Taking steps to a more walkable Manningham

Walking is already one of the most popular activities in Manningham, but Council is taking big steps to encourage more people to walk to more places more often through its draft Walk Manningham Plan 2011-2020, which is currently on public exhibition.

Walking will be made more attractive and accessible through a comprehensive action plan that focuses on behavioural programs, infrastructure improvements and the provision of greater signage and information to facilitate and promote walking. 

Council recognises the numerous health and social benefits of walking, and its ability to create a healthier, more efficient, socially inclusive and sustainable community.

The Walk Manningham Plan was based on three types of case studies, which identified how to increase walking to schools, activity centres and key public transport nodes. The case study approach identified issues and solutions to improve the walking environment which can be applied to other areas within Manningham.

The Walk Manningham Plan 2011-2020 is on exhibition until Friday 26 August 2011.  Click here for more information.

To find out more about walking in Manningham, visit Walking in Manningham.

Walktober

Walking is already one of the most popular recreation activities in Manningham. To encourage people of all ages to walk more, be it fast or slow, on their own or with a group, for travel, exercise, leisure or pleasure, Manningham Council is celebrating Walktober throughout the month of October.

Preschool walking

Manningham Council is particularly interested in encouraging preschools and parents to actively involve the youngest members of our community to walk more and is promoting preschool walking through a range of projects.

Council recently presented to the local Preschool Teachers Network, on Friday 26 August, to encourage comments and feedback from preschools on its draft Walk Manningham Plan 2011–2020. The presentation also encouraged preschools to participate in Walktober and to register their participation through Victoria Walks.

Council has provided each preschool with information to include in their newsletter to promote: Increasing Walking and the National Physical Activity Guidelines ‘Move and Play’ for ages 0-5. The guidelines have been made available for preschool families.

Council is also offering to provide support to preschools looking to develop an Active Travel Plan in 2012 with a meeting scheduled for November/December this year. Preschools interested in developing an Active Travel Plan can contact Council to receive resources including:

  • A map of their area including a 500m, 1km, 1.5km and 2km buffer
  • An aerial map of the preschool to assist in assessing the walking environment
  • A Travel Smart DVD.

Preschools and parents are encouraged to use the map and other information as a discussion point with the children, and to start thinking about their local area and where children live in relation to the preschool.

Walk to School Day

Manningham Council is supporting Walk to School Day on Wednesday 19 October. This is a fantastic opportunity to encourage students to walk to school.  Throughout the development of the Walk Manningham Plan, four local primary schools participated in the case study ‘Increasing Walking to School in Manningham’. The schools included Serpell Primary School, Doncaster Primary School, Our Lady of the
Pines Primary School and Milgate Primary School.

To recognise these schools’ commitment and achievement, on Walk to School Day, Council will provide each school with:

  • $100 to contribute to fresh fruit for their healthy breakfast on the morning
  • 20 pedometers that the school can distribute to students as prizes or provide to
    students through a library borrowing system.

A Councillor or Council officer will also attend the school breakfast to congratulate the
school on their achievements. Brochures on the National Physical Activity Guidelines will
be available to give out to the families.

Schools can register their participation in Walk to School Day through Victoria Walks.

Manningham in Step Community Walk

To celebrate the Council’s Walk Manningham Plan and as part of its Walktober activities, Council is hosting a walk relay around Manningham, on Thursday 27 October. 2011. Council is inviting various community groups to each complete a section, or leg, of the 25 kilometre walk that will pass through a range of suburban paths, parks and nature trails across the City.

The Manningham in Step Community Walk will incorporate 19 sections passing through Doncaster, Templestowe, Doncaster East and Donvale and is anticipated to be walked by more than 25 community groups. The relay will commence at The Boulevarde Recreation Area, Ruffey Lake Park at 7.30am (Melway ref: 34 F10) and finish at the same location at approximately 2.00 pm.

Community groups will each be allocated one of the 19 relay legs, each leg is between approximately 800 metres and 2.5 kilometres long. The walk will conclude with an afternoon tea celebration at The Boulevarde Recreation Area, to which all participants are invited to attend.

Nature Walks

Manningham Council is pleased to host a series of educational and interpretive nature walks for local residents and visitors to explore some of Manningham’s most inspiring and interesting bushland locations.

Nature walks are held on the last Thursday of every month, each walk is paced to allow participants to enjoy and appreciate the natural beauty and history of the area.

The October Nature Walk will be held on Thursday 27 October at 9.30 am and explore The Common in Warrandyte, which includes valuable habitat links to the creeks leading down to the Yarra River.
Distance: 2.5km
Time: 2.5 hours
Rating: Moderate

Heritage Walks

The City of Manningham has a series of interesting heritage walks. As part of its inaugural Heritage Week celebrations, also during October, Manningham Council will present a range of walks through some of the historic regions of Manningham with the following guided heritage walks:

  • Waldau Village Historic Walk: Tuesday 18 October, 10.30 am – 12.00 noon
    This walk travels from Ruffey Lake Park to sites of surrounding urban heritage with influence of German settlers who became orchard growers and created the Waldau Village legacy.
  • Warrandyte Riverside Walk: Wednesday 19 October 10.00 am – 11.30 am
    This walk circles the Warrandyte village, a town that became famous with Victoria’s first
    official finding of gold.
  • Templestowe Village Walk: Wednesday 19 October 12.00 noon – 2.00 pm
    This riverside walk through bushy parkland, which is often accompanied by kangaroos,
    leads to a steep climb up to Templestowe village.

For booking information on the Heritage Walks please contact Sam Cimati on 9840 9129.

For further information on Manningham Council’s walking programs visit www.manningham.vic.gov.au or please contact:

  • Julia Jenvey, 9840 9468 (Tuesdays and Fridays) - Senior Recreation Planner;
  • Nancy Stokes, 9840 9138 (Mondays, Wednesdays and alt Thursdays) - Open Space Planner.