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Media release, 4.9.03

Contact Penny Lumb, 44555366
healthycities@shoal.net.au

‘Something as good as this should not be kept a secret’

A comment from one of the many visitors to the highly acclaimed One Track For All which is a secret no longer, and will be officially opened on Wednesday September 24.

Healthy Cities co ordinator, Penny Lumb said, “The opening will be a celebration of five years of fun, creativity, learning and a lot of hard work. It will also serve as a tribute to Noel Butler and his family who have been responsible for the project design, track and lookout construction and creation of the 80 carvings around the 2kms of track.”

The project began at the end of 1998 with a Coastcare grant of $30000 and support funds from Shoalhaven City Council and the Dept of Land & Water Conservation.

‘The opening celebration will be a feast of entertainment,’ Ms Lumb said, with songs, dance and stories reflecting the story that is told in the carvings – the story of change.’

‘It will also tell the story of how the track was created with the assistance of all three levels of government and help from the community.’

Cross cultural understanding:
The track was designed with two specific objectives – to be a cultural education tool and to provide disabled access into a natural area. As a vehicle for cross cultural understanding it has been an outstanding, and at times provocative, success. The Aboriginal and non Aboriginal history that is presented through the carvings is told from an Aboriginal perspective.

Visitors to the track have said, ‘I think it is fantastic. I live in Brisbane and I wish I could take my preschool children to a place like this that opens up the mind and reminds us of how things used to be and how our world is changing.’ And, ‘It’s a wonderful local place to bring our visitors – the natural environment, the history, the Aboriginal perspective’. ‘Thought provoking. A very powerful statement’.

Disabled access:
Wheelchair accessibility is currently a problem. With torrential rains earlier this year, steeper sections of the track have been eroded. Healthy Cities has established a maintenance fund and is aiming to seal at least these sections of track and hopefully, all of it. ‘Disabled access into natural areas is an important issue and Healthy Cities is committed to maintaining the track as One Track For All’, said Ms Lumb. ‘Shoalhaven City Council are generously providing more funds for track repair, but unless we can seal the repaired track, we will lose accessibility again in the next heavy rains.’ Healthy Cities is seeking donations to add to the maintenance fund, in the hope that the track can be sealed before the Christmas holidays.

The opening will be held at the track head, end of Dolphin St, Ulladulla, starting at 11am. The opening is by invitation, and if anyone in the community would like to attend, it is important to contact Penny Lumb for seating and catering purposes. And if you would like to make a donation to the maintenance fund you can do so at the opening or phone Penny Lumb on 44555366.