New Let's Walk Kangaroo Flat initiative launched

A new 2.5km walking loop called Let’s Walk Kangaroo Flat which was developed in consultation with the community by the Healthy Heart of Victoria initiative, in partnership with Victoria Walks will be launched on Wednesday September 18.

Let’s Walk Kangaroo Flat is a 30-40 minute community walking route, clearly marked by brightly coloured decals, that starts and ends at Gurri Wanyarra Wellbeing Centre.

The aim of the project is to provide Kangaroo Flat locals with an option to increase their regular participation in recreational walking and active travel in a safe and inclusive environment.  The initiative also aims to increase social connections as well as the physical and mental health of the local community.

City of Greater Bendigo Health and Wellbeing Director said Let’s Walk Kangaroo Flat has been developed to provide local residents with an opportunity to increase their physical activity amongst the beautiful setting of the Bendigo Creek Trail in Kangaroo Flat. 

“We have created a clearly mapped route that can be walked at any time to fit in with anybody’s own schedule, we hope to encourage locals to utilise the trail for both physical fitness as well as connecting with other community members,” Ms Mason said.

“The walking route is marked with 18 colourful decals to help guide walkers on their way. 

“In addition a supporting brochure featuring a map that highlights key features of the trail including Gateway Park, carved artworks and the swing bridge has been produced and is available in the foyer of Gurri Wanyarra Wellbeing Centre as well as the Kangaroo Flat Community House.

“To help showcase the walking route we are also organising special group walks that all community members are invited to participate in.  The group walks will depart at 10am from Gurri Wanyarra Wellbeing Centre every Wednesday until November 13.” 

Let’s Walk Kangaroo Flat is part of the broader Healthy Heart of Victoria initiative which will also include lighting and footpath upgrades in the area, along with the installation of outdoor fitness equipment.

 About the Healthy Heart of Victoria initiative

Healthy Heart of Victoria is a co-designed, regionally owned model, aimed at improving health outcomes across the Loddon Campaspe Region.

In 2016 the community told the Loddon Campaspe Regional Partnership that it was concerned about health in the region and about some of the health statistics and outcomes experienced in Loddon Campaspe. The community also told the Partnership that it thought health was the business of everyone, not just health services and professionals. The Partnership brought this community voice to the State Government and Healthy Heart of Victoria was funded $5M in 2018, which is administered through the Department of Health and Human Services.

The Healthy Heart of Victoria initiative has three components that support each other to achieve real change in preventable health outcomes:

Health is Everyone’s Business – a regional prevention network of Health Brokers located across the six Loddon Campaspe Councils, to work with local communities to build knowledge, drive systems change and make health everyone’s business Active Living Census – an evaluation and measurement tool to enable evidence-based planning for the provision of health and recreation services and allow deep understanding of people’s activity levels and preferences Infrastructure and Activation – more people, more active, more often. Improvements to active recreation infrastructure across the region or supportive programs that activate and enable more community members to increase their usage.