Adelaide100® trail of 70km / 4 days now officially open from Norton Summit to Glenthorne National Park-Ityamaiitpinna Yarta

The Adelaide100® trail is now officially open from Norton Summit to Majors Road, near Glenthorne National Park-Ityamaiitpinna Yarta. These sections traversing 70km / 4 days via Morialta Conservation Park, the River Torrens / Karrawirra Parri, the city and the coast are marked and ready for walking.

Be one of the first to stretch your legs along a trail that experiences a variety of landscapes to give you some of the best vantage points around the city.

Visit adelaide100.com.au, download a map and go for a hike. There are 1-2 new detailed maps per each of the 5 trail sections now open, including pdf maps for printing, downloadable Avenza maps for smartphone use, and downloadable gpx download files for navigation devices. All maps are free. Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest developments as they occur.

Work on the remaining sections from Majors Road to Norton Summit are still under development. These sections take in Happy Valley Reservoir, Sturt Gorge Recreation Park, Belair National Park, and through the Adelaide Hills via Stirling and Basket Range back to Norton Summit.

Connect with us and others on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn using the hashtags #adelaide100 #walkingsa.

Adelaide100® Vision and Project Management
Walking SA, logo

Principal Project Partner
Funded by Wellbeing SA and the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing, Government of South Australia
Government of South Australia logo

SA Election: Vote with your feet

Download media release (PDF).

Walking SA has today written to all candidates in the upcoming election with a call to invest in our children and ensure we have Safe Streets to Schools.

All children should feel safe to walk and cycle to school, without risking being injured by vehicles.

It is completely unacceptable to have poor walking conditions, that do not consider children’s needs or incorporate design based on children’s abilities, within a 2km catchment of our primary schools.

Parents have no faith in the urban environment to keep their children safe, so they drive them to school, adding more cars to the roads and increasing school traffic.

The Government must make a commitment to active school travel and prioritise children’s health and wellbeing by enabling children to walk and cycle to school.

“Over the past 40 years, children walking and cycling to school has declined from 75 percent to 25 percent,” Dr Helen Donovan, Executive Director Walking SA said. “As physical activity levels decrease, not only do children experience a myriad of problems associated with loss of physical health, but we have also seen levels of anxiety and depression in young people skyrocket. Are we going to accept this as a community?”

In South Australia on average 52 percent of school children live within two kilometres of their school, but only 20 percent actively travel to or from school.

“Walking and cycling to school isn’t just a matter of individual motivation. We need to steadily improve the built environment to ensure it is safe and enjoyable to walk and ride. Children and families must have a viable, safe choice.” said Dr Donovan.

“We commend the government on their genuine, collaborative efforts to develop a state-wide Walking Strategy. Now we need to see some commitment and investment into walking to see this Strategy come to life.”

Walking SA calls on the government to take immediate action:

  • Commit to working in partnership to enable Safe Streets to Schools;
  • Lower the speed limit to 40km/h or less in all local streets and school catchments;
  • Increase funding to local governments to install a network of planned separated bikeways, safe road crossings, greenways, and other supporting infrastructure to create Safe Streets to Schools
  • Create policy to move school drop-off zones away from the front gate to decrease the high traffic volumes immediately in front of schools and thereby decrease the risk of collision with a child.

Walking SA will be calling on our members, supporters and followers to support our call at the next election and vote with their feet for the party who supports more walking more often.

Media enquiries

Helen Donovan, Executive Director Walking SA
helen.donovan@walkingsa.org.au Ph: 0457 006 620

 

About Walking SA

Walking SA is the not-for-profit peak body that leads, promotes and supports all forms of walking in South Australia, including walking for recreation, transport, health, wellbeing, organised events, adventure, environmental appreciation and fun experiences.

Our vision is to see more people walking more often.

Our members include walking clubs, informal groups, individuals and organisations whose aims, and objectives align with those of Walking SA.

