Turning the wheels of community

Gold Coast-based cyclist Wayne Sticher is the Everald Compton Community Champion Medal recipient for his ongoing service to older people and people living with disabilities.

The prestigious award acknowledges unsung older Australian heroes who go above and beyond to help others in their communities.

Since founding a chapter on the Gold Coast in 2020, Wayne has poured his efforts into volunteering for Cycling Without Age, a global volunteer initiative that provides free bicycle rides for people with limited mobility.

Volunteer cyclists pilot ‘trishaws’, three-wheeled electric bikes that feature a passenger bench seat for riders to soak in front-facing, unobstructed views.

Wayne—who was awarded the medal in 2024—tells Our Generation he felt lucky to win the prize for doing something he loves.

“I helped take a 108-year-old lady for a bike ride. She was in her 20s the last time she rode a bike—that would’ve been in the 1930s or 40s,” Wayne says.

“She had a fabulous time, and I had a big part in reintroducing her to that. It’s pretty special.

“Every finalist and nominee had a similar story about how they’ve added value to other people’s lives,” he says.

In late September this year, Wayne ventured to the Winton Outback Festival as Cycle Ambassador for the annual Century Cycle Challenge.

The 67-year-old travelled from the Gold Coast to Winton on none other than an electric cargo bike towing a trailer of essential supplies and spanning four meters in length.

“I thought that going out by car or [motor]bike would be arriving under false pretenses—if you’re going to represent cycling, you’ve got to cycle,” he says.

“I had the generator and fuel for the motor, plus all my food, water, bedding, the whole bit—life for two months.

“The bike is designed to carry weight, but the motor complained about it.” 

Wayne’s attempt to cycle to Winton was part of a staggering goal: to complete a 4,000km round trip from the Gold Coast and set an Australian record for the longest cargo bike ride.

“I rode 1,200km to Augathella before my motor died,” he says.

“The trouble is, I needed to carry mega amounts of water, and I believe I cooked the motor because I was carrying too much weight.

“Cargo bikes are designed for delivering UberEats in Amsterdam, not for screaming up Australian highways fully loaded in relentless heat,” he laughs.

But one broken bike didn’t stop him. With the help of a mate, a car, and a 1,400km detour via the Gold Coast to collect his touring bike, Wayne picked up where he left off.

“I missed a few days riding, so I drove to Blackall, then I rode about 100km from there to Barcaldine on my touring bike,” he says.

“Logistically, the touring bike was easier because I didn’t have to worry about charging batteries, but running into a headwind was like pushing a Besser brick through honey,” he says.

With strong winds persisting and daily temperatures reaching 35°C, Wayne put safety first and decided to complete his journey by car.

“There’s nothing wrong with not achieving your final plan. Even if you achieve half of it, you probably achieve a million times more than people who sit at home thinking, ‘Bloody hell, I can’t do that,’” he says.

“Unfortunately, we have people way younger than me who sit in the front of the trishaws because they’ve been dealt different cards from the deck of life.

“You never really know what you can achieve until you have a crack, and I’ve got to go a damn long way to get out of my comfort zone,” he says.

Wayne says he was blown away by the support he received from the community on his trip, and was offered water, meals, accommodation, and electrical help free of charge.

“I’ve been so lucky. I decide to do this crazy thing, and the right doors have always opened. The right people have come along to offer help when I need it,” he says.

“The support of National Seniors has been amazing. They sponsored me with a drone which has captured some great footage of my trip.”

While Wayne shares his love of cycling to bring others joy, he says there are endless ways to add value to the world.

“As we age, some people think, ‘I’m no use to anyone,’ and that’s just simply not true,” he says.

“Everybody has a unique gift, so if you’ve got talents, don’t let them go to waste.

“The gift can be as simple as your smile, your friendship, or your listening ear.”

Following the Winton Outback Festival, Wayne returned to the Gold Coast and is already planning his next expedition.

“I’m looking at how I improve the bike motor so I can do something better than 1,200km. Watch this space.”

More information about Cycling Without Age can be found at cyclingwithoutage.org.au.