It was something he had done many times before.
But that morning’s ride ended in a trip to the hospital after a kangaroo caused a pile-up.
They were on a stretch of road that only days earlier would have been in daylight during the time of their ride, according to Mr Fairless.
On top of that, kangaroos were not something he would expect to see in that part of town.
“We’ve never had to think about it previously,” Mr Fairless said.
According to state government population surveys, the number of kangaroos in Victoria has increased substantially in recent years.
In 2018, based on an analysis of aerial and ground survey data, the overall kangaroo population in Victoria was estimated to be 1,425,000, with a 95 per cent confidence interval.
That number jumped to 2,418,000 in the 2022 survey.
According to a spokesperson for the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, 2024 population estimates will be published in the near future.
“During September and October this year, we carried out an aerial survey of Victoria’s three kangaroo species to better understand population size and distribution across the state,” the spokesperson said.
“Seasonal changes, habitat migration, breeding and the availability of food and water can affect kangaroo and other wildlife movements at certain times of the year, with increased traffic during the summer season also making animals more vulnerable to vehicle collisions.
“While kangaroos are a protected native species, management of population numbers is sometimes necessary to minimise impacts on road safety, property and the natural environment.”
The Kangaroo Harvest Management Plan was developed under the Wildlife Act 1975, enabling authorisation of commercial kangaroo harvesting across seven zones in the state.
Wildlife Victoria data shows the number of animals killed or injured by a vehicle surged between 2017 and 2023, with 10,643 animals hit in the 2022-23 fiscal year.
Most were kangaroos.
However, kangaroo collisions with bikes are rare, so it wasn’t something on Mr Fairless’ mind on a crisp October morning.
The kangaroo jumped into one of the cyclists ahead of him, and because the group was travelling at about 38 or 40 kilometres per hour, Mr Fairless said, the people behind had no time to brake.
The result was a pile-up that sent several of the group to hospital with a range of injuries — cracked ribs, a punctured lung, a broken collar bone.
While Mr Fairless is back on the bike now, he is more nervous than before.
He’s not expecting another run-in with a kangaroo, but he does keep a sharp eye at intersections for vehicles and watches for car doors that might be opened in his path.
“I’ve come from a history of road racing, so falls are part of the territory, but I certainly don’t bounce back like I did when I was younger,” Mr Fairless said.
He urged all bicycle riders to be safe on the roads.
Twelve cyclists have lost their lives on roads this year, according to the Transport Accident Commission.
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