The Club’s Founder

The Maroondah Cycle Training Club was founded by Ken Bull of Bayswater who was a motorcycle enthusiast throughout his life. In the 1970s, when Ken and Roslyn Bull’s family was young, interest in off-road motorcycling was growing fast and they encouraged their kids to take part in what, to them, was a very wholesome leisure activity. However, although motorcycle sales were booming in the suburbs, there was virtually nowhere close to home where kids could legally ride; ultimately, not even in their own back yards!

The police had formed a bike squad specifically to catch "offenders" in parks and other public places and Ken Bull could foresee the time when a young rider, in trying to outsmart the police, could be killed as a result of a chase.

Ken was a positive and very determined man who worked hard for the community and expected that community to provide opportunities for all youngsters including the mechanically-minded.

The Vision

Ken Bull had a vision of a safe, secure facility where youngsters keen on motorcycles could develop their off-road riding skills. Little did Ken and his family know how long it would take to convert the dream into reality.

Four Difficult Years

The really hard work began in mid-1976. The following summarises the key events over the next four years or so. The fact that the Club was established at all is testimony to the energy and determination of Ken and the support and involvement of his family and the founding members of the Club.

28 July 1976. Ken wrote to the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Croydon proposing that he be permitted to lease land in Colchester Road, Kilsyth for the purpose of off-road motorcycling, this being a permitted use of that land. He also offered to make himself available to discuss the proposal in detail. Many letters passed between Ken and Council.

19 April 1977. The owners of the land (Country Roads Board, now VicRoads) agreed in principle to the use of the land, subject to six conditions.

28 July 1977. The Mayor held a public meeting and a committee was formed for "the proposed Motorbike Instruction Club and Training Centre" to operate on land at Colchester Road. Twelve months to the day after Ken’s first letter, the Committee was formed. Some members of the ACUV joined the Committee and one prepared a sketch of the proposed tracks.

21 February 1978. Council offered to pay half the cost of fencing the site.

15 March 1978. Town Planning Permit was granted but with sixteen conditions.

1 December 1978. The Club was still negotiating with Council about an acceptable layout for the tracks. The next problem was that of obtaining a sub-lease.

19 December 1978. The Town Clerk wrote "In instructing Council’s solicitors, I will advise of the endeavours of the Club over the past years to secure tenancy of the site and requesting them to expedite the preparation of the sub-lease and of the approval of the Board" (the CRB). The then current lease between the CRB and Council was due to expire on 7 June 1980 and the hoped-for sub-lease would expire on 6 June 1980 - in less than 18 months from December 1978.

18 July 1979. Council agreed to meet full cost of fencing, with half cost to be recovered interest-free over 5 years. This eased the financial burden considerably.

2 August 1979. Still no sub-lease! Much buck-passing!

14 November 1979. 11 months after first applying, the Club received a copy of the sub-lease! Rental was to be $5 per annum. After 3½ years hard and frustrating work, the Club could now move onto the land. The challenge was how to transpose a plan to acres of undulating, waist-high grassland. The Committee met this challenge with typical determination but there was no possibility of having the facility open for the 1979 Christmas school holidays.

March 1980. Council seemed to be "coming on side", cutting grass and installing a barbeque. The Club expressed its appreciation to Council.

November 1979-April 1980. Lots of hard work to build the physical evidence of the Club’s existence. Membership and funds were increasing and many people inside and outside the Club were generous with their time and effort, not to mention material donations. Some major items were purchased, others like the bus that served as the original office were donated, but all were much appreciated. Essential items were:

Boundary fencing, Toilets, 2 concrete slabs, Tractor, Shelter (the bus), Garage, Tyres to edge track, Signs, Membership cards, First Aid kit , Boom gate, Phone in the bus, Post Office box, Clearing for a picnic area & Drinks fridge (old ammo box with ice)

May 1980. The Club received its insurance policy. Membership enquiries were rolling in; usually just on dinnertime in the Bull household.

Membership Enquiries Overwhelming

Due to the inordinate delays, the training facility was barely up and running when Ken and his family were due to be away for three months from August to October 1980. Upon return they found that, despite all efforts, the Committee had been somewhat overwhelmed by the public demand.

After four years’ effort, there was no way Ken wanted to risk losing it all by allowing Town Planning conditions to be breached. It was time to enforce some firm rules and controls so he locked the gates and put up a sign "Closed Until Further Notice". When the gates reopened, the Bulls and other Committee members were ready. Some firm principles were established and are still being applied 20 years on:

Members Only" meant just that!

Families could join only at monthly Club meetings, with a parent in attendance, and only after they had heard about the Club’s firm principles and main rules from the President.

Parents must take their turn at supervising on riding days.

Riding gear must include helmets, strong footwear and long-sleeved tops and bikes to be maintained in a safe operating condition. (The Club wanted to give equal opportunity to families with little cash to spare.)

The Club’s motto was and still is "Ride To Survive". Ken Bull believed that, if riders could handle dirt, they would be better equipped to cope with the roads in later years. He also wanted to share his love of two wheels.

1983

In 1983, Ken and Roslyn retired from Club office. Their daughter, Carolyn, took over as Secretary for a year. After seven years, the Bulls decided to step aside and let others carry on the work which they had done so well.

1984-1997

The Club has gone from strength to strength and the Colchester Road facility developed through enormous voluntary effort and careful use of Club funds.

Members and, in particular, successive teams of office bearers can be justifiably proud of the MCTC and the service it provides to youngsters from surrounding districts. This brief written history of the MCTC is not intended to name the many who have made outstanding contributions to the Club over the years. Suffice to say that a number of them have been made life members in deserved recognition of their work. The first was in 1979 when Trevor Hammond donated the balance of funds of the then defunct Sherbrooke Mini-Bike Club with which he had been associated for over four years. Other life members include the Bull family.

The more obvious improvements at the Colchester Road facility in recent years include a permanent brick office and bike scrutineering shelter, all-weather roofed gas barbeque area, extensions to both tracks, effective drainage systems, improved picnic area, playground and car park sections, refrigerator for refreshments, etc.

2007-2008

The Club has excelled in financial state due to a well managed committee. A new website was created to keep up with the times to develop a excellent form of communication for our members and the community. New toilet blocks were installed along with a new permanent BBQ that all members can use whenever the track is open.

32 Years Old and Still Going Strong

The MCTC celebrates its 32nd birthday this year and, for some time, has been the largest club of its type in Victoria, with current membership in excess of 300 families. Ken Bull created a wonderful legacy for his community; if it weren’t for Ken’s "vision" local kids might still be hounded by the police Off-Road Squad. To the contrary, the police now actively recommend membership of the Club as does the Council!

Roslyn Bull has kindly created a "Ken Bull Award - Club Member of the Year". The first Ken Bull Award was made at the Annual General Meeting in September 1997 and the perpetual trophy is displayed in the Club’s office in Colchester Road. A roll of honour will also be displayed at the office to show the names of young MCTC members awarded Special Junior Awards because the Committee remains committed to ensuring the Club functions for the benefit of young people.

Hundreds of families owe a debt of gratitude to Ken Bull and we all hope that the MCTC continues to flourish for a long time to come.

The Club is indebted to Mrs Roslyn Bull for assistance in compiling this brief history of the MCTC.