Our Strategy guides us to achieve more walking for recreation, transport, and health as we:

  • Grow walking participation through programs, walking clubs and walking SA supporters.
  • Support the planning of walkable communities and environments.
  • Provide community information and lead annual walking events.

To find out about Walking SA, including our database describing over 750 trails in South Australia, visit walkingsa.org.au

Children have the right to walk and ride safely to school

Download media release (PDF)

Logos - Bike Adelaide, Walking SA and Heart Foundation

Leading advocacy agencies Walking SA, Bike Adelaide and Heart Foundation, are urging all levels of government to radically rethink school precincts to prioritise children’s physical and mental health and safety by providing safe, enjoyable walking and cycling routes to school. The agencies call for:

  • A consistent decrease in speed to a maximum speed limit of 40km/h in local streets and school precincts, with lower speed limits in all dedicated school zones and streets where pedestrians and cars are forced to share space (including streets with narrow footpaths, carparks, and laneways)
  • An immediate increase in funding to local governments to install a network of planned separated bikeways, safe road crossings, and other supporting infrastructure to create safe travel routes to schools
  • To move school drop-off zones away from the front gate to decrease the high traffic volumes immediately in front of schools and thereby decrease the risk of collision with a child

“Let’s start with a simple, systemic change that will dramatically increase children’s safety – drop the default urban speed limit to a maximum of 40km/h” said Dr Helen Donovan, Executive Director of Walking SA. “The relationship between speed and road traffic accidents is well established. Speed is one of the major factors contributing to accidents on South Australia’s roads. Evidence shows a decrease in the default maximum speed from 50km/h to 40km/h would reduce the risk of death on collision from over 80% to 26% 1. If you could save the life of one child by adding a few seconds on to your daily commute, would you choose to do it?

“Over the past 40 years, children walking and cycling to school has declined from 75 percent to 25 percent,” Dr Donovan said. “As physical activity levels decrease, not only do children experience a myriad of problems associated with loss of physical health, but we have also seen levels of anxiety and depression in young people skyrocket. Are we going to accept this as a community?”

In South Australia on average 52 percent of school children live within two kilometres of their school, but only 20 percent actively travel to or from school 2. Bike Adelaide Chair, Katie Gilfillan, is encouraging local governments and the state government to re-orient transport and infrastructure spending toward a network of safe, enjoyable walking and cycling routes. “Walking and cycling to school isn’t just a matter of individual motivation. We need to steadily improve the built environment to ensure it is safe and enjoyable to walk and ride. Children and families must have a viable, safe choice.”

Heart Foundation CEO SA/NT Imelda Lynch welcomes the recent South Australian government announcement that a state walking strategy will be developed in 2021. The strategy will aim to get more people walking more often including safe routes for children to walk to school which improves levels of physical activity and wellbeing.

Media enquiries

Helen Donovan, Executive Director Walking SA
helen.donovan@walkingsa.org.au Ph: 0457006620

About Walking SA

Walking SA is the not-for-profit peak body that leads, promotes and supports all forms of walking in South Australia, including walking for recreation, transport, health, wellbeing, organised events, adventure, environmental appreciation and fun experiences.

Our vision is to see more people walking more often.

Our members include walking clubs, informal groups, individuals and organisations whose aims, and objectives align with those of Walking SA. We provide leadership by:

  • Promoting opportunities to improve the health and lifestyle of South Australians through
  • Offering expertise, guidance and advocacy for the development and maintenance of safe and supportive walking environments throughout South

To find out about Walking SA, including our database describing over 700 trails in South Australia, visit www.walkingsa.org.au

About Bike Adelaide (Formerly the Bicycle Institute of South Australia)

Bike Adelaide advocates for the development of bike friendly communities that encourage people to use the bicycle as a healthy, efficient, and environmentally friendly transport choice. Our advocacy efforts focus on supporting everyday cycling, particularly the creation of a low-stress cycling network safe for anyone aged 8 – 80 years to enjoy.

Specifically, Bike Adelaide advocates for investment in new and improved cycling infrastructure and supporting policies and practices to improve cycling safety, connectivity, and comfort across the Greater Adelaide area.

