For almost 15 years, motorists travelling along Moggill Road passed a simple white bicycle secured to a roadside pole near Blacon Street. Some knew its story. Others simply recognised it as a quiet reminder that a life had been lost there.
On Sunday, 19 July 2026, that familiar landmark quietly disappeared.
In a heartfelt post shared on the 4069 Community and Surrounds Facebook page, Richard Pollett’s father, Philip, announced that the family had made the difficult decision to remove the white ghost bike that had stood beside Moggill Road since shortly after Richard’s death in September 2011.
The decision, he said, had not been taken lightly.
For many in Brisbane’s western suburbs, the white bicycle had become one of the area’s most recognisable roadside memorials—a silent tribute that thousands of motorists passed every day.
For Those Who Knew Him
Richard Pollett was just 25 when his life was cut short on 27 September 2011.
An accomplished violinist, he had already built an international reputation, performing with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Switzerland’s Orchestra of Lugano.
After studying at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, he graduated with highest honours from the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano before returning to Australia to continue his studies at the Australian National Academy of Music.
In 2010, he won the strings section of the ABC Symphony Australia Young Performers Awards, cementing his reputation as one of Australia’s brightest emerging classical musicians.
Away from the concert hall, family and friends remember a thoughtful and curious young man who loved cycling, coffee, cooking and literature.
Watch: Richard Pollett was recognised as one of Australia’s most promising young violinists before his life was tragically cut short in 2011. This short video by Chris Cox shares more about the talented musician remembered by family, friends and the wider community.
Gone but Not Forgotten
The white bicycle was installed days after Richard’s death by staff from Kenmore Cycles, becoming both a place of remembrance and a quiet reminder for motorists to take care around vulnerable road users.
Over the years, however, time had taken its toll.
“Over time, the bike had become weathered and dilapidated, and we felt it could no longer be maintained in the respectful way it deserved.”
— Philip Pollett
The family said they consulted the local cycle shop that had originally installed the memorial before deciding it was time to remove it.
Philip also thanked Kenmore Cycles for its kindness over the past 15 years and acknowledged the many members of the community who had paused at the site, remembered Richard or simply travelled more carefully because of the memorial’s presence.
How One Tragedy Changed the Conversation
Shortly after lunchtime on Tuesday, 27 September 2011, Richard was riding along Moggill Road near Blacon Street when he became involved in a collision with a cement truck while it was overtaking him.
The truck driver was later charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death. During the 2013 District Court trial, prosecutors argued the driver should have waited for a safer opportunity to pass, while the defence maintained he believed there was sufficient room to overtake safely. A jury ultimately found the driver not guilty.
The case drew widespread public attention and prompted renewed calls from cycling organisations and road safety advocates for clearer legal protections when motorists overtake cyclists.
Richard’s death became a catalyst in the campaign for stronger protections for cyclists. Following the 2013 trial, his family joined road safety advocates and organisations including the Amy Gillett Foundation in calling for clearer rules governing how motorists overtake bicycle riders.
An e-petition was later tabled in the Queensland Parliament, and the State Government introduced a trial of minimum passing distance laws in 2014 before making them permanent the following year. Today, Queensland motorists must leave at least one metre when overtaking cyclists in speed zones up to 60km/h and at least 1.5 metres in higher-speed zones.
While road safety advocates acknowledge there is still more work to do, Richard’s story remains one of the defining moments in Queensland’s conversation about sharing the road safely.
Long After the Bicycle Came Down
Although the white bicycle has now disappeared from Moggill Road, Richard’s influence continues in other ways.
The Richard Pollett Memorial Award, administered by the Australian Youth Orchestra, continues to support outstanding young violinists, ensuring future generations of musicians benefit from opportunities created in his memory.
Although the white bicycle has disappeared from Moggill Road, its purpose has not. For 15 years it reminded motorists that a gifted young musician lost his life there.
Now, as the memorial itself passes into history, the family hopes Richard will continue to be remembered through the lives he touched, the young musicians supported by the Richard Pollett Memorial Award, and the simple act of looking out for one another on the road.
“While the ghost bike is no longer there, Richard’s legacy continues in many beautiful ways.”
— Philip Pollett
Published 19-July-2026
