More kids will be walking, scooting and riding their bike to school in the Bellarine thanks to the Allan Labor Government’s Kids Active Travel Program which is inspiring healthy lifestyles for young Victorians.

Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant today announced a new program in the Bellarine Peninsula that will encourage active travel to and from primary school.

The programs will take place in Hume, Melton, Geelong and Bendigo with results from the program to inform future active travel initiatives at other schools around the state.

The program will be ramping up to support primary schools in disadvantaged areas in Bendigo - developing travel friendly technology and facilities including bike parking and storage, safety education programs and signage to promote safe travel routes to and from school.

In Geelong the program will be working with local primary schools St Leonards, Leopold and Newcomb to support kids walking or riding to school.

Melton schools are also set to increase kids walking, scooting and riding through education sessions, awareness campaigns, installation of travel facilities like bike parking and storage, and school leadership action plans.

In Hume, one of the projects, Park It, will work with local schools and encourage families to drop off and pick up their children at local parks close to school where they walk the rest of the way in a group.

The program builds on other Labor Government initiatives announced in the Victorian Budget 2024/25 aimed at getting young Victorians moving throughout the day, including Active Schools and the Get Active Kids Voucher Program.

The Kids Active Travel Program aims to inspire healthy lifestyle habits from a young age.

For latest information about the program and successful grant recipients visit sport.vic.gov.au.

Quotes attributable to Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant

“This new program will help local Bellarine kids get active before and after school by riding, walking or scooting to and from school.”

“Incorporating exercise into the daily school trip will help kids learn healthy habits without adding a lot of time into Bellarine families’ busy schedules.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence 

“We’re determined to reverse the trend of one in four kids not getting enough exercise – walking, scooting or riding a bike to school is a great active way for kids to start the day.”