Our vision: Sustainable transport is at the heart of Adelaide’s success as a people friendly and environmentally responsible city. Adelaide thrives on the fun and freedom that comes from cycling.

As a non-for-profit organisation powered by volunteers Bike Adelaide represents its members and all people including children who currently, or would like to bike, as a part of their everyday lives. For more on Bike Adelaide and our activities visit bikeadelaide.org.au.

About the Heart Foundation

The Heart Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to fighting the single biggest killer of Australians – heart disease. For 60 years, it has led the battle to save lives and improve the heart health of all Australians. Its sights are set on a world where people don’t suffer or die prematurely because of heart disease.

For heart health information and support, call the Heart Foundation Helpline on 13 11 12. To find out about more about the Heart Foundation’s work supporting active living visit heartfoundation.org.au/Heart-health-education/Physical-activity-Built-Environment

  1. Curtin-Monash Accident Research Centre’s fact sheet Improving Pedestrian Safety (2010)
  2. GIS Residential data from 26,910 primary school students (2015-2018) and Way2Go school survey data from 11,944 year 3-7 students (2015-2018)

Turn the school run into a walk

Download media release (PDF)

Heart Foundation and Walking SA logos

This Walk to School Safely Day (Friday September 11), the Heart Foundation and Walking SA are urging children and parents to change their habits and get more active as they travel to and from school.

Heart Foundation CEO SA Imelda Lynch is encouraging families to put their health first by seeking out more active ways to do the school run and leave the car at home.

The National Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that children get at least an hour of physical activity a day, but only one in five Australian children are currently meeting the guidelines.

“This is a concern because physical activity is good for children’s physical health, it reduces the likelihood of childhood obesity, and it is also important when it comes to their mental health, academic performance and concentration in school,” Ms Lynch said.

“Walking, cycling or even scooting to and from school are some of the easiest ways to increase children’s activity levels,” Ms Lynch said.

National data show that over the past 40 years, children walking and cycling to school has declined from 75 percent to 25 percent.

In South Australia on average 52 percent of school children live within two km of their school, but only 20 percent actively travel to or from school. 1

“This figure is worrying but could be improved if the school run was used as a way to incorporate include more activity into the daily routine,” Ms Lynch said.

Parents and caregivers will also benefit if they join their kids walking to school.

“Physical activity can help reduce the risk of heart disease in adults, which is the single leading cause of death in Australia, claiming 48 lives every day,” Ms Lynch said.

Walking SA Executive Director, Helen Donovan, said children who walk to school are happier, healthier, less stressed, and more attentive during the school day. Walking to school also offers the opportunity for strengthening social bonds with family and peers through the incidental chats that naturally occur. These healthy behaviours, when established in childhood, are more likely to be sustained into adulthood.

“Parents want the best for their kids. One of the ways to develop healthy, happy, confident kids is to build a walk into every day,” Dr Donovan said.

“Governments can help by shaping the urban environment for safe, enjoyable walking on connected networks. This requires more investment in pedestrian and cycle paths, safe crossings, and lower speeds on local roads,” she said.

The Heart Foundation is calling for the government to develop and fund a State-wide Walking Strategy. The strategy will aim to get more people walking more frequently including a focus on ensuring safe routes for children to walk to school.

Media enquiries

Emily Goddard, Media Advisor
M: 0432 417 518 E: emily.goddard@heartfoundation.org.au

About the Heart Foundation

The Heart Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to fighting the single biggest killer of Australians – heart disease. For 60 years, it has led the battle to save lives and improve the heart health of all Australians. Its sights are set on a world where people don’t suffer or die prematurely because of heart disease.

Find out your risk of heart attack or stroke by using our Heart Age Calculator. For heart health information and support, call the Heart Foundation Helpline on 13 11 12. To find out about the Heart Foundation’s research program or to make a donation, visit www.heartfoundation.org.au

About Walking SA

Walking SA is the not-for-profit peak body that leads, promotes and supports all forms of walking in South Australia, including walking for recreation, transport, health, wellbeing, organised events, adventure, environmental appreciation and fun experiences.

