Stockland Aura partners with Australia Cycling Academy to bolster vision for Aura cycle city

Stockland has unveiled an exclusive partnership with the Australian Cycling Academy that will see world class riders helping to teach cycle safety to Aura residents.

The partnership will also help to achieve Stockland’s vision for Aura to become a national cycle city showcase with infrastructure that encourages residents to get on their bikes as an alternative to car travel.

Children from Baringa State Primary School today joined professional riders from the Australian Cycling Academy on a ride along one of Aura’s dedicated veloways to launch the partnership.

The riders will also make further community visits to Aura, train on its roads and veloways and take part in future cycling events in the community.

Josh Sondergeld, Senior Development Manager for Stockland, said Aura and the Australian Cycling Academy shared a vision for promoting health, fitness and an active lifestyle through cycling.

“Stockland is designing a benchmark city at Aura, which will ultimately contain 200 kilometres of bike paths, allowing cyclists to ride safely to all parts of the community including to work, shops and recreational facilities.

“Already, Aura provides electric bicycles to visitors to use free of charge throughout the community, the recently opened Pedal Park contains an extensive ‘learn-to-ride’ circuit for youngsters, and innovative Ridescore technology encouraging bicycle use has been successfully adopted at Baringa State Primary School.             

“Stockland has also worked in partnership with the Sunshine Coast Council and Economic Development Queensland in support of delivering world-class cycling infrastructure and programs at Aura.’’

Matt Wilson, co-founder of the Sunshine Coast-based Australian Cycling Academy, which competes internationally, said the ACA had a strong commitment to being part of the local community.  

“’We think this is a fantastic partnership with Stockland, as Aura is such a cycle friendly community and we want to play our part to encourage participation in cycling and safety at all levels,’’ Mr Wilson said.            

“As part of the partnership, our academy team members are committed to visiting schools and other organisations in Aura to teach the techniques of safe cycling as part of a national program developed by Cycling Australia.           

“Learning to ride safely is a skill that needs to be taught, and the cycling sessions will be tailored for people of different ages.’’

Mr Sondergeld said the first stages of the Veloway constructed at Aura, as well as to surrounding communities including Bellvista and Bells Reach, were proving very popular.

He said the Ridescore program adopted at Baringa State Primary School was the first of its type in Australia to record student bike trips and provide real-time information to parents.

“Under the Ridescore program, a Bluetooth beacon is placed under the bike seat,  triggering an email notification to parents when the bike is placed in the school’s bicycle storage area.

“Students are given a point for each day they ride to school and awarded prizes when they achieve milestones.’’

Aura’s Pedal Park, opened 18 months ago on Steiner Crescent, features a “learn-to-ride’’ circuit, as well as a more challenging circuit with a tunnel, bridge, speed humps, traffic lights and road signage. The circuits cater for a range of skill levels.

Notes to editor 

About Aura

Aura is the largest masterplanned community ever undertaken in Australia under single ownership and over the next 30 years Stockland will create more than 20,000 new homes across the 24 square kilometre site.

The city will feature a 200 kilometre network of cycleways, a 700 hectare Environmental Protection Zone, numerous parks and sporting facilities plus two business and enterprise parks and will create up to 20,000 direct and indirect jobs.

More than 20 schools and educational facilities and 25 community facilities are planned.

For details on Aura, go to www.cityofcolour.com, phone 1300 762 058 or visit the Stockland Sales team at 1 Lukin Terrace, Bells Creek.

About the Australian Cycling Academy

The Australian Cycling Academy is a cycling development program and UCI Continental Professional team under the auspices of Ride Sunshine Coast which is the region’s only international sports team.

Founded in December 2017 by former professional cyclists Ben Kersten and Matt Wilson, the program Integrates high-performance, tertiary study and professional mentoring, from a single hub at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

The ACA is committed to supporting the local community and its key economic drivers including tourism while also operating full-service training camps, online coaching and a school education initiative.