowoomba Safe Streets

Brian McKay – Toowoomba Council, 2024 WeRide Cycling Luminaries Awards event at Deakin Downtown. Photo: Jay Town

Brian McKay – Toowoomba Council with Professor Neil Coffee, 2024 WeRide Cycling Luminaries Awards event at Deakin Downtown. Photo: Jay Town

A first in Queensland, cycling is prioritised on Pearce Street in Toowoomba with 30km/h speeds and road upgrades that prioritise bike traffic. The world-best practice Safe Active Street is a key link in Toowoomba’s West Creek active transport network.

The Cycling Luminaries Award for Bike Culture and Behaviour Change: The Equitable Commute Program

The Equitable Commute program; Chris Arnott – RideKola and Adam Lana – GoodCycles, 2024 WeRide Cycling Luminaries Awards event at Deakin Downtown. Photo: Jay Town

The Equitable Commute program; Chris Arnott – RideKola and Adam Lana – GoodCycles, 2024 WeRide Cycling Luminaries Awards event at Deakin Downtown. Photo: Jay Town

The Equitable Commute program; Chris Arnott – RideKola and Adam Lana & Jaison Hoernel- GoodCycles, 2024 WeRide Cycling Luminaries Awards event at Deakin Downtown. Photo: Jay Town

This collaboration between Good Cycles and RideKola is making a meaningful impact on lives by significantly improving mobility through a safe and active community of eBike users.

Early data shows the bikes have logged over 300 hours journey time already and are being used for a variety of reasons, with 60% of journeys less than 30 minutes. The partners say they are particularly proud of the partnership for providing access to bikes for transport in these social and affordable housing developments and introducing safe use to a new wave of riders.

Cycling Luminaries Awards and launch of the RideScore Report event pics

Deakin University Distinguished Professor Rachel Huxley, Professor Neil Coffee, Colleen Penny, Chair Pete Williams, Shane Byrne WeRide Director, Dr Steve Kaye – WeRide Director, 2024 WeRide Cycling Luminaries Awards event at Deakin Downtown. Photo: Jay Town

WeRide Chair and Awards MC, Pete Williams, 2024 WeRide Cycling Luminaries Awards event at Deakin Downtown. Photo: Jay Town

Deakin University Distinguished Professor Rachel Huxley, 2024 WeRide Cycling Luminaries Awards event at Deakin Downtown. Photo: Jay Town

Peter Bourke, Executive Officer. 2024 WeRide Cycling Luminaries Awards event at Deakin Downtown. Photo: Jay Town