  • Our vision is to see more people walking more

Our members include walking clubs, informal groups, individuals and organisations whose aims and objectives align with those of Walking SA.

We provide leadership by:

  • Promoting opportunities to improve the health and lifestyle of South Australians through walking.
  • Offering expertise, guidance and advocacy for the development and maintenance of safe and supportive walking environments throughout South

To find out about Walking SA, including our database describing over 700 trails in South Australia, visit www.walkingsa.org.au

 

 

  1. GIS Residential data from 26,910 primary school students (2015-2018) and Way2Go school survey data from 11,944 year 3-7 students (2015-2018)

We’re calling on all local governments to prioritise projects that enable walking and cycling

COVID-19 has created a huge increase in walking activity. Walking SA, together with BISA, Bike SA and the Heart Foundation, calls on all local governments to prioritise projects that enable walking and cycling.

During COVID-19, more people have chosen to be active every day in local neighbourhoods. Participation in walking and cycling has significantly increased. The provision of footpaths and safe crossings, open space and access to roads in our neighbourhoods is more important than ever. Walking SA encourages prioritisation of projects that enable active, safe and connected communities.

View statement (PDF)

The call

Letter from Walking SA, Heart Foundation, Bicycle Institute of South Australia and Bike SA.

11 May 2020

Dear Mayor, Councillors and CEO,

In these difficult and unprecedented times, we would like to congratulate you on your continued support of your community.

During COVID-19, more people are choosing to be active every day in local neighbourhoods. Participation in walking and cycling has significantly increased. The provision of footpaths and safe crossings, open space, and access to roads in our neighbourhoods are more important than ever.

We recognise that council budgets have been impacted both by a reduction in some forms of revenue, and by additional expenditure required due to the current situation. As you are re-assessing your budgets for the upcoming cycle, we encourage you to prioritise projects that enable active, safe, and connected communities.

We call on you for your commitment to:

  1. Shovel-ready walking and cycling projects. Increased budgets and commitment to delivering basic, safe and innovative walking infrastructure with construction and maintenance of: footpaths, safe pedestrian crossings and refuges, wider kerb ramps, signalised crossings with a shorter cycle and phasing to suit seniors, vision impaired, people with disabilities and children to safely cross the road
  2. Temporary street closures or shared zones to allow for people to safely walk and ride on local streets during COVID-19
  3. Slower designed streets and speed limit reduction for all people to walk and cycle safely
  4. Wider, connected and safe footpaths (which also allows for essential physical distancing)
  5. Better shading of all paths through tree planting and shading structures
  6. Local mixed used and multi-generational parks, playgrounds, nature play and green space that create community hubs and destinations within walking/cycling distance of homes
  7. Separated walking pathways from bicycles, e-bikes and e- scooters in high traffic or commuter routes
  8. Removal of slip lanes that cause unnecessary risk to walkers and riders, or an addition of zebra crossings until slip lanes have been removed
  9. Commitment to implement your local walking and cycling strategies, preferably integrated into an overall active transport and recreation strategy. Develop strategies if
  10. Liveable and active streets designed for all: children and our more vulnerable walking or wheeling residents
  11. Investment in walking programs (10,000 Steps, Heart Foundation Walking, parkrun and local bushwalking groups) through local funding, resources and supportive

We know how important a safe and healthy community is to you. Walking and cycling facilities are one of the lowest cost services that you can provide to your residents to improve their health and wellbeing, generate better community cohesion and create benefits for local business.

Thank you for your interest in supportive active communities. We would be happy to talk to you about how you can support our organisations and the localised active travel and recreation of neighbourhoods for your residents, businesses, and visitors.

For any further queries, contact Helen Donovan, Executive Director helen.donovan@walkingsa.org.au or 0457 006 620 on behalf of Walking SA, the Bicycle Institute of South Australia, Bike SA and the National Heart Foundation of Australia.

