School formal trike tour – Ela + Giovanni 14.12.23

The school formal trike tour was a complete surprise for Ela. Her parents organised it so she could turn up at her Year 6 graduation in style. After our trike rider met all the family, he took Ela and her Dad on a ride to Wolli Creek.

Wolli Creek suburb

Wolli Creek is 10km south of Sydney’s CBD.

The traditional owners of the land around the Wolli Creek Valley were the Bidjigal people (River Flat Clan). Wolli Creek was named after the waterway on its northern border.

Reuben Hannam was granted land in 1825 on the banks of Cooks river. Alexander Brodie Spark purchased land in 1826 and built Tempe house in 1836. It was named after ‘Vale of Tempe’, a beautiful valley in ancient Greek legend set at the foot of Mount Olympus. Tempe House, designed by John Verge, has a Georgian feel.

Philanthropist Caroline Chisholm leased Tempe House as a boarding school for young women (1863–1865). So far, the school formal trike tour was fun, interesting and a totally unexpected experience, for Ela.

Wolli Creek

Surprisingly to those who don’t know the area, it is an interesting place. Wolli Creek is an urban watercourse of the Cooks River catchment. Approximately 175 species of birds have been recorded in the area between 1940 and 1999. Several species of freshwater and saltwater fish can be found in the Wolli Creek in areas above and below the fish ladder. Interestingly, the fish ladder, or “rock-ramp fishway” was constructed to enable fish to bypass the weir at Henderson St, Turrella, allowing migration to other areas of the creek.

The lower reaches – the tidal part – of Wolli Creek are home to a plant community known as saltmarsh, or coastal saltmarsh.

The trike ride

There is so much more info but this post is about a ride! After riding through the suburb of Wolli Creek, our rider rode Ela and Giovanni to the Bardwell Valley Golf Course. This is where the graduation celebration was held.

As they rode in, a stretch limousine came in at the same time. “the trike, the trike, who’s on the trike? Everyone loved the trike!! Then it was “Ela, Ela’s on the trike”, is all everyone could say. She certainly was the centre of attention. Our trike rider said the other kids and parents will be talking about Ela and the impressive trike entrance for a long time to come.

After dropping her off, our trike rider rode the parents back to their house. All in all, it was a great experience for a shy young girl. In conclusion, the school formal trike tour is a memory made which will last a lifetime. Feel the Freedom! Design your own tour here!