Immerse yourself in nature

Council projects

Interpretive Indigenous Garden

Council in conjunction with LifeLinks, is developing an Interpretive Indigenous Garden that displays local plants and provides information on how residents can incorporate the ... more »

Environmental Volunteer Program

In the early 1990’s a small of group of coastal residents began restoring the coast line through revegetation and weed control. The dedicated group became known as the Holdfas ... more »

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Immerse yourself in nature

Go hiking, bird watch, swim in the sea or simply enjoy nature and your connection to it. It's good for the body and great for the soul.

We are blessed with a fantastic natural environment, with so many beautiful places for us to explore right on our doorstep. So organise a family picnic at a local park, pop down to the beach for a day or walk along a river or through some woodlands. Take a deep breath and be thankful for nature's wonders.

How to do it now!

There are over 3000 national and state parks, reserves and areas covering all ecosystems from desert to marine spread across Australia in every state. Here are some of the state guides available:

South Australia - Parks SA
Victoria - Parks Victoria
Victoria - Go For Your Life
New South Wales - National Parks and Wildlife Service
Queensland - Parks & Forests
Western Australia - Parks & Recreation
Tasmania - Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania
Australian Capital Territory - Parks and Reserves
Northern Territory - Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts

Locally visit:

Seacliff to Brighton Esplanade
Kingston Park (explore the Cliff Face and Cultural wonders)
The Patawolonga
Hallett Cove (a geological marvel)
Marino Conservation Park
Coast Park

And these are just a few.

Why is this action important?

In our busy lives it can be easy to take natures services for granted, the clean water, the fresh air, the food that grows from soil, the sound of birds in the morning. Be it the cleansed feeling as you emerge from the surf or the calm as you sit next to a gentle creek and contemplate who you are, nature offers it all. Being in nature also inspires us and reminds us exactly what it is we are trying to enhance, protect and preserve when we turn off that unnecessary light or fix that dripping tap.

Related actions

Environment

This action is intended to cultivate our relationship with nature. In Australia, less than 6% of the land is in anywhere close to its original condition, with the remainder having been converted into farms, suburbs, car parks and cities. We have had a significant impact on the natural environment in Australia for the past 200 years. So now it is our time to restore our homes and the homes of wildlife in which we find much peace, we must learn to respect, enjoy, and understand this place of ours.

Wellbeing

Often it is the peace that we find in nature that relieves our stress and takes our minds away from the stresses of life. Salt water heals wounds; the company of a dog make the bad days seem bearable; a creek running through a reserve calms our troubled minds. Through living sustainably we are beginning to understand that we are part of nature and we have our role to play in restoring, and conserving all that we have come to have.