April Social Night

Hear and See of CTA WA’s origins and history from a founding member and Master photographer

Thursday April 19, 7PM at The Learning Room, Loftus Centre, Loftus St LEEDERVILLE.

Drinks and light supper follow. Please RSVP snap22@iinet.net.au for catering.

Dale Neill was one of the the three founders of the Cycle Touring Association in 1974 alongside Jim Harwood and Wayne Lally. However Dale’s cycle touring journey started in 1958.

At age 14, Dale, with his mate Ozzy built two trailers from jarrah, cast iron lawnmower wheels and hoop iron and towed them 126 miles from Wembley to Benjaberring.

The journey, with trailers weighed down with tinned food, kerosene lanterns, home made hammocks and chicken noodle soup, took three days and whetted his appetite for other cycle adventures.

Dale raced as a professional and amateur for ten years before turning to cycle touring. An evening meeting of 60 cyclists at General Accessories (Malvern Star) in Welshpool one Winter’s evening saw the birth of the CTA.

A few months later Dale organised the first CTA ride through Kings Park. In the first decade Dale served as Secretary, Treasurer and President. He wrote the CTA Constitution adapting it from the BMW Motor Cycle Club. 

He went on to plan and run the first 50, 100, 200 and 300km Achievement Rides. Membership climbed to 240 in the first six years. He also organised the first CTA South West Tour in 1975 and the first Kalgoorlie Tour.

In 1980 Dale went to visit the Cycle Touring Club in Great Britain and was briefed on the operation of the Cyclists’ Defence Fund. He returned with the idea of a 10,000 in 8 which he handed on to Bob Stockman to unpack. 

Alongside, Bruce Robinson, Dale served on the WA State Government Bicycle Policy Committee, meeting with Departmental heads and ministers to convey the requirements of cyclists.

He was particularly active campaigning for on road Bicycle Lanes and oversaw the marking of WA’s first ever Bicycle Lane in Claremont. 

Dale’s two wheels have taken him through England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Then through France and Germany and Bali. In 1997 he cycled with his daughter from Hanoi to Saigon in Vietnam. He never rides without a camera.

His photographs reached the cover of Cycle Touring Magazine and were used to illustrate Jim Fitzpatrick’s book on Cycling. He is the author of ‘Ten Tips for Staying Alive on Your Bike’.





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