Wellness drive taps into nature’s health benefits
The Snowy Valleys Nature Wellness Drive was officially opened at Adelong Falls by NSW Chief Psychiatrist Dr Murray Wright. The Wellness drive is a series of walks throughout the Snowy Valleys showcasing the natural features of the area which aims to bring communities together following the 2019- 2020 bushfires. The Drive has eight trails, with more than 40 activity stations designed to unlock the health and healing benefits of nature at no cost to participants.
Waminda Parker, Jacinta Elphick, Dr Murray Wright and Jennifer Wines
The Wellness Drive was described as a whole of community project, in fact involving multiple agencies and community groups and coordinated by the Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) Disaster Recovery Mental Health Clinicians in conjunction with nature wellness social enterprise, NatureFix.
The MLHD Disaster Recovery clinician Jennifer Wines said the project gave the community direction in a time of great loss.
“When we started our roles after the fires there was universal grief with no clear way forward.” Ms Wines said
“Homes were affected, livelihoods had been lost, people were struggling with grieving the loss of the natural landscape while simultaneously feeling afraid of it and disconnected from nature and from each other.”
A turning point came when Ms Wines said her colleagues attended a presentation by NatureFix about the range of physical and mental health benefits that can come from connecting with the environment.
“We took the idea to the community and response was overwhelmingly positive, so then the Snowy Valley Wellness Drive was born.”
Waminda Parker of NatureFix said the programme has created experiences and activities to help people connect with nature as a powerful way to improve health and wellbeing.
“The project amplifies the wellbeing benefits of nature by prompting you to notice and appreciate and have some sensory engagement with nature.” Ms Parker said
“The aim of the activities is to enable users to engage with nature in ways proven to decrease stress, increase positive mood, increase ability to focus, and increase a sense of connection.”
“The eight locations along the Drive were chosen in consultation with communities across the Snowy Valleys and activities have been purposefully designed at each site.
“Users download the NatureFix app via a welcome sign at the beginning of each walk,” Ms Parker said
“Activities will pop up automatically on the phone screen as the user approaches each station with the option to listen to instructions using headphones or read the instructions on the phone or on the signage installed along the trails.
“These short, guided experiences in nature unlock natural health benefits with the aim to improve physical and mental health.”
The trails are broadly accessible and in addition to personal use can be used by agencies and healthcare providers such as teachers, Aboriginal health workers, mental health and community health clinicians and support workers and carers to introduce acceptable and beneficial activities to the people they support.
MLHD’s Disaster Recovery Clinicians are regularly users of the trails.
“We are bringing clients to Pilot Hill Arboretum, for example and using the facilities and walking trials as therapy and as therapeutic sessions,” Ms Wine said
“As the natural environment is healing the community are also healing by connecting with it.”
At the opening, Mayor Ian Chaffey said the Wellness Drive would give people the opportunity to get out and enjoy nature.
“It will leave a lasting legacy and everyone involved in its creation is to be congratulated.” he said
Sue Bulger, formally the Brungle-Tumut Local Aboriginal Land Council said the Wellness Drive would provide people with an opportunity to let nature lift their spirits and to reflect on how our environment influences us.
Dr Wright, who had a mental health clinic once a fortnight for two years in Tumut, said mental health services were passionate about disaster recovery, especially as disasters are now more frequent and therefore also their impact on individuals and communities.
“In the past we have responded effectively but we have needed an ongoing resource.” he said
“This project is unique with its very strong focus on emotional wellbeing of the community.”
Walks are located at Adelong, along the trail to the gold mill ruins, at Talbingo, at the Pilot Hill Arboretum in the Bago State Forest, at the Southern Cloud Memorial Lookout, Tumut’s Pioneer Park at Batlow around the Batlow lookout, at Tumbarumba and Khancoban.
A map of the Wellness drive is available at https://www.naturefix.life/snowy-valleys-nature-wellness-drive
