The bicycle in rural Australia : a study of man, machine and milieu

Abstract

The use cf the bicycle in rural Australia represented a propitious and effective blending of man, machine and environment. The pneumatic tyred safety bicycle was available in Australia by 1890; it was both imported and locally assembled. The bicycle and tyres were strong, durable, lightweight, and easy to repair. They required little modification for use in rural Australia, although some ingenious adaptations were applied to preventing punctures and increasing cargo carrying capacity. The terrain, vegetation and climate as well as political, economic, and social factors encouraged its widespread adoption. The machine did not require food or water nor did it eat poisonous plants. The highly energy-efficient cyclist was generally two to three times as fast as a pedestrian, horse or camel in most circumstances, whether on or off roads, and could carry up to 150 pounds (68 kilograms) of cargo in the process. Its first significant use in rural areas was on the Western Australian goldfields from late 1893 and by 1900 cyclists had crisscrossed the continent. The bicycle was adopted in large numbers in eastern Australia from about 1900. It was used, among others, by shearers, pipeline and rabbit fence patrols, commercial travellers, professional men, and for mustering and droving, persisting in some of these roles until about 1960. The machine's decline, from about 1920, was related to the introduction of the motor car; the motorcycle was not a significant factor in the transition. The bicycle was responsible for the development of extensive touring, including alpine areas, and resulted in the first Australian road maps, touring guides and tourist organisations. The bicycle was a factor in plant dispersal. Its former use has raised some questions concerning the appropriateness of modern bicycle design and use in Australia. Its low profile in the written record is explained by its utilitarian nature and its inability to compete in romantic appeal with the image of horse and man in the landscape that was emerging as part of the 'Australian Legend'. The nature and extent of the rural Australian experience with the bicycle may be unique.