Twelve-year-old Alby Dolling has started a grassroots political campaign to get new bike tracks in his hometown of Tongala.
Armed with ChatGPT, 12-year-old Tongala schoolboy Alby Dolling is shaping as a BMX bandit, and he has some big scalps in his sights.
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Alby wants his town’s ageing, overgrown and neglected BMX track not just renovated but upgraded and expanded.
And the pre-teen tyro isn’t mucking around – he has launched a petition to get support for his campaign and has already hammered his local federal and state MPs and gone gunning for Campaspe Shire mayor Daniel Mackrell.
Alby said he has pedalled around the little town and dropped off petitions at the Tonny Takeaway, GTS Farm Supplies/Home Timber & Hardware, the IGA and the post office.
His grassroots strategy is already collecting plenty of signatures as well as the backing of his school and local business.
“I really like riding, but we haven’t got much around here that is good to use so I thought I wanted to do something, I just wasn’t sure where to go next,” Alby explained.
So he did what any child of the digital age would do – he let ChatGPT tell him.
And it did, in detail, rattling off a list of the powerbrokers Alby would have to go after and how to set up a petition to help him get there.
“It was a long list, and we have already spoken to Sam Birrell (the Federal Member for Nicholls) who told us we would need to get a lot of people to support us,” Alby said.
“What my friends and I really want is a pump track, which has berms and bumps and rollovers, and if we do it right there could be bigger jumps for the older kids,” he said.
The fact Alby is riding around with his arm in plaster is not slowing down his advocacy – it’s a football injury not a bike one.
His proud mother Tegan said the existing track at Centennial Park, near Garrett St, has deteriorated to the point where young riders no longer consider it usable.
“It is covered in bindis, potholes, fallen branches and has just been neglected over time, making it unusable,” she said.
Alby Dolling goes airborne as he puts his bike through its paces.
“With limited alternatives, children have begun building their own dirt jumps at other locations around Tongala, including areas where they can be exposed to vehicle traffic.
“Alby’s petitions have been circulating for a few weeks, and our next step is to attend future community meetings and a Campaspe Shire Council meeting to continue building support for the proposal.”
Tongala Primary School principal Rob Hogan has also provided a letter of support for Alby’s campaign.
And a local business has offered to donate time and machinery if the proposal progresses and receives the necessary approvals.
Significantly, Alby’s proposal reflects priorities already identified through community consultation undertaken for the Tongala Place-Based Plan.
More than 580 people contributed to its development, which identified decreased youth engagement and a lack of activities targeted towards young people among the challenges facing Tongala.
The Plan’s medium-term priorities include development of the Tongala Township Facility Plan, with nominated community facility priorities specifically including ‘mountain/BMX bike trails’, as well as a district play space, splash park, skate park extension and upgrades at the Tongala ovals.
“My friends and I would love a space where we can ride and have fun without the risk of cars,” Alby said.
“A bike track would be a big benefit to our town. It is something families and any age group could use and come together.
Alby Dolling shows his skills on his bike as he takes a jump at Tongala.
“It could even bring people from other towns to come try it out. It could be something our town could be very proud to have.”
Instead of demanding a track be built, Alby wants to understand what approvals, partnerships and funding would be required to turn the idea into reality.
“Could you please help me find out what I need to do to get a bike track built in our town?” he asked in the letter he has sent politicians and council.
“What other ideas can you suggest to help get it done?”
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