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Matt McMaugh lives with a developmental delay that remains undiagnosed, but his life is defined by what he can do rather than a medical label<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMarch 17, 2026
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<\/p>\n Long before 34-year-old Matt McMaugh became a legend on the northern Illawarra cycle paths, he was a toddler fascinated by anything on two wheels.<\/p>\n Matt’s mum, Tess, said her son had always been keen on bikes, even as a tiny tot. <\/p>\n \u201cThat was his favourite thing\u2026 to see a bike or those little plastic toys they sit on and push,\u201d Tess says.<\/p>\n \u201cHe always loved that, and we did lots of balancing stuff with him. He rode horses and we took him skiing… he’s just besotted with bikes and it has been wonderful.”<\/p>\n Matt\u2019s childhood passion for cycling set him on a path toward life-changing independence as someone living with an intellectual disability. His parents, Tess and Ian, brought him up in Thirroul, channelling his love of bikes into important life skills.<\/p>\n \u201cHe used a scooter first, and then we put him on a bike and just said \u2018put one leg up and push with the other\u2019,\u201d says Tess.<\/p>\n \u201cHe just did it one day, and started riding. It was fantastic. He was probably about nine. It\u2019s given him so much freedom to ride a bike \u2026 honestly, it\u2019s just been the making of him.\u201d<\/p>\n While Matt lives with a developmental delay that remains undiagnosed, his life is defined by what he can do rather than a medical label. For Tess, watching him navigate his world, riding to the station, catching the train and living in his own unit is the ultimate reward for years of support and advocacy.<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately, it can\u2019t be diagnosed; we\u2019ve tried and tried. He\u2019s what we call developmentally delayed… but he\u2019s such a happy, social boy and everyone adores him who meets him. He\u2019s just so happy and content with life,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Matt lives independently in Woonona, where he cycles every day. He uses his bike for almost everything, recognised by the community in his signature helmet as he commutes to his jobs at Flagstaff and Greenacres.<\/p>\n \u201cWe put spikes in his helmet to stop the magpies… so everyone tends to recognise him,\u201d Tess says.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s become a bit of a local legend, which is good for us because it means if he got into trouble, people would look out for him.\u201d <\/p>\n Independence wasn’t achieved overnight. Tess remembers the “nerve-wracking” early years when Matt began riding solo on cycle tracks.<\/p>\n “We used to take him on the cycle track just for sections, and then finally we let him go by himself and we lost him a couple of times! But it was more that he stopped to go to the loo and we didn\u2019t have mobile phones… we\u2019ve now got \u2018Find My Phone\u2019, which is a wonderful app. He\u2019s totally independent now,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Matt\u2019s relationship with cycling has come full circle. First, he took part in the CycleAbility program, started by Illawarra Bicycle Users Group (IBUG) president Ed Birt, a former chief operating officer at the Disability Trust. Then Matt stepped into a volunteer role, helping young children with disabilities experience the same freedom he found on two wheels.<\/p>\n \u201cMatt was helping the kids learn to ride on a Saturday, which made him feel really good. It just makes him feel part of the community and wanted, and you know, it\u2019s lovely,\u201d Tess says.<\/p>\n \u201cIt keeps us fit, too, because my husband and I ride with him during the week as well… and then I ride with him on a Saturday.. He\u2019s just so happy with life and he thanks us all the time for everything.\u201d
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Ian, Matt and Tess McHaugh cycle together every week. <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Matt-0001-1.jpg\")
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Matt has featured as a visible participant in the #Morethanacyclist campaign.<\/p>\n