Sustainability & Positive Impact Plan 2026
About This Plan
Better by Bike is a Sustainable Tourism Accredited business operating e-bike hire, guided experiences, and retail across two locations in northern New South Wales: Murwillumbah Railway Station and Byron Bay. This plan outlines our commitment to responsible tourism, our current sustainability practices, and the steps we are taking to improve our environmental and community impact over the coming years.
Our core business is inherently low-impact. Every guest who chooses an e-bike over a car is making a better choice for the environment. Our job is to make sure everything else we do reflects the same thinking.
Our Accreditation
Better by Bike holds Sustainable Tourism Accreditation through the NSW Tourism
Association, demonstrating that our business meets recognised industry standards for
responsible and sustainable operation. We are committed to maintaining and building on this accreditation year on year.
What We Have Done: Current Practices
Reducing emissions and energy use
Our e-bike fleet is the foundation of our sustainability story. Every rider who joins us on the Northern Rivers Rail Trail is choosing a zero-emissions experience over a car-based one. Across 16,253 riders since opening in March 2023, the collective reduction in car-basedtravel is significant and growing.
In our shops we have replaced all lighting with LED. We switch off lights, air conditioning, and all unused equipment at the end of every day. Staff are actively encouraged to ride e-bikes to work where possible.
Our support vans are well-maintained and regularly serviced to maximise fuel efficiency. We plan all transfers carefully, combining trips wherever possible and using route planning to minimise mileage. We never drive off-road or on unformed tracks.
Waste reduction
We operate a largely paperless business. Bookings, waivers, and check-ins are all handled digitally through our online systems and trail maps are re-used where possible.
Used cardboard, bike blankets, and rubber inner tubes are donated to local gardening groups for mulching and crop support rather than going to landfill. Packaging from new bike deliveries is broken down and redirected wherever possible.
Eco-friendly cleaning
Helmets are cleaned with a tea tree oil and water solution. Shop surfaces and windows are cleaned with vinegar and baking soda. Bikes are washed only when necessary using minimal water and a biodegradable bike wash on some occasions that is safe for waterways.
Protecting nature and wildlife
Every guest receives a trail briefing that includes guidance on respecting the natural environment: staying on formed tracks, giving way to wildlife, and leaving the environment undisturbed. In the glow worm tunnel, riders are instructed to direct their lights downward and keep noise to a minimum to protect the glow worms and micro-bats that inhabit the space. We provide the Tweed Valley Wildlife Carers emergency contact number to guests and ask them to report any injured wildlife they encounter.
Supporting the local economy
100% of our staff are local to the Tweed Shire and Byron Bay. We use local contractors, shop at our local IGA, and stock locally made products. We estimate that the majority of our operational expenditure stays within the local and regional economy.
We are proud members of the Byron Bay and Brunswick Heads Chamber of Commerce, the Northern Rivers Rail Trail Connect program, and work closely with Tweed Tourism Company on regional marketing initiatives.
Giving back to the community
We regularly donate e-bike hire vouchers to local charities and fundraising events and provide free basic bike maintenance workshops to the community seasonally, open to anyone. We offer discounted bike servicing to local schools and run a work experience program for Year 11 students from local schools each year.
What We Are Working Toward: Future Commitments
We are honest about the fact that there is more we can do. Here is what we are committed to working toward:
2026
• Publish a dedicated sustainability page on our website with regular updates on our progress
• Expand our community education program to include more environmental topics in
our trail briefings
• Continue to grow our local supplier relationships and increase the proportion of our
spending that stays within the region
2027 and beyond
• Investigate transitioning our support van fleet to hybrid or electric vehicles as our
current vehicles age
• Explore formal emissions measurement as the tools and programs available to
small tourism businesses become more accessible and practical
• Expand our work experience and community education programs to reach more
local schools and community groups Ongoing
• Maintain Sustainable Tourism Accreditation and pursue higher levels of recognition
as programs become available
• Continue to measure and report on waste reduction, energy use, and community contributions annually
• Review and update this plan each year to reflect new actions and outcomes
A Note From Our Owner
Better by Bike exists because we love this region. The Northern Rivers Rail Trail runs
through some of the most beautiful landscape in Australia and we feel a genuine
responsibility to protect it. Every ride we facilitate is a vote for a slower, quieter, lower-
impact way of experiencing this place. We are proud of what we have built and we are
committed to making sure the business we run is one the region can be proud of too.
Campbell Shepherd Owner, Better by Bike betterbybike.com.au
Better by Bike, Murwillumbah Railway Station, Murwillumbah NSW 2484 Document
current as of April 2026. Updated annually.
