Share your thoughts on shared trail

OUR region is home to beautiful natural scenery, fascinating trails and an incredible array of native wildlife.

North of Lara, Serendip Sanctuary is an oasis for kangaroos, wallabies, emus, the critically-endangered eastern barred bandicoot and about 150 species of birdlife.

Just down the road the You Yangs provide a rich variety of tree species and bush habitats for koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, brush-tail possums, echidnas and lizards.

Further south, Hovells Creek trail connects Lara and northern Geelong, providing panoramic views of Corio Bay.

And at the northern end of Hovells Creek trail, in the heart of Lara, you’ll find the Kevin Hoffman Walk featuring more than a thousand species of native plants including 150 indigenous species.

The walk is named after late local legend Kevin Hoffman who, with the help of a group of dedicated community members, spent decades creating and maintaining this fantastic community asset.

With so many things to see and do outdoors in the You Yangs Ward, we want to improve connections between these destinations.

Which is why the City of Greater Geelong is inviting community members to have their say on a concept design for a shared trail between Lara and the You Yangs.

The concept design proposes a trail connecting the existing Hovells Creek trail with Serendip Sanctuary and You Yangs Regional Park, linking Lara with two of our region’s major natural attractions.

An improved trail network would also have enormous potential to boost ecotourism in the area, which in-turn would help promote awareness of endangered native wildlife and local conservation efforts to protect these species.

The health and wellbeing of our community is central to everything we do as a council, and getting more people outdoors and active is always a good thing.

Most of us know the physical benefits of walking, but hiking in nature can amplify these benefits.

Compelling evidence shows that spending more time in nature can reduce depression and anxiety, mental fatigue and stress.

In short, spending more time amongst the bush will generally leave you feeling happier and healthier.

We want everyone in our community to enjoy these benefits and our region’s natural attractions, which is why we want the shared trails project to be as accessible as possible.

Connecting the community through recreational trails and paths is important to us and we want your help to ensure this project meets the needs of residents and visitors.

The draft Lara to You Yangs Shared Trail Concept plan is available for the public to read, along with answers to frequently asked questions, at yoursay.geelongaustralia.com.au/lara-you-yangs-shared-trail.

The webpage has a five-minute survey for you to share your thoughts on the concept plan and an interactive map for you to leave location-specific feedback.

Public engagement closes on January 27, so I urge everyone in our region to have their say and help us shape this project to better connect our communities.

Cr Chris Burson

You Yangs Ward,

City of Greater Geelong