Allan Olsen’s ashes were scattered in Kiama Harbour by his close family on 2 January 2024, which would have been his 68th birthday.

Allan was well-known for his joyous bike rides along the Princes Highway every day of the last decades of his life. He was also known for his rejection of a conventional life, rejecting a normal home for most of his adult life. He was also well-known to everyone in the Illawarra as a local character, and many people remember seeing him riding the freeway everyday, often with many shopping bags on his bike frame.

Allan died on 20 August 2023 on the Princes Highway north of Gerringong on the rise into the bends after suffering a medical episode, later found to be a clot in his heart. He was famously fit and healthy but was 67 when he died. When the news of his passing broke, a great many in the community paid tribute by sharing their memories of him 

Many have remarked the joy Allan had in riding the freeway every day and was often described to be fit enough to ‘win the Tour de France!’ He often rode as far as Mount Druitt from Sussex Inlet, but was cycling every day, often very long distances and sleeping rough became the lifestyle he chose and loved. 

Ms Tina Olsen, his sister, was guardian of his affairs.

Tina told The Bugle: “Where Allan died was about 30 metres from a rest spot where his family would often meet him with food and water. He was very familiar with where he was.”

Allan never had any trouble with the police except from occasionally overstaying at big department stores to use their weights after hours and have a bit of a sleep. Tina said the courts were always sympathetic and never convicted Allan of anything. Tina said Allan visited Sydney less and less, as sleeping rough in the CBD could be quite dangerous, with rough sleepers being assaulted. 

He was happiest on his bike on the freeway. 

Some locals have compared Allan to the ultra marathon runner Cliff Young, with Allan having the freedom to choose an unconventional life one of the things Australia should be proud of. 



Allan Carter Olsen was born in Copenhagen on 2 January, 1956 and the family moved to Sussex Inlet in the mid 80s after becoming citizens in 1975. Allan grew up in Mount Druitt from 1966 to 1975, when it was mostly bushland.  

Kiama remembers such an iconic Aussie maverick as Allan, and our society is better for more idiosyncratic individuals like Allan.