Ecological

RidgeWalk will promote responsible use of the forests and is an opportunity for education and celebration of the significance and diversity of the natural environment.

The project will increase collaboration between Council, Parks Victoria, traditional owners of the land and local environmental groups to ensure its conservation and sustainable use.

Access & Inclusion

RidgeWalk will be for everybody. From the trails to the artwork and interpretation, RidgeWalk will engage directly and deliberatively with universal access and inclusion.

Sensory and creative responses will provide opportunities for access and inclusion physically and conceptually.

Whilst it is not possible for the entire trail to be constructed to fully accessible grades, throughout the initial design process consideration was made to establish sections of the walk to be physically accessible by people with disabilities. These sections will be flagged on maps and along the trail, to inform path users of the trail conditions.

The location of Nodes and artistic sites have been identified with consideration of their universal accessibility to ensure all users can enjoy the rich cultural experience of RidgeWalk.

Parking & Transportation

The trail route has been established to align with existing rail and bus routes, proximity to underutilised parking locations, and existing amenities.

Parking and transport are a key component of the infrastructure required to support the project. While RidgeWalk is likely to increase visitor numbers to the region, it will also anticipated to decrease the reliance on cars to move between townships, redistribute the current parking demand and encourage the use of public transportation.

There are approximately 17 car parks in the proximity of RidgeWalk with a combined capacity exceeding 1200 car spaces, including accessible parking at several locations. A further 84 new parking spaces will be established through proposed expansions or reconfigurations.

Bus routes 688 and 698 and train lines on the Belgrave line provide access to every segment of the RidgeWalk network, making entry possible from Melbourne’s metropolitan train system. Current bus stops are well-located with regard to their proximity to sections of RidgeWalk. Some bus stops will be marked in key places along RidgeWalk to ensure the experience dovetails with the public transport network.