About Us

Where It All Began

Brotherhood CMC had its origins in the north western suburbs of Sydney back in 1977. A Christian biker by the name of Bruce Sanders had an idea for a Christian motorcycle club based on his church mates who rode and others that he knew of. Starting off with a Bible study at his home in North Ryde, the group moved soon to use a hall at the Anglican Church at Denistone East. Numbers attending grew quickly and we started going on rides together.

Almost by accident we ran into one of Sydney’s outlaw clubs and even got to go on a few rides with them. They seemed intrigued by Christians who rode and asked lots of questions. It didn’t take us long to realize that God may have a place for us to share our faith in Jesus Christ with other motorcyclists.

Not that being Christians in the biker scene came easily. There were lots of difficulties and challenges to face in our own lives and from within the motorcycle community. We did our best but were not always handling things in a way that Christians should. Over time those of us who stayed active as Christians in the bike scene learned heaps about developing authentic Christian lives as part of a well established motorcycle community.

To the surprise of many, Brotherhood CMC has also developed a wide ranging body of work in evangelism, advocacy and social action within the motorcycle community and on the streets of western Sydney over a long period of time. Summed up recently by rock star and former Federal MP Peter Garrett when he recently heard of the club’s continuing activity:

I have known Greg Hirst and the Brotherhood Christian Motorcycle Club for many years. In fact the Oils (Midnight Oil) were very pleased to do a good benefit concert for them some way down the track. Now luckily they are still going strong and doing great work with the people that don’t get any help at all-street people- and of course the with the motorcycle community too.

Peter Garrett, front man for the band Midnight Oil (20-Apr-2005)

The Early Days

It will probably surprise many that a biker club could hold its meetings in a church hall without any cultural clashes. In fact the people at this church were pretty good and accepted our lifestyle differences without too much of a problem, all except one lady on their Parish Council who didn’t really like bikers and lobbied to get us kicked out. Initially this was a bit of a shock but it happened at the time when a few of the members were involved  in a street youth work project with the Anglican Counselling Service (now Anglicare). So a decision was taken to find a meeting place in the Parramatta area, near where this Christian welfare project was operating in North Parramatta.

St. John’s Anglican Cathedral were kind enough to help us out while the work continued contacting people locked into a street lifestyle in Parramatta and Blacktown. Interestingly the Brotherhood house in North Parramatta that was operating as a drop-in centre was starting to attract a number of young people looking for help with alcohol and other drug issues to homelessness and relationship problems. On one occasion eleven homeless young people stayed overnight until the workers could find accommodation alternatives for them. This emphasis of helping those on the street has underlined the development of Brotherhood’s work for nearly 30 years.

10th Anniversary

Surviving ten years in the biker scene was an achievement, we thought, after some of the challenges we had faced. So we decided to celebrate by holding a biker party on a farm out at Lithgow. Known as Brown’s Farm in recognition of the owner, we were surprised by a strong turnout of riders from the wilder part of the motorcycle community.

It was surprising because we weren’t selling alcohol and had a Christian rock band playing, yet we still had many from the biker scene come and celebrate this mile stone in our clubs life. In fact this 1988 event was so well attended that we decided to make an annual event out of it at various venues in the area until 1993.

Initially the event stayed at the original venue at Brown’s farm, until the owner decided to retire and sell up. By then it consistently attracted strong crowds, but it wasn’t without incident. One year rain threatened early in the week and when it arrived it made the dirt entry road almost impassable. Thankfully farmer Brown found us some gravel that we had to move by hand and spread by hand. It took hours but finally the road was usable. Thankfully a good crowd arrived but the heavy rain still lingered.

What made life more difficult was that the stage was made out of unused farm materials and there wasn’t a lot of cover for the bands and their PA. Remarkably the thunderstorms raged around the site of our party for many hours but it stayed dry enough for the bands to pump out some jumping rock and roll. The lightning literally surrounded us at Brown’s Farm for several hours while the bands played. It was a clear answer to prayer and the Bikers Church Service next morning was well attended.

Beyond Brown’s Farm

During that time, we attracted a cross section of the biker community to a combination party, bike show and motorcycle rally.

