Brian Dixon, who as Minister for Sport and Recreation in Victoria initiated some of Melbourne’s first bike routes in the 1970s, has died aged 89.
Dixon was one of the first politicians to understand that physical activity was essential to human health and that governments had a responsibility to encourage it.
He understood that bike lanes and paths should be a part of a city's basic infrastructure and some of Melbourne’s most successful bike routes, such as the Main Yarra Trail, stand today as testament to his foresight and daring initiative.
Dixon also played a key role in urging the Melbourne riding community to form an organisation that could be the voice of bike riders in dealing with governments and agencies. That organisation we now know as Bicycle Network.
He is best known as the champion VFL/AFL footballer who starred for the Melbourne Football Club in the amazing decade when they won premierships in 1956–57, 1959–60 and 1964.
Dixon, who was elected to parliament in 1964, continued to play for Melbourne after he was elected.
A more detailed appreciation of Dixon’s contribution to cycling will be published at a later date.
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