The sixth National Tracks and Trails Conference, with its primary theme of “The Business of Trails” concluded on Friday 2 September at Sydney Olympic Park.
Delegates from Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada and the UK came together over three days to define current and future practice in the tracks and trails sector.
In so doing, the Conference resolved to endorse the Australian Greenways Declaration 2011, and to seek in-principle support from the Commonwealth Government to recognise the Declaration, setting direction to progress formal recognition of greenways through the establishment of the Australian National Greenways Consultative Committee and the preparation of an Australian Greenways Discussion Paper.
A greenway refers to land and water ways that are set aside as a public corridor, able to be used as a trail for recreational, transport, health and tourism activities. Disused rail corridors are one example of greenways that have been effectively developed in some states.
“Of increasing importance is the accessibility and development of greenways across metropolitan, peri-urban and regional Australia. The Commonwealth and many state governments are increasingly seeking a more sustainable development protocol that encourages cycling, walking and other recreational activities as a means of mitigating the crippling cost of sedentary lifestyle disease, congestion and greenhouse emissions.
“Greenway networks integrate existing and potential local/state assets that work to provide a cost effective solution to increase the community’s level of physical activity” said conference convenor Christian Haag, CEO of Bicycle SA.
This Australian Greenways Declaration 2011 provides a national statement about the value of greenways for Australia and our communities and seeks in-principle support from the Commonwealth Government to recognise the Declaration, setting direction to progress formal recognition of and access to greenways.
“It is vital that the Commonwealth gets engaged, as other national governments of major countries including USA, UK and Europe have already. Investing in greenways is an investment in our community’s future health” said Trails Australia Working Group Member, Julie Fiedler.
The ‘business of trails’ within our community continues to grow and is expected to continue. Australia has some of the most iconic trail experiences in the world with tourism spend in our national and state parks alone exceeding $16 billion per year.