After Brown’s Farm closed to us, farmer Brown kindly found one of his church mates to host us. This particular farm was further from Lithgow near the sleepy country town of Portland. Being beyond the original site, the name became obvious and the signs along the Mudgee Road made it clear that it was the same event, just at another venue. The signs were needed to help riders find the new site, which was buried deep within a grazing paddock and far from any neighbours. While it took a bit to find it the crowds were still strong for several years, some riders coming regularly from Queensland and Victoria.

Interestingly, one of the most successful parts of these weekends was our biker church service held prior to the bike show on the Sunday morning. One particular year at one of the Beyond Brown’s Farm rally, we had a visit from a number of chapters of a major outlaw club. We were happy to see them and provided constant entertainment throughout the Saturday and Sunday. In return, the club hierarchy ordered all their members and nominees to get up and attend the Biker Church Service. Held on main stage it was an informal presentation of the Christian message of love, faith and forgiveness with rock music and presented by experienced riders from our club. Then would follow the bike show and this would invariably attract some excellent machinery, something that we noted for a Sydney based event that was to follow at Silverwater Park.

Towards 1993, when the gates closed for the last time, Beyond Brown’s Farm struggled to cover costs. Taking stages etc from Sydney wasn’t cheap. So the club decided to have a years break from running an event and started praying about doing something closer to home in Sydney.

Silverwater Car Park

After the finish of the Beyond Brown’s Farm Party, Brotherhood was looking to develop a Sydney based event, somewhere near Parramatta. The idea of a day bike show was tossed around as weekend events didn’t seem to be working very well in NSW and bike shows were becoming popular. But where to have it?

At this time in the early nineties we were helping a mate by providing security for a Christian music venue at the old Silverwater Speed Boat Club. Besides helping run this venue, Phil Lake was also the sound engineer at a number of rock concerts that the Brotherhood had organized. The old Speed Boat Club had a good sized car park and, after getting permission, we held our first Silverwater Street and Custom Motorcycle Show there in the summer of 1995.

With three hundred through the gate we easily covered costs. More importantly the Show attracted some excellent street motorcycles and one very famous one. With permission from Yahoo Serious, his motorcycle from the movie Reckless Kelly took pride of place in the displays.

Continuing with this theme, we decided to invite some motorcycling celebrities to come and visit. In the first year two of the stars of the biker movie Stone made a special visit. Stars Sandy Harbutt  with Ken Shorter, who was back from the UK temporarily, came and spoke passionately of their motorcycling experiences during the making of the film. Channel nine sports commentator Darrell Eastlake also made an appearance to talk about his idea for a mass motorcycle awareness ride to Canberra.

Over the years in the car park, a number of celebrities came to visit the show, among them Gary McCoy, winner of the Australian 125 Motorcycle Grand Prix, plus Channel 7 celebrity and former test cricketer Mike Whitney. And the crowd kept growing.

Silverwater On The Grass

While the venue for the Silverwater Street and Custom Show was accessible to a lot of people, it had two major draw backs: a lack of shade and a bitumen base. This made our January show a warm place to be and, after four years in the car park, the decision was taken to move to the adjacent Silverwater Park with its grass and tree coverage.

Besides making everyone more comfortable, it also saw a rapid increase in attendance, although a move to the first Saturday in February probably helped attract families who previously were on holidays. While crowds grew there were a few weather hiccups, but even then the event managed to cover costs.

Sandy Harbutt continued to be a regular guest along with a regular number of motorcycle clubs who placed displays in the show. As the years have rolled on the quality of the show bikes has been consistently high, often drawing praise from the independent judges from Harley Davidson and Live to Ride magazine. Families have also been strongly in attendance, and the recent support from on air personalities at WSFM, Jonesey and Amanda Keller, have probably helped here.

In fact, the crowd jumped from around 1,000 in 2004 to over 2,500 in 2005. There were so many motorcycles in the parking area that we nearly ran out of space for them. We sold out of food and soft drink three times, remarkable for an event that doesn’t sell alcohol.

In 2003, a film crew from Europe sought permission to film the show for a series on the Australian motorcycle scene for Granada/Sky cable television. They spent the day filming and were kind enough to send us a copy for our records before the show went to air in Europe in the same year.

