BRISBANE CYCLING FESTIVAL 2024
Local Cyclist Ayaka’s On-site Report from Brisbane [Part 1]
Cyclist Ayaka, who lives in Brisbane, together with her partner Yoshi, will share the charm of the city and the “Brisbane Cycling Festival” from a local cyclist’s perspective. In this first part, we will report on cycling along the Brisbane River and the Cycle Expo.
Table of Contents
1. The Sunshine State: Brisbane
2. Access from Japan to Brisbane
3. Enjoy Cycling on the Water with the Riverwalk
4. The Cycle Expo Comes to Brisbane!
1. The Sunshine State: Brisbane
Brisbane, the third-largest city in Australia after Sydney and Melbourne, is located in Queensland, which is known as the “Sunshine State” due to its high number of sunny days.
This favorable weather conditions contribute to the popularity of sports events, such as the triathlon in Cairns and the marathon in Gold Coast. Brisbane, the state capital, has been hosting the Brisbane Cycling Festival from March to April since 2019.
In 2024, the festival was held from March 15 to April 16, spanning about a month. During this period, various cycling-related events took place throughout the city, including the Australian Track Championships, the National Road Series Championship, and the UCI Gran Fondo World Series. Additionally, the festival featured a Cycle Expo, the “Tour de Brisbane” ride event open to the general public, family rides, and more.
2. Access from Japan to Brisbane
For many Japanese people, Melbourne and Sydney might be familiar names, but Brisbane might be new to some. As mentioned earlier, Brisbane is actually a large city with convenient access.
As of June 2024, Qantas and Jetstar operate seven flights a week (daily) from Narita Airport, and Jetstar operates 4-5 direct flights a week from Kansai Airport to Brisbane Airport.
The flight takes about nine hours. Since Brisbane is only one hour ahead of Japan, there is minimal time difference, making travel comfortable without jet lag.
Although the seasons are opposite to Japan due to its location in the Southern Hemisphere, Queensland has a subtropical climate, characterized by relatively warm weather throughout the year.
The Brisbane Cycling Festival takes place in March to April, which is autumn in Brisbane. During this period, the minimum temperature is around 18 degrees Celsius, and the maximum temperature is around 27 degrees Celsius. This makes it a comfortable season for cycling, with short-sleeved jerseys being suitable for the weather.
3. Enjoy Cycling on the Water with the Riverwalk
Brisbane is also affectionately known as the “River City,” and true to its name, the Brisbane River meanders leisurely through the heart of the city.
The city center features several uniquely designed bridges connecting the north and south sides, creating one of Brisbane’s iconic landscapes.
In the central part of Brisbane, the north side of the river is known as the City or CBD (Central Business District), which is a bustling area filled with shopping and business districts. On the south side, there is the Cultural Centre, home to galleries, museums, and performing arts venues. This area is known as South Bank, and it features a park with a man-made beach and river-view restaurants.
Along the river and throughout the city, there are dedicated bicycle and pedestrian paths, providing easy access to various spots solely through these dedicated routes.
The bike paths (bikeways) are used not only for recreational cycling but also for commuting, making them an integral part of the daily lives of residents.
While visiting Brisbane, in addition to participating in ride events, be sure to explore these paths as well. It will give you a feel for the local cycling culture and lead to many new discoveries.
Among the many dedicated bike paths throughout the city, the one I especially recommend is the “New Farm Riverwalk,” which gives you the feeling of a stroll on the water.
This path extends from the base of the Story Bridge, one of Brisbane’s most iconic landmarks, and is a dedicated bike and pedestrian path set above the river, true to its name, Riverwalk.
From the Riverwalk, you can enjoy views of the Story Bridge against the blue sky and watch the city’s water buses, the “CityCat” and “CityHopper,” leisurely pass beneath the bridge.
Along the Riverwalk, you’ll find vibrant bougainvillea flowers and riverside houses.
The Riverwalk continues into the New Farm area and leads into New Farm Park.
New Farm Park is also known for its jacaranda trees, and every year in October to November (spring), the park is covered in a translucent purple hue from the blooming jacaranda flowers.
Passing through New Farm Park leads to the Brisbane Powerhouse.
The Powerhouse, which was once a power station, is now used as a mini-theater. Throughout the year, it hosts a variety of performances and events, including the Brisbane Comedy Festival.
Every Saturday morning, a local market is held on the grounds of the Powerhouse. In addition to fresh vegetables and fruits, there are food stalls offering freshly brewed coffee, muffins, and Danish pastries from local shops. It’s a great spot to relax after a bike ride.
For those who prefer beer over coffee, I recommend “Felons Brewing,” located at the starting point of the Riverwalk, beneath the Story Bridge.
You can relax and enjoy freshly brewed craft beers while sitting on the riverside terrace or on the sofas on the lawn.
4. The Cycle Expo Comes to Brisbane!
After enjoying a local bike ride, let’s head to the Cycle Expo.
During the Cycling Festival, from April 12 (Friday) to April 14 (Sunday), the “Active Lifestyle Expo,” also known as the Cycle Expo, was held.
The venue was the Brisbane Showgrounds. This large exhibition center hosts the Royal Queensland Show (commonly known as Ekka), which takes place every August in Queensland.
The expo featured around 35 organizations, including various cycling groups from Queensland, bike manufacturers, and apparel brands.
From the display and sale of the latest equipment from manufacturers to exclusive pop-up stores from apparel brands and a booth for the Port Douglas Gran Fondo cycling event held in Cairns every September, walking through the expo allows you to experience and get excited about the current state of cycling in Australia.
Although it is not as large as exhibitions held in various cities in Japan or the UCI Road Race “Tour Down Under” in Adelaide every January, the fact that a Cycle Expo is now held in Brisbane is a significant step forward. It reflects the enthusiasm of Brisbane and Queensland, especially with the upcoming 2032 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in mind.
At the same venue, I picked up my rider’s kit from the Tour de Brisbane office. Along with the race bib and numbering stickers, the kit also included a cute water bottle as a participation gift.
“Since we’re here, let’s wear the official race jersey!” So, Yoshi bought this year’s official jersey.
I had trouble finding my size, but I discovered that the booth of a nearby charity organization was selling last year’s official jerseys at a discount.
An Aussie woman at the booth, mixing Japanese and English, encouraged me with, “Oh, you’re Japanese? Last year’s jerseys are a great deal! Good for Omiyage!!” and I ended up buying one.
Although the design is updated every year, they all feature the vivid pink of the race’s theme color, which is striking.
With both of us having made good purchases, the only thing left is to fully enjoy the main event, the Tour de Brisbane!
Stay tuned for the next report.
Reference
*The 2019 report can be found here
https://globalride.jp/en/tour-de-brisbane-inaugural-report-1%e2%91%a0recreational-ride-completely-closed-to-public-roads-is-born/
Related Pages
Brisbane Cycling Festival Official Website
https://www.brisbanecyclingfestival.com/
Tour de Brisbane Official Website
https://tourdebrisbane.org/
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Profile
Ayaka (Editor/Writer)
Residing in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Captivated by cycling journeys in 2011, they have contributed travel reports from around the world to the magazine Cycle Sports. During her study abroad in Australia in 2017, she serialized “G’day, Australia! ~ Bicycle News from Brisbane” on Cycle Sports.jp. After returning to Japan, she worked as an English educational material editor and as an interpreter/MC for a bicycle NPO. She moved to Brisbane in 2022 and is currently sharing the charm of Australian cycling.
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