A widow’s heartache at the death of her cycling safety husband

Catherine Frewer has vowed to keep fighting for her husband just days after he died saying “you won’t see the end of me”.

From the moment she met her brother’s mate Cameron Frewer as a wide-eyed teenager, Catherine was completely smitten.

He had a kind of old-fashioned manner with just the slightest hint of a boisterous cheeky streak, while she was shy and sheltered — the complete opposite of him, she recalled.

But there was a strong connection that bound them together and it wasn’t long until Catherine and Cameron started dating.

“We are literally childhood sweethearts,” Catherine said with a smile, before correcting herself with a sombre tone.

“Were. We were childhood sweethearts.”

When we speak, Catherine is sitting in the backyard of the family’s home on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland on a particularly warm spring day. It’s just several days after Cameron was killed in tragically ironic circumstances.

She’s still getting used to speaking about her beloved husband in the past tense. There’s much about her sudden new existence for the mother-of-three to get used to.

On Monday morning last week, while out for a ride on his bike, Cameron was hit by a ute and killed. Police investigations continue and the driver has not been charged.

This week, news.com.au will highlight Mr Frewer’s legacy, his campaigning for enforcing the 1m passing rule, and the contentious issue of road safety, from all sides, in a campaign inspired by his passion for harmony and fairness.

Catherine Frewer, widow of cyclist Cameron Frewer, with their three children Lachlan, Heidi and Oscar, and dog Herbie. Picture: Peter Wallis

Catherine and Cameron, with their three children Lachie, Oscar and Heidi, packed up their life in Melbourne two years ago to move north to Caloundra.

It was their little slice of heaven, with an outdoorsy lifestyle that suited the group of mad cyclists perfectly.

“On a Monday and Tuesday, on his two days off, he would grab the kids when they got home and take them out for a ride with the dog. They loved it.

“It was a way of getting them out and about to enjoy the beautiful area we live in, instead of them coming home and getting straight on their screens.”

RELATED: War of words between cyclists and motorists rages on after Cameron Frewer’s death

But while out exploring the scenic vistas of the Sunshine Coast, Cameron quickly discovered that it was often much a riskier ride than he was used to.

Motorists zoomed by at high speeds, coming incredibly close to his bike, which he found was not an uncommon occurrence for cyclists.

When he began to make noise, countless people told him that perhaps he should avoid busy roads and just stick to pedalling around his neighbourhood.

“Who doesn’t want to explore this beautiful area? It’s why we both wanted to move up here from Melbourne, even though we left so much behind us. We wanted to enjoy our life as a family,” Catherine said.

“You can’t avoid the fast roads with traffic to explore the beautiful areas of the Sunshine Coast. Why should you have to miss out on the scenic areas?

“That’s what he wanted to be able to do — explore these beautiful spots. He had every right to use those roads.”

Cameron and Catherine Frewer met when she was 14 — childhood sweethearts who adored each other.

At the start of the year, he launched the Drive Safe, Pass Wide campaign to raise awareness of an existing law that requires motorists to leave a 1m gap when passing cyclists.

“He wasn’t pointing fingers at anyone, he wasn’t blaming anyone, he was never aggressive about motorists, he just wanted to make his point that we can all share the roads safely,” Catherine said.

He would share videos, captured from front and rear cameras on his bike, of countless close calls and made repeated reports to local police.

Cameron simply wanted the law enforced, for the sake of everyone’s safety, but his pleas were usually dismissed, Catherine said.

“Some of the comments he would get was that he shouldn’t be riding on those rides because they were too busy, and that maybe he should just buy an exercise bike.

“And they weren’t from ordinary people — the authorities would say that to him. It’s so silly.

“It’s blaming cyclists for being on the road. He got excuse after excuse and it’s why he was fighting so hard to be able to enjoy riding and to be safe.”

Members of the cycling community held the Ride of Silence on the weekend to honour Cameron Frewer in Brisbane. Picture: Mark Cranitch

A few months ago, there was a particularly close call — a car that came within a whisker of running him down as it sped by.

Cameron felt that was a deliberate action from an aggressive motorist; hardly the first he’d experienced and probably not the last.

“He made a report but he was told that unless he was very seriously injured or killed, action couldn’t be taken.”

Catherine Frewer’s husband Cameron was killed while riding his bike in Caloundra. He shouldn’t be dead.

Now, her husband — the love of her life and the father of her children — is dead.

“The support from the community here has been overwhelming. I certainly wouldn’t be feeling as strong as I am without that support,” she said.

“We’re still quite new to this area, we’ve been here less than two years, but everyone has been so wonderful. They’ve rallied around us. And the cycling community has been so wonderful. I’m beyond words.”

A GoFundMe established in the days after Cameron’s passing has raised more than $21,000.

Just days before he died, Cameron wrote an impassioned open letter to police, the Government and cycling groups, urging the safe pass rule to be taken seriously.

He wasn’t asking for anything new or ambitious, but just that the law be enforced for him, other riders, children and families.

“Kids should be able to ride their bikes,” Catherine said.

“Families should be able to go out for a ride. People should be able to ride to work, get out there for exercise … we shouldn’t be afraid. We shouldn’t have to be unsafe.”

Catherine Frewer will now take up her husband’s campaign Drive Safe, Pass Wide, following his tragic death. Picture: Peter Wallis

During his campaign, Cameron was often at pains to point out that he felt no animosity towards motorists. He just wanted everyone to safely share the road.

“Cameron would say that nine times out of 10, everything was fine — there were no issues. But that one time, a car would drive dangerously close to him,” Catherine said.

“It only takes one close call to turn deadly. I’m living that.”

In the wake of unspeakable grief, along with her status as a widow and single mum, she is throwing herself into another new role — road safety activist.

“The risks for cyclist can be avoided. These sorts of accidents shouldn’t be happening. The safe pass laws exist but they’re not being enforced. Why not?

“I’ll be out there making a lot of noise for Cam now. I’m going to take up his fight now. You won’t see the end of me. I’m Cam’s voice now.”

Each day this week, news.com.au’s campaign will explore the impact of Cameron’s death, the 1m rule, dangers on the road and the battle between bike riders and drivers.