Most recently Silverwater has been adopted by the 2008 Federal Opposition Leader, Dr. Brendan Nelson. It turns out that he has ridden bikes since he was 17 and currently has a Triumph Speedmaster. Brendan accepted an invitation to the 2007 and 2008 Silverwater Shows after riding to Canberra at my invitation to attend the famous 2006 Bikers Australia National Motorcycle Awareness Ride.

Publically supporting major motorcycling events, Brendan made some significant comments at Silverwater in 2007 in a press release following his visit:

Greg Hirst, spokesman for the Silverwater Street and Custom Motorcycle Show, took Dr Nelson on a tour of 90 competition bikes, plus a record number of trade and motorcycle club displays, and then interviewed the Minister on his attitude toward biker safety, in front of a crowd several hundred strong.

Congratulations to the Brotherhood CMC for promoting biking in a family friendly atmosphere, over so many years.

former Federal Opposition Leader, Dr. Brendan Nelson

Dr. Nelson, who has ridden motorcycles for most of his adult life, also called on governments of all persuasions to encourage the use of motorcycles in the general community.

Increased motorcycle usage has real benefits for the environment and for a more efficient use of petrol supplies.

Remembrance Ride

The Remembrance Ride has been an annual activity since the early eighties.

Originally established by the Christian Motorcyclist Association, this ride, followed by a memorial service, has become an institution in the Sydney Biker Scene, providing an opportunity to remember riders from all sections of the motorcycle community. The service provides a perpetual memorial list so that those on it are remembered each year along with their biker way of life. One funeral that Hirsty was approached to do for a mate of a major outlaw club explains the importance of the Remembrance Ride.

When Greg arrived to do the service at the cemetery, the biker’s family had arranged a Uniting Church Minister to do the service so that the funeral didn’t reflect the biker lifestyle. Apparently they were ashamed of his riding lifestyle and tried not to mention this in the service. The Minister was positive but the funeral did not reflect who ‘Big Bird’ was. A year later, a grave side bikers’ memorial service corrected this wrong. And every year ‘Big Bird’, and many other riders, are remembered at the Brotherhood Clubhouse, with respect.

Over the years, riders from a cross section of the motorcycle community have ended up on the memorial list. Commuters, road racers, outlaws, Christian bikers, police riders, kids, off-road riders, old riders, young riders, tourers etc. It seems death is a great leveller. It happens to us all and Brotherhood CMC believes that God wants all riders to be aware of his love and concern through Jesus Christ.

Perhaps the best comment about this ride came from an Anglican Minister at St. Andrews Cathedral in Sydney who commented, after reading a prayer at one of the first memorial services:

If Jesus began his earthly ministry today he would be amongst bikers. In fact he’d probably be a biker himself!

Clubhouse Open Nights

From February to November, Brotherhood’s clubhouse is open from 8pm on the last Wednesday night of each month. This is an opportunity to play pool, catch up, talk about motorcycle issues and events, and to have a prayer.

Once a year, there is a pool challenge with Bikers Australia. Currently Brotherhood holds the perpetual trophy and so hosts this competition at the end of June.

Other meetings have live music and we use the opportunity to make plans for interstate rides and the Silverwater Street and Custom Motorcycle Show, amongst other events.

CMC Gatherings

Brotherhood CMC has had a long history of encouraging unity amongst Christians in motorcycling.

We supported Hirsty’s concept to start an umbrella organisation for Christian bikers and clubs to meet under for fellowship and encouragement. In partnership with Disciples CMC, the Christian Motorcyclists Association was formed. Later when CMA shifted it’s focus away from fellowship for all types of Christian riders and organisations towards evangelism, we entered into partnership with Ambassadors CMC, God Squad CMC and Longriders CMC to host annual gatherings of Christian Motorcycle Clubs.

The first gathering was held in 1998 at Brotherhood’s clubhouse in Parramatta and has grown to include other Christian motorcycling organisations such as CMA and Bikers for Christ. In 2006 we hosted the first Australian Christian Motorcycle Clubs Conference where issues of concern to Christian motorcycling were discussed in a positive environment, accepting each others different views and ways of operating.

