It’s time to Ride, Mackay

Published: 12 Nov 2021

Put your feet to the pedals and strap your helmet on tight – lycra is optional – because this week council launched an exciting new online platform called Ride Mackay.

The online portal – ridemackay.com.au – has 20-plus rides of the Mackay region, catering for riders of all levels of experience, and will have more rides added over time.

Better yet, residents can use Ride Mackay to share in thousands of dollars’ worth of sporting and cycling vouchers.

Chair of council’s Sport and Recreation Advisory Committee Cr Michelle Green said Ride Mackay allowed residents and visitors to browse a range of fly-through videos and interactive maps of each ride.

“What we’ve done is revisit an old brochure called ‘Rides of the Region’ and given it a digital upgrade to make it more appealing and accessible,” Cr Green said.

“It’s now available on everyone’s smart device and is the perfect tool for those looking to plan their next trip exploring our region,” she said.

“And don’t let the name fool you, because Ride Mackay can also be used to find shared pathways for walking, running, skating, scooting and any other mode of active transport.”

Cr Green said to encourage residents to check out the new site and then explore the rides on offer, council was offering $2000 in gift vouchers from local cycling and sporting stores.

“To enter, all you need to do is visit one of our Ride Mackay shared pathways, find a Ride Mackay corflute and scan the QR code with the camera on your phone,” she said.

“This competition opens today and will run until Friday, December 10, so get out and start exploring because the clock is ticking.”

Cr Green said council was also looking for keen cyclists and active transport enthusiasts to help the online platform grow.

“There’s another $2000 in cycling vouchers up for grabs for those who are willing to share their favourite rides with us to help build our Rides of the Region database.”

To submit your ride via a GPX file (created with apps like Strava and Relive), simply head to council's website and complete the online form.