BREAKING: Search Underway for Retired Local Man Last Seen On E-Bike Heading Eastbound on Captain Cook Drive - Estimated Arrival, Sunday.

Sandy Shores | Editor-in-Chief | Sutherland Shire Gazette

13 November 2025

WOOLOOWARE - Authorities are appealing for information after reports of a man in his seventies travelling eastbound along Captain Cook Drive on a fat-wheeled e-bike at what witnesses described as travelling at “a committed but largely theoretical pace.”

The rider, a retired local who reportedly succumbed to all the fuss about e-bikes, decided to embrace the trend - becoming an early adopter in a demographic better known for Sedans, golf buggies, and strong opinions about road rules.. 

Friends say he was excited by the promise of “effortless cruising,” though most agree the only thing effortless about it so far has been slowing down traffic.

Witnesses said the man was last seen shortly after 3pm Wednesday. with two Aldi shopping bags strapped to the back basket and an expression of quiet, enduring optimism.

“He was a pioneer,” said one onlooker. “Part cyclist, part traffic hazard, part meditation app come to life.”

Traffic along Captain Cook Drive reportedly slowed to a crawl as commuters adjusted to what police called “the first recorded case of reverse velocity.” Dashcam footage shows several drivers losing the will to live somewhere near the Shark Park turn-off.

Local authorities have reminded the public that e-bikes are permitted on the road, though they “strongly encourage riders to reach a speed that can be verified by human eyesight.”

Witnesses last spotted the man approaching the Kurnell turn-off, Aldi bags flapping heroically in the headwind. 

His current whereabouts are unknown, but locals suspect he may still be en route - powered by lithium, quiet conviction, and the unhurried spirit of the Shire.

Anyone with information is urged to remain patient.