Brotherhood CMC continues to participate in the annual gathering of the NSW Christian motorcycle clubs so as to encourage the development of a biblically based unity. We also want to encourage national unity and believe that we contributed positively to the recent 2009 Australian Christian Motorcycle Clubs Conference hosted by Longriders CMC in South Australia.  The following slideshow contains photos from that event:

Advocacy

From the early eighties, Brotherhood CMC has been heavily involved in advocating for and encouraging those in power to respond positively to the needs of those in the motorcycle community and on the fringes of our society. This has meant organising, supporting and acting in partnership with like-minded groups on issues such as motorcycle awareness, overturning compulsory lights-on laws, medical helmet exemptions, promoting motorcycling and it’s lifestyle amongst the general public and political power brokers.

Over many years it has supported many aspects of the riders’ rights movement both here and overseas. Most recently it supported, both organisationally and financially, the 2006 Bikers Australia National Motorcycle Awareness Ride to Canberra. Organising a press launch in Canberra for Bikers Australia’s National President, Noel Andrew, in December 2005, Hirsty managed to get not only the Federal Transport Minister, Warren Truss, to attend but also former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson and Nationals Luke Hartsuyker. Both Anderson and Hartsuyker are riders, and Luke rode to Canberra in January 2006 to join then Federal Defence Minister Dr. Brendan Nelson.

Well organised by Bikers Australia, this national ride not only scored a large turnout of riders but enormous positive mainstream media coverage across the country. Showing the open nature of the ride, the throng of motorcyclists gathered at the road closure in Nth. Canberra were escorted to Parliament House by a local motorcycle club and the Federal Police.

2010 Inaugural Federal Politicians Motorcycle Ride

As part of its ongoing advocacy work Brotherhood CMC has worked closely with the Australian Motorcycle Council since 2008 in order to encourage our nation’s leaders to see motorcycling in a more positive light and encourage motorcycle usage amongst the broader Australian Population. Inspired by former Federal Opposition Leader, Dr. Brendan Nelson, both groups have worked to encourage politicians in all parties to come out of the closet and confess to their passion for riding.

What follows is one of the many press releases about this years event, a letter of appreciation from the Australian Motorcycle Council, some coverage from Live To Ride Magazine and a closing comment from Dr. Nelson whilst Australian Defence Minister in 2007:

“Leaders of the Australian motorcycle community will be rubbing shoulders with leaders of the country in Canberra over March 15-16, 2010.

Australian Motorcycle Council (AMC) chairman Shaun Lennard of Hobart and motorcycling author and identity Greg Hirst, from Brotherhood Christian Motorcycle Club in Sydney, will be in Canberra to join members from all sides of politics for their inaugural motorcycle ride on Monday, March 15 to highlight the benefits of motorcycling and call for greater recognition of motorcycling in transport policies.

“We’ll be joining motorcycle-riding MPs and Senators as they come out of the closet, well, garage, and join together in publicly encouraging Australians to get on a motorcycle,” said Hirst.

The AMC points out the increasing popularity of motorcycling, with more and more people from all walks of life taking up riding.

“There’s been a 60% increase in the number of motorcycles and scooters on Australia’s roads in the past 10 years – from around 300,000 to well over half a million now,” said Lennard.

“We’re looking for action from Governments across the country to embrace the environmental benefits that motorcycling brings – so Canberra is a good place to start.”

“More and more we’re seeing Governments across the Western world embracing motorcycling as a key element in an efficient transport network.

Media representatives are invited arrange a motorcycle, join this historic ride and then attend the ‘Inaugural Members and Senators Motorcycle Breakfast’ in Parliament House on Tuesday morning (March 16) where Shaun and Greg  will encourage governments of all persuasions to promote the use of motorcycles in Australia’s transport mix.”

excerpted from Live To Ride Magazine (2007)

Dr. Brendan Nelson Supports Motorcycle Riding

“Bikers should be given more respect on the roads. As Bikers, we can’t take anything for granted. We have to assume that every car is going to pull out in front of us. Congratulations to the Brotherhood CMC for promoting biking in a family friendly atmosphere, over so many years.”

Dr. Nelson, who has ridden motorcycles for most of his adult life, also called on governments of all persuasions to encourage the use of motorcycles in the general community.

