Cyclist Brigitte Nilsen farewelled at memorial at Newcastle Ocean Baths

The Hill resident, originally from Norway, has been identified as the female cyclist killed in a collision with a truck while riding on King Street last Wednesday morning.

She is survived by her 30-year-old son, Jack, who lives in Norway.

The 57-year-old had been residing in Newcastle for the past five years after returning from Norway to live in Australia for the second time.

Friends and members of the public met at the corner of Perkins Street and King Street, where the crash occurred, and cycled to Newcastle Ocean Baths, one of Ms Nilsen's favourite spots to swim.

Her former husband Mark Patton, of Sawtell, said he was overwhelmed by the generosity of Newcastle's residents.

"I've made contact with where she shopped, the yoga studio she attended, the public baths where she swam, and the library she went to and people have been just amazing," he said.

"There are 25 bunches of flowers there [the corner of Perkins and King streets] addressed to the unknown cyclist, people who just knew it happened. Random people have been incredibly generous and that's been beautiful. Most people don't know how much they are loved ... And that's a message to everybody."

Mr Patton and Ms Nilsen met while backpacking in the US and lived in Tasmania together for 10 years, where they ran an organic farm. Jack was born in Gosford hospital.

"She was a loving and heartfelt woman," Mr Patton said. "And people connect to someone who is honest."

Ms Nilsen is believed to have been on her way to a yoga class when she was hit.

Lyssa Spencer, the owner of Yoga for All, said she wanted to acknowledge the impact of Ms Nilsen's passing on "all" the students and teachers at the studio, saying they were "heartbroken".

She said Ms Nilsen had attended classes at the studio since it opened five years ago.

"She brought so much light. She was hilarious and so truthful ... and was welcoming to everyone.

"She was there every day, that was part of her life. She was part of the family," Ms Spencer said.

"It's nice to see the wider community coming together, and how much it has leveled everybody. Everyone's been touched by what's happened.

"She is going to be extremely missed."

There were tears, laughter and song as friends and acquaintances recounted stories of the "truth-teller" and "wonderful personality".

Former neighbour, Victoria Grey, said Ms Nilsen had gone out of her way to make her feel secure and welcomed when she moved from Canberra to The Hill in 2016. 

"She always looked out for everyone on the street. She was always up for a chat and would see how you were," Ms Grey said. 

One of her yoga instructors, Tamara Coughlan, said Ms Nilsen's passion for food, yoga and cycling provided "a light" in many people's lives.

Vic Mordue, a staff member at Newcastle Regional Library, gave an emotional farewell to the library regular, saying her absence would "definitely" be felt. 

"Our collection is much broader because of Brigitte because she doesn't give up," he said. 

"The most important thing was that she was Brigitte."

Mr Mordue, of Mayfield, is currently undergoing rehabilitation for injuries he sustained in a collision with a car on his bike in Swansea. He has lost his vision in one eye. 

He said Ms Nilsen's death was "a surprise in one way, not in another".

"I am not surprised by the lack of infrastructure for cyclists," he said. 

Phil Maher, who organised Monday's event, said Ms Nilsen had been a frequent customer at his shop, Hunter Organic Foods, for the past "couple of years". He said he decided to host a memorial after seeing the tributes left on the Perkins Street corner dedicated to "the unnamed cyclist". 

"It's just to honour her, honour her passing from the world. She was just a great person that knew a lot about good food. She kept us on our toes," he said. 

A meditation session will be held in Ms Nilsen's memory at Yoga for All at 6pm on Friday. A memorial bike ride will depart from Newcastle Civic Park at 6pm on April 5. 

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