1951 was the Commonwealth of Australia’s 50th birthday. After battling through a depression, two world wars and facing the rising spectre of communism the Menzies government decided 1951 would be a year to unite the nation and reaffirm all citizens’ allegiance to the Commonwealth and Crown. All facets of Australian society were involved. Cycling was represented in the sporting division, which was chaired by Hubert Opperman MP, arguably Australia’s greatest cyclist, and by now the federal member for Corio, VIC.

The main cycling event planned was The Jubilee Loyalty Despatch Bicycle Relay. From every part of every state, nominated cyclists collected official loyalty pledges offered by every level of Australian society. From individuals, Mayors and Shire Presidents, officials of clubs, societies, trade unions, churches, principals of schools and colleges, executives of commercial and business groups, and Aboriginal groups.

Starting as trickles of pledges in the most remote parts of each state, the flows merged as they approached capital cities. From as far north as Darwin, and all parts of the previously pro-secessionist West, pledges were gathered in Perth.

At 4:00pm on Sunday April 22nd the five official West Australian relay couriers set out from the Esplanade on their 4000 km journey to Canberra.

Opperman had personally asked noted long distance rider and West Australian Police Sergeant Vic Waltham to head the ride. From the West, Waltham was joined by professional riders Eddie Barron and Ray Felton and two of WA’s best amateurs Chas Renner and Merv Sunderland.

The imposing Sgt.Waltham, all 192cms and 102kgs, was a veteran of 2 Nullarbor cycle crossings and held the solo unpaced east to west crossing record for more than 24 years. Not only was Vic Waltham facing another crossing but he had already just completed the solo courier ride from Darwin to Perth. Mercifully for Waltham, the potential 4760 km journey had been shortened by impassable wet season roads.

With an Army escort and a spotlight equipped Jeep to light the way ahead at night, the five rode and rested in rotation, only stopping to gather more pledges or to be guests at civic receptions. Eleven days of riding, slowed only by gravel roads and bad weather, saw the party reach Adelaide, where, due to poor organisation and the fact that the riders were not being paid, Renner and Sunderland’s journeys finished. Waltham, Barron and Felton pushed on to Canberra without them.

The culmination of the Relay was a reception in Canberra on the steps of Parliament House at 3pm on the 8th of May. Watched by diplomats, politicians and Jubilee officials the Prime Minister R. G. Menzies accepted delivery of 300,000 loyalty pledges and 200,000 pledge cards from school children.

It was estimated that 200,000 cyclists had taken some part in the relay and covered perhaps ‘a million miles’ on ‘the infernal machine’, to quote the PM.

Researched and written by Viv Cull.

Below; photos from Ray Felton’s collection

Below; the actual Rainbow bike that Merv Sunderland rode as a Jubilee Courier in 1951. Merv generously loaned the bike for the duration of our Nullarbor exhibition.