History
A Cycling Family
Brothers Mike and Kerry Victor discovered cycling at a young age with the encouragement of their Uncle Mick Birrer. They would enjoy training around the roads in and out of Brisbane and racing for their beloved Balmoral Cycling Club on the road at weekends and at the Hawthorne Park Track at any time! They both did well racing all over Australia.
 Mike (left) and Kerry Victor, |  Mike Victor comes second in the Half Mile Handicap at Balmoral Track in 1957 |
Tragically, on the 7th September, 1957, Kerry (17) was fatally hit by an out of control motor car. Michael stayed involved in the sport they both loved so much and raced for many more years, representing Balmoral Cycling Club and Queensland. He married Pat Hallam and soon they had 5 children and an electrical business. Mike was first involved in the administration of cycling as a 16 year old and has, since retiring from racing, been involved at various levels with Balmoral Club, Queensland Cycling Association (now CQ), Australian Cycling Confederation (now CA), Oceania Cycling Federation and the Australian Commonwealth Games Association. He was awarded the Order of Australia medal by the Governor of Queensland Quentin Bryce on the 15th September, 2005 and a Meritous Medal by the UCI on the 1st October, 2010. He currently is a board member of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Bid Committee. Mike is also a UCI international Commissaire and has officiated at cycling events all over the world including Commonwealth and Olympic Games and World Championships.
 Mike, Katrina, James, Mark (note the elbow!), Pat, Anne and Maree Victor, The Courier Mail, 1974 |  James, Mike and Mark Victor |
It is of no surprise then, that Mark and his older brother James started racing bikes at ages 11 and 12 respectively. Starting out on the track at Hawthorne Park and moving to road with the Balmoral Cycling Club, they both enjoyed many successes at Juvenile and Junior levels. Then with senior racing came such events as the Golden West Tour and the Brisbane To Sydney Road Race and of course the ubiquitous State Teams Road Time Trail, not to mention the teams pursuit and madison on the track as well as the Nerang Six Day. James moved into coaching and his athletes include riders like Michael Rogers and Sara Carrigan who he coached to her Olympic Gold in Barcelona and more recently, Michael Matthews to his World U/23 Road Title. James is now co-director of the Australian U/23 Jayco Skins Team which races professionally in Europe. Mark raced extensively in Australia and overseas and was Australian Points Score Champion in 1987. He then raced semi-professionally Europe, based in France, for two years including racing for Australia at the World Track Championships in Vienna in 1987. After the 1989 season, he decided to stay home and open a bike shop - Victor Cycles at Old Cleveland Road, Camp Hill.
Early in 1998, Mark purchased the old National Australia Bank building at 1 Logan Road, Woolloongabba which he renovated and opened as his second shop in November that year. After having sold Victor Cycles at Camp Hill in 1999, the Woolloongabba shop was re-named Planet Cycles and fast became a favourite with cyclists in Brisbane and beyond. Since then, the business has grown every year until, bursting at the seams in 2010, it was decided that a major renovation was required. Due for completion early 2011, this will almost double Planet’s retail floor area and move the store into the forefront of cycling retail in the Southern Hemisphere. It is an exciting time for everyone and we hope you join us for the ride!
The Planet Family
Mark’s little sister Katrina married his best mate Marty Ross in 1997, they have 2 daughters, Mary and Grace. Mark and Marty trained together for many miles and Marty has raced extensively on both track and road all around Australia, New Zealand and in Europe where he spent a lot of time both racing and working in Belgium. Marty started working for Mark in 1992 and works on the floor at Planet. He is an expert at bike fit and is one of the best cycling sales guys on the planet (no pun intended!).
After years of being both friends and coach/athlete, Mark and Bronnie got together in 1999. They added 3 more children to the 4 they already had - Jeremy, Hannah, Declan, Tallulah, Alice, Harry and Aiden, and then got married 10 years later. Now with all of the kids at school, Bronwyn is getting into the shop more and is the driving force behind Planet Femme as she is passionate about girls on bikes, in all shapes and forms.
Not related, but a big part of the Planet Cycles family history is Ashley Hutchinson. After starting racing a bike on the BMX track at 3, Ashley moved to Brisbane from Cairns as an 18 year old to train full-time in the QAS Track Programme and work at Planet Cycles. He represented Australia in cycling for 7 years including being World Champion in 2004 in the Men's 4000m Teams Pursuit. He represented Australia at the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games, winning a Silver medal in 2006 and is 2 times World Cup Champion as well as National Champion. Ashley was awarded Queensland Cyclist of the Year twice, Queensland Champion numerous times and Oceania Champion 5 times. When he was in town, he would work as a mechanic at Planet and staff and customers alike have enjoyed following his cycling career. Ashley hung up the bike to complete a carpentry apprenticeship in 2007 and now in 2010, we are delighted to have him back both in the industry and especially as a part of the Planet Team in his role as Store Manager.
No story of the Planet Family would be complete without mention of Simon Small. Joining the team in 2003, he has become an integral part of the sales team. Previously U/19 World Sailing Champion in Laser Class, Simon coached the British women to their Olympic Gold Medal in Sydney, 2000, Simon knows what it is to compete at the epitome of a sport. In 2002, he hung up his rudder and decided to buy a bike as, like athletes in many sports, sailors use cycling for cross-training. Simon successfully transferred his training and racing skills to his new sport and enjoyed success on the road. He has even featured on national TV - albeit with a bike throw but what-the-hey! In a strange (Brisvegas) twist of fate, Simon’s wife, Angela, had Bronnie as a lecturer at QUT, whilst completing her Medical Imaging Degree! She and Simon are enjoying being parents to their beautiful daughter Emma.
Building History
In early times, two groups frequented the Woolloongabba area, the Jagera and the Turrbal people. Our Brisbane, History of Woolloongabba. According to Wikipedia, “experts are divided regarding the Aboriginal meaning of the name, preferring either 'whirling waters' (woolloon and capemm) or 'fight talk place' (woolloon and gabba)”. In every cricket fan’s dictionary though, it is just called “The Gabba” a term which is used to refer to the whole suburb as well as the famous cricket ground.
The Gabba fiveways was a commercial and industrial hub in Brisbane’s history with steam trains to and from the Stanley Street Locomotive Depot, horse-drawn then electric trams, trolley cars and of course eventually cars and buses all crossing the busy intersection. A signalman controlled the trams from a signal tower on the Eastern side of the five-ways and when trains passed through the intersection, a railway flagman walked in front of the train to clear the way.
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Signal Tower Gabba Fiveways
with 1 Logan Rd in background.
(Photographs courtesy of John Oxley Library)
The Queensland National Bank (now a part of the National Australia Bank) Woolloongabba Branch opened at 1 Logan Rd, Woolloongabba in 1924 and stopped operating there in the early 1990's.
In 1998, the building was renovated to house Mark's second Victor Cycles store and was re-named Planet Cycles in 1999 after the original Camp Hill Victor Cycles store was sold. Recent renovations have seen the removal of the remains of the bank safe and opening of the upstairs area which was originally the bank manager’s quarters and later housed the offices and staff quarters for the bank and then Planet Cycles. A Streetscape Upgrade was completed by Brisbane City Council in 2010 which has contributed to a new personality for the Gabba Village.