“Increased motorcycle usage has real benefits for the environment and for a more efficient use of petrol supplies.” he said.

former Federal Opposition Leader, Dr. Brendan Nelson, at the Silverwater Street and Custom Motorcycle Show (14-Feb-2007)

Why Brotherhood CMC joined the United Motorcycle Council

Brotherhood Christian Motorcycle Club for over thirty years has been seeking to integrate its member’s faith in Jesus Christ  and their passion for motorcycling.As a ministry arm of a local Parramatta based evangelical church, Street Level Christian Community Inc.,it  provides  evangelism, welfare and advocacy with those on the fringes of our society.

After reading the ‘Crimes (Criminal Organisations Control) Act and Amendments 2009’ in NSW, the analysis by the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions  and having evaluated views both for and against this legislation, Brotherhood Christian Motorcycle Club felt it could not stand on the sidelines on this issue.

In May 2009 it joined the United Motorcycle Council NSW in order to:

• Support  peaceful resolution of differences between motorcycle clubs
• Encourage the development of a law abiding motorcycle lobby group
• Support the development of a socially responsible motorcycle culture
• Consolidate opposition to legislation that undermines the ‘ rule of law’
• Express concern at the growing trend around Australia to enact laws that overturn human rights, recognising that such laws could be applied to other groups such as church groups.

Our position is not a support for any criminal activity but rather opposition to unfair legislation that damages the ‘rule of law ‘ in Australia. We encourage the use of the established criminal law in Australia to deal with any and all criminal activity within Australian society and within the motorcycle community.

We join with respected public figures and experts including Nicholas Cowdrey QC who have publicly stated concerns that these laws are ‘deeply disturbing’ and ‘inappropriate’.

We join with the Anglican Dean of St. Andrews Cathedral, Phillip Jensen,  in his assessment that laws like this stand in stark contrast to God’s justice and in particular that “The laws by which one generation protects society can easily become the laws by which society will oppress another generation”.

Brotherhood CMC also agrees with the public comments made by the Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Crime Commission, Federal Labor Senator Steve Hutchins who urged that any legislative developments to support law enforcement be considered and evidence based rather than politically driven.

Brotherhood Christian Motorcycle Club is a non- violent and law abiding group of committed Christian motorcyclists with a focus on reaching out to those on the streets and in motorcycle groups, people who are often alienated from mainstream government, community and church organisations.

We have worked to support individuals and groups to engage governments and law enforcement agencies in a peaceful and positive fashion as they try to communicate their issues.

We believe all Christian organisations and church groups should read this legislation and the comments by legal and theological experts and oppose any laws that opens the door for future religious and political persecution through the use of unnecessary and potentially oppressive police powers.

It seems Brotherhood CMC’s concerns about the ‘anti-association’ laws are well founded. The following articles explain why: “Hells Angels ban unnecessary: experts” by Michael Edwards and staff (ABC online)

Personal & Practical Support

A big part of Brotherhood’s activities involve providing care and support for people we meet in the bike scene and on the streets. This may mean be simply listening to someone’s troubles and praying for them, to organising food parcels, encouragement to find accommodation and employment and referral to drug counsellors and rehabilitation programmes.

One of Brotherhood’s most significant partnerships has been with Bikers Australia, who organise the annual Blanket Run to the launch of Homeless Persons Week in Parramatta. In 2008 a record number of motorcyclists —over 180 bikes— donated blankets for Anglicare’s Street Outreach Team, for distribution to the homeless in Western Sydney.

Anglicare was kind enough to provide ongoing funding in the mid-nineties for a team of people who continue to help homeless young people practically. The project was established in 1991 when rock icons Midnight Oil organised a fundraising rock concert at the Royal Easter Show for Brotherhood’s parent church Street Level Christian Community. A crowd of over 24,000 celebrated the Oil’s classics and enthusiastically supported Hirsty’s call to practically help the young living rough in Australia.

The money raised from this event funded the Parramatta Youth Project for four years, until Anglicare came to the rescue and took over the project.

Weddings

Over many years, Brotherhood CMC has provided wedding celebrants to the motorcycling community and to those in relationships in the street culture.

