Time to change gears…

Liz Murray’s career change from veterinarian to cycle-tourcompany owner more than a decade ago was a classic pivot, but her next move is anything but standard business practice.

COVID temporarily “slammed the door shut” on demand for Snowy River Cycling tours (and bike hire), based on the cusp of the East Gippsland Rail Trail in Orbost,Victoria. Even though Murray is only now starting to get back to “a normal level of enquiry”, she has already made some bold changes to a significant par t of her business: providing transfers for cyclists.

“The more I looked at it, the more I realised we were using a significant amount of fossil fuels, which is really a luxury. I thought there were other ways that I could run cycle trips where I don’t have to do that. I’m not comfor table doing that.

“So, I sold my bus which is a little bit scary, because it was at the core of what I sold. I am now encouraging people to use the local trains or bus [to link the trails]. I bought an electric car, which transports equipment, and I’m in the process of setting up my 4WD to run on biodiesel, which I’ll make. It’s a brave new world, because I haven’t yet produced a batch of biodiesel, but that’s the direction I’m moving.”

While her customers weren’t specifically asking for these changes, Murray believes “people who come on cycle trips have a high level of environmental awareness”. She conceded it’ll take a while to build up a brand on these benefits – particularly given they make trips a little less convenient – and is expecting to “take a bit of a hit” initially.

But in this beautiful par t of East Gippsland, which regularly feels the effects of climate change – with bushfire, drought and flood events now commonplace – it makes sense to change gears while you can.