THE LEADER – COLIN FREESTONE
I grew up on Sudney’s Maroubra beach in the 40s - 60s, where I developed a deep love of the water and the sea.
I was a member of the local Surf Life Saving Club and did beach patrols on weekends. I body surfed, caught waves
on a Malibu, paddled a ski and rowed in the surf club boat. In those days Maroubra was reputed to have the biggest
and roughest waves of all Sydney’s many beaches.
I’m now 68. I’ve retained my love of the sea and swim year round on Sydney’s northern beaches.
I graduated in Commerce from the University of NSW in 1965. At school and university I played Rugby and toured
New Zealand with Australian universities. I was a volunteer teacher in Malaysia (1966 - 1967) with Australian
Volunteers Abroad. It was there that I became attracted to the Malay - Indonesian culture and language. I’ve
taught at various Australian universities (1975 - 1993), have written several textbooks on South East Asia and
over a 40 year period I’ve organized more than 30 group tours to Indonesia.
Sensing a need for better understanding between Australia and Indonesia in 1994 I set up Indonesian Cultural
Communications, an educational management business that provides consultancy services to the Indonesian government.
We still have an office in Jakarta.
I’m a NAATI accredited Indonesian language interpreter and translator. As I don’t have a car I cycle most
everywhere, including Jakarta. My love of cycling, yoga and swimming is matched by a 40 year interest in Indonesian
culture. I’m married to Tjut Hadisah Freestone (originally from Aceh, Sumatra) with two grown up children. Through
this trip I hope to link up with different types of people and share with them my passions for cycling, yoga, the
outdoors and Indonesian culture. For me, this trip is not a money making venture. It’s an opportunity to do what I
love doing and to share it with others.
The idea of leading cycle tours to Sulawesi began in 2000 when my son Rendra and I, on mini wheel Bromptons, took
the shortest route northwards from Makassar to Toraja Land. In August 2006 we took a longer and far more scenic
circular route all around South Sulawesi on Bike Fridays. In January 2009 we led a 27 day 1200 km tour through
South Sulawesi. Inspired by the success of that trip I decided to follow it up with a shorter one for people with
less time. I took 5 people on the South South Sulawesi (SSS) route and we had a ball. So much so that four of
the group signed up for the February 2010 trip to Toraja Land where we pedaled 760 km in a 13 day period
(9 cycle days) and it too was a knockoutI I took 2 more trips in 2010, one to SSS and the other to Toraja &
Central Sulawesi (Trans Sulawesi). March 2011 saw the inaugural Central Sulawesi where there were 4 repeats
from previous trips. In July 2011 I took another 2 trips, one to Toraja and one to SSS.
These 8 trips have allowed me to develop approaches and modus operandi that seem to work for the riders who
participate in these Sulawes i.cycle adventure tours.
I’m as keen as I was when I first started these tours. I love the feeling of getting fitter as I prepare
myself for a trip. I love working with participants in their preparations for a trip. I love the camaraderie of
the group and bonhomie with the locals we meet along the way, the physical challenge (and reaching the top) of the
ascents and the buzz of the descents on the other side, yarning with the locals we meet along the way, the simple
uncomplicated wholesome food and problem solving .the unexpected.
Feel free to email me at cycle_indonesia@bigpond.com
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