Rejuvenate Your Mind and Body with Park Victoria’s Nature Wellness Trails
© Parks Victoria
This holiday season, make time for yourself and immerse in the restorative power of nature. Parks Victoria’s Nature Wellness Trails offer a wonderful opportunity to slow down, recharge, and connect with the natural world.
Designed to help you unwind, relax, and restore, these trails offer the perfect escape into Victoria’s breathtaking landscapes. Whether you’re seeking the tranquility of Sherbrooke Forest, the serene beauty of Birrarrung Park, or the ancient landscape at Woowookarung Regional Park, each NatureFix experience is crafted to support your wellbeing.
How it works
The NatureFix app is your personal guide to enhancing wellbeing through nature. It provides a collection of guided activities designed to help you slow down, relax, and connect. Think of a fitness station in a park, but instead of push-ups or leg workouts, it’s a workout for your mind and emotions!
The App guides you through simple, nature-awareness activities designed to deliver powerful benefits - reducing stress and anxiety, increasing clarity and cognitive performance and even improving your sleep, significantly.[1] It’s easy to use, simply download the free App to access guided audios that turns your minutes in nature into meaningful moments with nature.
It’s not just the contact with nature but the nature of the contact that counts.
Whether you’re new to nature-based wellness or a seasoned explorer, the App offers a new and unique experience that enhances your journey and supports your mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing like no other.
© Parks Victoria
What’s on offer…
Sherbrooke Forest – A Tranquil Rainforest Escape
Step into the heart of Sherbrooke Forest and immerse yourself in the calming embrace of this cool temperate rainforest, where towering Mountain Ash trees, majestic eucalypts, and lush tree ferns surround you. As you wander, let the soothing calls of the resident superb lyrebirds guide you through the forest, while the rich, tranquil atmosphere invites you to slow down and explore.
Along this 5.5km Nature Wellness Trail loop, you’ll discover six rejuvenation stations, each offering sensory activities that help you relax, reflect, and deepen your connection with this landscape. Engage in mindful breathing exercises to quieten your mind, learn about the language of birds, and create your own nature sound map to capture the symphony of life around you. Guided audios tune you into the health benefits of vistas whilst also activating a sense of gratitude by writing a thank you note to nature.
This moderate-level trail, with its gentle hills and uneven terrain, offers the perfect balance for those seeking an immersive nature experience.
© Parks Victoria
Birrarrung Park – A Soothing Riverside Retreat
For a more gentle and restorative experience, head to Birrarrung Park, nestled at the meetings of the Plenty and Yarra Rivers in Templestowe Lower. This 2.2km loop trail weaves through lush bushland, with serene wetlands and a mature tree canopy creating an idyllic, calming atmosphere. The rich birdlife further enhances the tranquillity, offering the perfect backdrop for a peaceful walk.
Along the way, six nature connection activities guide you to slow down, unwind, and reflect, supporting your overall wellbeing. These activities include guided posture techniques to signal your body to unwind, mindful practices that engage all your senses in nature, and strategies to tap into your peripheral vision, to activate your body’s rest-and-digest nervous system for deeper relaxation.
This accessible trail is ideal for those with mobility aids, prams, or anyone seeking an easy, flat loop through beautiful natural surroundings.
Woowookarung Regional Park – A Journey Through Ancient Landscapes
The Grass-tree Nature Trail in Woowookarung Regional Park offers a deeper connection to nature. Starting from the wide vistas of the lookout, the trail leads you into sheltered forest spaces where ancient grass-trees and wildflowers thrive. These quiet pockets of nature are nestled between ridges and gullies, providing a peaceful environment for reflection.
As you walk the 1.8km trail (one way), you’ll encounter a dedicated wellness zone, featuring a curated playlist of six guided connection activities. This special zone transforms the natural surroundings into a rejuvenating space for visitors of all ages. Whether you’re inspiring curiosity in young explorers, creating cherished family memories, or seeking a peaceful personal retreat, this zone offers a harmonious blend of nature wellness activities to amplify your outdoor health benefits using all your senses.
The trail’s gently undulating, shared-use gravel path offers a moderate challenge, making it ideal for those looking to engage with nature while getting a bit of exercise.
Remember that these activities are best enjoyed on days of milder weather and remember to check the Parks Victoria website for updates before visiting.
Enjoy…
Learn more about how you can enhance the restorative potential of your own green space HERE
[1] Findings from recent research trial working with the University of Queensland
Research Based
Feel confident knowing that NatureFix takes a science-backed approach, informed by partnerships with six universities and includes ongoing clinical trials. Program benefits start from as little as 20 minutes per week.
Did you know… that individuals that have higher levels of nature connection are*:
· 27 times more likely to show consumer-conscious behaviours
· 64 times more likely to undertake pro-environmental behaviours
· 4.3 times more likely to have the highest levels of life satisfaction
In fact, connecting with nature is showing to be 8 times more important for life satisfaction than changes in socio-economic status!