Momentum
For Change

Forward inspires climate action and environmental stewardship through community building, education and collaboration. As mountain bikers who ride in the local environment, we feel a responsibility to protect and regenerate Te Taiao the natural world that contains and sustains us, for generations to come.

Our work is centered on the principles of reciprocity, locality, regeneration, and the interdependence of people and nature. We act inclusively, with respect for all outdoor users and stakeholders, and provide a platform for knowledge sharing, improved cooperation, and aligned action in the Whakatipu Basin.

  • Co- Founder + Chair

    Daisy is the one steering the vision for Forward Whakatipu. With a background in the outdoor industry, she’s previously worked with a bunch of brands, film companies, and nonprofits at the intersection of outdoor sports and climate justice. Inspired by community organising, she’s interested in how we can harness the power of Queenstown’s mountain bike community for effective, collaborative action to protect the natural world and serve future generations. When she’s not locked into her laptop doing some big-picture thinking, you’ll most likely find her pedalling in the beach forest.

  • Co-Founder + Treasurer

    If you don’t know Ben, you’ll probably have heard about his legs. So far, they’ve provided him with some incredible achievements in the Queenstown area including a Double Everest (pedalling 17,697m in one go) and riding the height of Olympus Mons, 21,900m in one push up Coronet and into Skippers and back. As well as his superhuman abilities on the bike, Ben is a long standing member of the local mountain bike community, working his way through most of the bike shops in town, and more recently setting up his own wheel building business on Gorge Road.

  • Secretary

    Originally from Bellingham, Washington (USA), Alexa moved to Queenstown eight years ago to pursue her passion for the outdoors. With a MSc in Environmental Management and a background in Environmental Policy and Science across roles for Otago Regional Council and the private sector, she’s a mastermind when it comes to Environmental Planning. She also holds a certificate in Energy Policy and has previously worked with other nonprofits including a community housing trust where she realised the power of bringing people together through local community initiatives. Her passion for the state of the basin is matched by her planning expertise, local knowledge and energy that she brings to the Forward governance team.

  • Callum is professional action/ adventure sports photographer that has worked with almost any big mountain bike brand you can think of. Aside from working internationally, he’s also deep in the trail building industry in QT and has a real soft spot for birds. He strongly believes in keeping our wild spaces wild, and protecting Tāhuna for generations to come.

  • Max is an planner specialising in environment and keen cyclist who’s recently moved to the Whakatipu Basin. An all round outdoors-man and governance whizz, Max also has experience founding his own charity that is dedicated to repurposing discarded sports equipment to Pacific communities.

  • Rob is somewhat part of the furniture when it comes to Queenstown’s mountain bike community. When he’s not out pedalling his bike, he’s busy being a staple of local shop Vertigo Bikes. Originally from Ireland, he came to town 5 years ago for a summer of riding and never left. With a background in Mechanical Engineering and a strong moral compass, Rob’s drive comes from wanting a sustainable future for Queenstown and our mountain bike community.

Forward is gratefully supported on a pro-bono basis by Anderson Lloyd Queenstown and Rotto Chartered Accountants. If you’re interested in contributing your skills or services to our cause, please reach out on our contact page for more information.