More than 150 grade 5 and 6 pupils from Allansford, Merrivale, St Pius and St Joseph’s primary schools put the skills they had learnt in bike ed classes to the test in the annual Bluelight ride. 

A joint initiative of the Warrnambool Bluelight Committee, Victoria Police and the Warrnambool City Council’s Health Moves program, the ride had students set off from Merrivale Oval, riding along the trail to the Illowa underpass and back. 

Warrnambool police youth resource officer Leading Senior Constable Trudy Moreland said the ride was aimed at giving the pupils a chance to demonstrate what they had learnt. 

“It serves a couple of purposes, for us. It reinforces the bike safety message and it obviously delivers the healthy and active message as well,” Leading Senior Constable Moreland said. 

“It’s the third year we have done the ride and we split the kids up into groups of 15. They head off with an adult leader and have a great morning out on the bike. 

“There are also some police members who are out riding with the kids today, including Superintendent Don Downs.” 

St Pius grade 5 pupil Josh Baker said it was the longest bike ride he had ever done. “It was really fun, except for the hill near the knackery. That was a challenge,” he said.