Forest therapy walks among offerings during Wellington’s Parks Week

With Parks Week 2024 running from 2nd to 10th March, Wellington Shire Council has spotlighted some of the fun and free activities being offered to all ages and abilities including forest therapy walks in Sale Botanic Gardens.

Parks Week is about hundreds of organisations across Australia and New Zealand holding events to celebrate the vital role parks play in creating liveable cities and thriving communities. Parks Week 2024 will focus on the how spending time in our parks and open spaces positively influences our wellbeing. 

A popular council-led initiative, Parks Week, celebrates Wellington’s excellent local parks and open spaces with a series of community events, encouraging residents to pack a picnic, get outdoors and spend time in “The Middle of Everywhere”.

The program of events will span across family and seniors forest therapy walks, outdoor movie nights in Woodside and Port Albert, women’s health bootcamps, an ask a dog trainer session, Parkruns, guided tours of the Sale Botanic Gardens, a wood shaping workshop and community markets in Rosedale, Heyfield and Maffra.

Sale Botanic Gardens today occupies five hectares on the eastern periphery of Lake Guthridge. Prior to European settlement, the precinct was well visited by the Gunaikurnai, the Traditional Owners of the land. The Gardens offer play spaces, entertainment spaces, learning places and forests through which Accredited Forest Therapy Guides conduct Forest Therapy Walks.

Forest Therapy Walks include a range of activities in nature that encourage you to slow down and awaken your five senses. The slow walk is over a relatively short distance. There are core activities conducted on every Forest Therapy Walk but also a variety of activities that are chosen to take advantage of what the park has to offer at particular times of the year.

Forest Therapy is a very gentle practice that prolonged scientific research reveals great health benefits including reduced stress hormones, lowered blood pressure, strengthened immune system and improved mood. The health benefits are gained from breathing in chemicals released from the trees called phytoncides. These phytoncides are anti-bacteria, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial.

Wellington Shire Council Mayor Ian Bye said he is looking forward to getting out and about and enjoying Wellington’s outdoor spaces with the community this Parks Week.

Mayor Bye shared “Open spaces provide enormous social and environmental value to the community, and spending time in green spaces is proven to have a positive influence on our wellbeing.

“We are fortunate that we have so many fantastic local parks, gardens and community spaces worth celebrating.

“Parks Week is brimming with activities and is a fun way to make community connections and make the most of our open spaces all over the Shire.”

Other activities during Parks Week include Sale’s Baby’s Day Out and Yarram’s Kids Day Out - always a major drawcard for local families, with jumping castles, face painting, petting zoos, and lots more fun activities for the whole family to enjoy.

The Teddy Bear picnic-themed Storytime in Stratford’s Memorial Park will have stories, songs, crafts and activities. If you can’t usually make it to a Storytime session during the school term, take advantage of this free session with the Stratford Library team.

On Sunday 3rd March, Pedal2Parks will encourage people to ride the Gippsland Plains Rail Trail from Cowwarr to Heyfield Wetlands.

Colour runs in Sale and Yarram will feature obstacles, coloured powders and sausage sizzles. Yarram’s Street Beat mini fete day will have plenty of food stalls, local vendors and student artwork on display to foster community connections.

The week culminates on Sunday 10th March with the Sale Music Festival at the Port of Sale, showcasing a lineup of local talent and entertainers, as well as an open-air movie night and sausage sizzle at Port Albert’s Rutter Park.

While some Parks Week events require physical activity such as walking, running, riding or exercise, most of Council’s open spaces are accessible for all people, including people with limited mobility or anyone living with a disability.

Find the full program of events, including locations, dates and times visit www.wellington.vic.gov.au/parks-week.