CRC - Planning & Trails Strategy

Recreation and open space plans need to be integrated into land use planning to make the environment more liveable and attractive and to improve community safety. Listed below are a number of introductory resources and case studies.
Introductory Resources

Dibley, G., Gordon, M., Rubenstein, L., 2002, Leading the Way – Councils creating healthier communities: A Resource Guide for Councillors, VicHealth, Melbourne
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Part 1 of the resource takes the reader through the notion of local council as community leader and community builder and goes on to develop an understanding of social determinants and how councils might act on this understanding. Part 2 of the resource is a set of questions designed to assist councillors and others, identify relevant social, economic and environmental issues. It also includes brief case studies that illustrate how some councils have been able to tackle complex issues and influence a community’s health and well-being.
National Heart Foundation, website, Supportive Environments for Physical Activity:
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Supportive Environments for Physical Activity (SEPA) is an initiative of the Heart Foundation that aims to focus attention on the factors that either inhibit or encourage people to lead healthy, socially engaged and physically active lives. SEPA seeks to transform public policy, as well as the urban planning, design and management processes that support and maintain healthy environments for active living. This page hosts two particularly useful links:
- Exercise in Daily Life: supportive environments:
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  in Daily Life supportive environments.PDF A report of a Heart Foundation research project exploring the environmental factors that enable active living
- SEPA Guidelines for Local Government:
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  Following a series of workshops with staff, community representatives and elected members from both metropolitan and rural local governments, the Supportive Environments for Physical Activity Guidelines for Local Government were developed by the Heart Foundation to assist councils to integrate SEPA principles into their strategic objectives.
- Healthy by Design: A planners' guide to environments for active living:
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  Healthy by Design Visit Site has been developed by the Heart Foundation (Victorian Division) in response to local government requests for practical guidance in designing walkable, and ultimately more livable, communities.

State based planning case studies

Queensland Outdoor Recreation Federation Inc, 2007, Active Trails: A Strategy for Regional Trails in South East Queensland, Office of Urban Management (The Coordinator General), Queensland Government and the Council of Mayors, Brisbane
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Prepared for a number of different stakeholders, the Strategy for Regional Trails in South East Queensland aims to inform and guide future investment in recreation trail planning, development and management.
Victorian Trails Co-ordinating Committee, 2004, Victorian Trails Strategy 2005 to 2010, Parks Victoria, Melbourne
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The Victorian Trails Strategy is the key document to guide trail development in Victoria. It is underpinned by long term guiding principles based on the concept of ecologically sustainable development. The strategy establishes key directions for trail development, management, marketing and research, and identifies priority action projects for implementation from 2005 to 2010.
Trails Tasmania Project, Strategy, Background Report and Attachments, developed for the Tasmanian Government.
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The aim of the Trails Tasmania project has been to develop, in partnership with key stakeholders and the community, a strategy for the development and ongoing management of an integrated trails network in Tasmania to fully realise the potential economic, social and environmental benefits of trails.
New South Wales Coastline Cycleway
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The Coastline Cycleway project is based on a 30-year-old vision of retired urban planning academic Elias Duek-Cohen. The 1,500km route stretching from the Queensland border to the Victorian border was originally defined in a set of five studies which were co-ordinated by Bicycle NSW and largely funded by the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority.
The route defined in these studies is currently being reviewed by the Department of Planning (DOP) in conjunction with councils, other NSW Government agencies and local bicycle user groups to ensure that the route remains viable and that current local priorities are accommodated. The route alignment is shown in maps held by DOP. Grant funding is available to councils for cycle projects on this revised route.

Region based planning case studies

Phillip Gray & Associates, 2001, Local Recreation Planning Template: Recreation Planning Framework for West North West Tasmania, Sport and Recreation Tasmania, Department of Economic Development (TAS), Hobart
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The Tasmanian Cradle Coast Recreation Planning Framework, is a good example of how councils can join forces to develop a regional approach to sport and recreational planning. The framework will be used to guide future policy and decision making on sport and recreation facilities, opportunities and services.
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The Local Recreation Planning Template examines all the critical elements of recreation planning and provides an excellent starting point for local recreation planning processes.
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Inspiring Place Pty Ltd, 2004, Northern Tasmania Regional Recreation Trails Strategy, region north! Recreation Committee, Launceston, Tasmania
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This strategy outlines the planning, development, management and marketing of an integrated multiple-use regional trails network.
Ryan, K. (2005) Mountain Biking in Tasmania: A summary of current trends and future opportunities", Sport and Recreation Tasmania, Dept Economic Development
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Local council based planning case studies

EDAW (Aust) Pty Ltd & Sykes Humphreys Consulting, undated, Mornington Peninsula Shire Shared Trails Strategy, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council
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The strategy is designed to provide direction regarding the purpose, provision, development priorities, management and use of the shared trail network. In 2005, Morning Peninsula Shire won the Heart Foundation Kellogg Local Government Award for a Project and Recreational Infrastructure Facility.
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Launceston City Council, 2006, Dirt Jump Construction and Management Guidelines,
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The purpose of this document is to provide a framework for the design, construction and management of dirt jumps in Launceston.