These members have offered a brief, relevant, and legal wedding ceremony that has been performed in gaols, biker clubhouses, on boats, by rivers, in the bush and even at our clubhouse in Parramatta. Many of the couples who use this free service have been living together for sometime and want to make their relationship a lifetime experience. Brotherhood is happy to help and sees this as an opportunity to affirm God’ s love and forgiveness for all.

Funerals

Sadly, many of our friends over thirty years have passed away and their friends and relatives have expressed a desire to have a biker funeral. Brotherhood members have been glad to help.

One memorable service was held at a western Sydney cemetery for a biker named Norm Yewan. While his family grieved deeply for him, they celebrated his motorcycle lifestyle. In fact, they were proud of him. That made the service a great opportunity to reflect positively on his life and lament the careless driver who caused his death.

Street Level Christian Community

Brotherhood CMC is a ministry arm of StreetLevel Christian Community, Inc. It shall pursue only those courses compatible with the aims and objectives of Street Level Christian Community. This means that Brotherhood is overseen by the elders of Street Level Christian Community.

At least one of the elders of StreetLevel Christian Community (or his appointee) will be on the Brotherhood Council serving as the Sergeant at Arms. Brotherhood CMC operates upon the basis of the Street Level Christian Community’s “Statement of Belief” outlined in the Street Level Community Inc. Constitution (2004).

Evangelism

Brotherhood CMC’s members are firmly convinced of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and that he is the only one God has sent to bring forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

As a club, we believe that sharing this message of God’s reality and love is best done in relationships built over many years of participating in the motorcycle community, supporting it’s issues and developing activities and events where an authentic expression of our faith in Christ points the way to him, rather than confronting or condemning those who don’t agree with us.

Friendships are best developed through attendance at rides, bike shows, motorcycle promotional activities and other events specifically favourable to motorcycling and its community. Brotherhood also organises activities such as bike shows, memorial events,displays, weddings and funerals where low key and motorcycle focused evangelism can occur.

The Way We Work

Over the years, Brotherhood CMC has developed a local, national and international ministry, although for the last 27 years it has had no more than five members.

It works on the basis of developing partnerships with other church, community, motorcycling and government groups to work on projects of mutual concern, be they evangelistic, welfare or advocacy activities.

Past members have made a significant contribution to Brotherhood’s development. Neil Jansons made a significant contribution to the development of our aims and objectives in the late seventies. Ian Bremner helped us meet many in the hard core biker scene. Peter O’Donnell was a stalwart of our club for many years serving as treasurer. Stan Small continues with Anglicare’s Street Outreach Team, continuing the work started by current members Hirsty and developed by Grunt. Pendo has been faithful in his service within Brotherhood and his local Anglican church for many years and is best known as the MC at the Silverwater Show and speaker at Christian biker events. Recently Vic has joined, who grew up in the outlaw community in Canada and, besides being a Churches of Christ minister, he is lending his computer talents to the development of various club and church websites.

Aims and Objectives

1. To befriend and care for those seen as outcasts by our society as did Jesus, by attempting to meet people’s needs and showing God’s love to them. This would especially include individuals and clubs within the more troubled and alienated sections of the motorcycle community.
2. To proclaim to those within the motorcycle culture and other related cultures, the Christian alternative in belief and lifestyle.
3. To promote peace, understanding and mutual respect between groups and individuals within the motorcycle culture, and also between the motorcycle culture and the regular cultural groupings in society and to advocate, where appropriate, with and on behalf of those in the motorcycling community.
4. To reach those within the street youth culture who are in need of instruction and care.
5. To be an integral part of the overall body of Street Level Christian Community and to use the gifts and abilities of the membership for the benefit of any of the ministries of Street Level Christian Community.
6. To remain part of and to work alongside the wider Christian Church.

How To Join

Brotherhood CMC is an outreach Christian motorcycle club looking to develop its ministry from its local base in Parramatta in Sydney, Australia.

Convinced Christian riders with an understanding and accepting nature, and with a passion to build friendships over a long period of time so that they can share the Gospel of Christ, can apply in person at any of the open meetings during the year at our clubhouse or come to one of our activities. Brotherhood welcomes everyone to its events and encourages those with a passion for Christian motorcycle ministry and solid Christian life to begin a long term journey with us.

‘Keep the faith and ride safe’ -Brotherhood CMC