Mother Janet Milbank said the family took some comfort knowing Lydia had been having fun on the day she died.
She said her daughter was the kind of girl who didn't like to stay still for too long. She was great at climbing trees and an excellent swimmer.
Lydia was the type of child who took her pet chickens with her on holiday to her Nana's because they were hers to look after.
Lydia loved being on the go, was determined never to be left behind and was always trying to play catch-up to Jake, 13, and sister Bec, 15.
"She was 9, so she was hot on their heels," Mrs Milbank said. "She was always trying to keep up with them and always gave as good as she got. She was often following after Jake and she was gaining self-confidence."
Steve Milbank described his youngest child as "brave".
"She was definitely a little girl, but she was as hard as nails," he said.
"She enjoyed lots of adventure and loved exploring with Jake. The age gap between them was definitely closing. She was stubborn, as stubborn as a mule, but she wasn't scared to say 'I love you' or to write it down with hearts all over the place."
Lydia's grandmothers also paid tribute to the little girl.
Mrs Milbank's mother Bev Lawson recalled Lydia arriving to stay with her for a week during the recent school holidays - accompanied by six 1-day-old chickens.
"They were Lydia's chickens, so of course they had to come; they were a package," she said.
Mr Milbank's mother Carolyn said Lydia was an individual who knew what she liked.
"She would look around the garden and pick you a bunch of flowers, but none of them would be the same," she remembered.
"She wouldn't wear shoes, but if she did they were the memorable kind, something like high-heel boots," the grandmother said.
Lydia attended Matata Public School, where her funeral service will be held tomorrow.
National road policing manager Superintendent Carey Griffiths said early indications were that the rider was not at fault.
Maria Maitland.
Nan was 'young at heart'
A 75-year-old great-grandmother with a "young heart" was killed when her car crossed the centre line near Tokoroa and crashed head-on with a truck on her way home from a badminton tournament.
Maria (June) Maitland, grandmother of New Zealand-born Scottish rugby player Sean Maitland, died on Saturday about 1.50pm on State Highway 1 at Lichfield.
Mrs Maitland's son John told the Herald the news was a shock to her three children, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
His son Sean, who lived in Glasgow, was devastated at "losing his nan", but was unable to come home for the funeral as he had just entered training camp for the end-of-year rugby internationals.
"She had a young heart, she was always very non-judgmental and had a great sense of humour. She was 75 years old but she had a young outlook on life. The friends of my kids all came into her company and loved her," Mr Maitland said.
Mrs Maitland was kept busy with her many weekly hobbies including badminton, tennis, line-dancing, bowls and bridge.
Originally from Scotland, she moved to Tokoroa from Glasgow in 1963 with her husband.
Mr Maitland said the family still did not know what caused Mrs Maitland to cross the centre line as a stroke and heart attack had been ruled out by the coroner.
She will be farewelled today at St Pius X Catholic Church in Tokoroa.
Holiday toll
*Keith Davies, 54, was a passenger in a car that collided with a truck at the corner of Horseshoe Bush Rd and Dairy Flat Highway about 4.30pm on Friday. The car was being driven by his son, 16-year-old Richard Davies.
*Tokoroa woman Maria Maitland, 75, died on Saturday after her car crossed the centre line and collided head-on with a truck on State Highway 1 at Lichfield about 1.50pm.
*Lydia Milbank, 9, of Matata, was fatally struck by a motorbike on State Highway 30 at Lake Rotoma about 7.50pm on Saturday.
- additional reporting Nikki Preston
- Whakatane Beacon
