Victorian Disability, Sport & Recreation Initiative of the Year Award

Tonight I accepted this Award for the Walking and Rolling Together Project I led for Victoria Walks. It has been a privilege working with the awesome Victoria Walks team and recently retired EO Ben Rossiter. It has been a privilege to co-design and co-audit with so many people living with disability, their families and carers. Collaborating with Scope Australia, DSRV, RSV, RSAs GippSport, Sport North East and Valley Sport made all the necessary statewide connections possible. To the State Government of Victoria and Department of Sport and Recreation thank you for recognising our vision and funding it not once, but twice.

A closing statement: there are still many good people out there doing many very good things. Join them.

Walking and Rolling Together

Please copy and share this tile to your networks and social media.
Please copy and share this tile to your networks and social media.

For the past three years I have had the pleasure of leading the Walking and Rolling Together project for identifying, assessing, photographing and describing potential accessible walking / rolling paths across our wonderful state of Victoria.

Victoria Walks’ unique audit tool, developed and co-designed by people with disability, and its application to the co-auditing process by and for people with disability, has resulted in seventy metro, regional and rural accessible walking / rolling paths being published as digital accessible walking / rolling maps.

We have made the audit tool free to download and use for discovering more accessible walking and rolling paths. It would be applicable anywhere in the world.

The project is coming to a close. People with disability and carers can now look up an accessible walking / rolling map and find out all about the accessible features. We are promoting this work as far and wide as we can to encourage everyone to share the accessible walking maps, to get outdoors and to enjoy nature.

We have created this resource for everyone. There is no doubt, walking and rolling can deliver amazing experiences as well as great health and wellbeing outcomes.

Harro & Jack

Walking and rolling 
with Harro and son, Jack
under giant California Redwoods
in Ballarat
where they hold up the sky
and you marvel at that
but just being able to be there
is something else to marvel at
for a father and son
called Harro and Jack
while creating another
accessible walking map
it is my great pleasure
to be part of all that

https://walkingmaps.com.au/accessible-walks

Woollybutt

Woollybutt forest, Mt Stirling

An excellent walk in the towering Woollybutt Alpine Ash forest of Mt Stirling. Find my map and description here https://walkingmaps.com.au/walk/5836

My furrowed brow

Red-browed Finch
The Finch
with red brow and olive wings
presents a pretty picture

Upon its chosen perch
it even makes the invasive thistle look good

With pleasure I spy
scenery I would rather deny

Ruffey Creek walk

One of the nice surprises – a Gang Gang eating Hawthorn berries.

This large suburban park is full of nice surprises. There is an interesting local history trail, there are pleasant walking paths and the playground and other amenities provide for all the family.

Find the map here on http://www.walkingmaps.com.au with a full description using this link Ruffey Creek walk

Koetong “Spa” and Wildflower walk

Koetong Creek

Koetong Creek in Mt Lawson State Park runs through open woodland of Narrow and Broad-leaf Peppermint, Candlebark, Manna, Blue and Brittle Gum, Red Stringybark, Long-leaf and Red Box. You will also find Black Cyrpess-pine and Kurrajong. The combination of diverse forest layers, a cascading waterway (Spa) and beautiful wildflowers give this walk a real buzz. Take a hike.

You will find the walking map and details I have published on http://www.walkingmaps.com.au here Koetong “Spa” and Wildflower walk

Mt Timbertop wildflowers

Eastern Yellow Robin

Greens Hill Walk, Winton Wetlands

I am currently mapping walks in the extensive Winton Wetlands. Greens Hill is one of my favourites. See the full Victoria Walks walkingmaps version here: Greens Hill Walk

Heron Loop Walk, Winton Wetlands

The most recent walk from my work for Winton Wetlands. For the full Victoria Walks version use this link: Heron Loop Walk

Woodland Walk, Winton Wetlands

The most recent walk I have mapped in Winton Wetlands. View the full version on Victoria Walks walkingmaps here: Woodland Walk

Mokoan Ponds Walk, Winton Wetlands

A new walk I have published on Victoria Walks walkingmaps. You can see the full version here: Mokoan Ponds Walk

Two Creeks, Ringwood Station Walk

Dandenong Creek

This is the fourth in a series of metro public transport based walks I am mapping for Victoria Walks walkingmaps. The idea is that people who either do not have cars or don’t want to use cars to get to walking locations can catch a bus or train there and back instead.

Two Creeks, Ringwood Station Walk

VictoriaWalks “Things we like”: Sean Mathews

This was a very cool thing to find in my in box. VicWalks does wonderful work promoting getting out and about on foot. If you don’t already, try it, you’ll love it!

http://victoriawalks.cmail20.com/t/ViewEmail/r/6164C1495E191D282540EF23F30FEDED/B52459D6D349943CC643AC2DB430C735