On behalf of Walking SA, Heart Foundation, Bicycle Institute of South Australia and Bike SA.

Media Release: This Walktober encourage kids to walk, skip, hop, scoot or ride to school

MEDIA RELEASE

If more kids walked to school each day, then they would be more likely to reach recommended physical activity guidelines, be less likely to be overweight and perform better at school.

About 80 per cent of five to 17-year-olds do not meet recommended physical activity guidelines.

The number of kids using active transport choices to get to school has dramatically declined since the 1970s.  These days, almost a quarter of five to-12-year-olds have never walked, cycled, or scooted to school.1 But three-quarters of kids surveyed would like to.2

This October, Walking SA, Department of Transport, Planning and Infrastructure’s Way2Go program and the Heart Foundation are promoting the message that we should be encouraging our kids to walk, ride or scoot safely to school. Not only is it more fun for the kids, it means less cars on our roads, and at drop-off points around schools.

“Parents can be great role models for their children by getting out and walking together more often,” said Walking SA Chair, Jeremy Carter.

Way2Go is a statewide South Australian program promoting safe, active and green travel for primary school children and their families.

“We encourage parents to visit our families website to plan safe and active travel to and from school,” Margaret Howard, Manager Living Neighbourhoods and Travel Behaviour said.

“Have a few practice runs over the school holidays and choose a safe route to school.”

Imelda Lynch, Heart Foundation CEO, has been leading the push for more walkable environments in South Australia.

“The Heart Foundation would like to see the development of a statewide walking strategy, that prioritises children’s active travel to school,” Ms Lynch said.

This “Walktober”, Walking SA is asking all South Australians to celebrate Spring by going for a walk and taking a picture with the tag #WalktoberSA. Walking SA is encouraging kids to walk to school by asking them to take a picture along the way. Just use the tags #WalktoberSA and #Way2Go with a short description about the view and it will be eligible to win vouchers from the Scout Outdoor Centre. Parents/Carers can load the images onto Instagram or Twitter or the Walking SA Facebook page.

To help plan your walk to school during #WalktoberSA, visit Way2Go families website www.dpti.sa.gov.au/Way2Go/families/home

For more information about Walking SA, visit www.walkingsa.org.au

For more information and T&C about the “View from my walk” competition visit walkingsa.org.au/walktober

Media enquiries: Jeremy Carter, Chair of Walking SA – 0412 846 576

 

Walking SA is the peak body that leads, promotes and supports all forms of walking in South Australia, including walking for recreation, transport, health, wellbeing, organised events, adventure, environmental appreciation and fun experiences. Our vision is to see more people walking more often. Our members include walking clubs, informal groups, individuals and organisations whose aims, and objectives align with those of Walking SA.

 

New trail: $6m Great Southern Ocean Walk along the Fleurieu Peninsula

Map of Great Southern Ocean Walk

The SA Government has announced an investment in creating the Great Southern Ocean Walk – an upgrade of the iconic Heysen Trail along the Fleurieu Peninsula, connecting Deep Creek and Newland Head conservation parks, and Granite Island Recreation Park.

Parts of the Heysen Trail will be upgraded, and day visitor facility and a fully accessible destination constructed at the heart of Deep Creek National Park to ensure our parks are a place people with disabilities can enjoy. Existing campgrounds and amenities will also be upgraded to cater for growing demand.

The Great Southern Ocean Walk will be a 5-day walk with campsites. Over the past two years the Friends of the Heysen Trail have been involved with the working committee to develop the concept, having previously been involved in providing feedback in the concept research.

The $6 million project is part of the government’s $11.8 million New Parks Investment as part of the upcoming 2019-20 State Budget. The $11.8 million for parks will enhance nature tourism, will improve access, amenities and services in our national parks, and ensure they continue to play an important part in the lives of South Australians, and in building our visitor economy.

Watch the announcement video.
Read the government media release.

View our response, joint Media Release with the Heart Foundation.