Out and About: Exploring Norwalks Trails
We are so fortunate to have so many walking tracks and Norwalks trails available throughout our suburbs, our bushland and reserves.
For our latest adventure we decided we wanted a walk, to enjoy some fresh air and have some fun at the same time. Over the years we have spent hours at the Norwest Lake watching the ducks and fish, but we had never explored the walking trails through the Norwest Business Park.
The walking trails, referred to as Norwalks, have been created to promote an active and healthy lifestyle, encourage community and social engagement whilst showcasing the diverse natural and built environments, as well as the heritage that exists within Norwest.
There are seven walks in total varying in length from 2 to 4.5km. They are rated easy to moderate and make use of the 46 hectares of integrated open space and 50km of cycling and walking tracks. There are plenty of opportunities along each walk to sit and have a picnic in a park, enjoy a coffee at a café or a meal at a restaurant.
What you see on each trail varies depending on the trail you select. For example, The Settlers Walk takes in the homestead and outbuildings of the historic Bella Vista Farm; The Ridgeview Trail follows the waterways, nature reserves through the leafy Bella Vista Waters, whilst The Innovation Loop allows you to explore the area that was once the Norbrik brick pit and is now transformed into a world class medical, innovation and civic hub.
For our first time exploring the Norwalks trails, we decided on two walks both close to the Norwest Lake and the cafes/restaurants for an ice-cream afterwards. Our first walk, entitled Wally’s Walk, a 2km loop, took us along waterways, integrated open space and into Fairway Reserve where we stopped for a play before completing the trail.
Our second walk was the Norwest Art Work which centres around the Norwest Lake and much to my children’s delight also involves augmented virtual reality and the opportunity to learn about Australian Animals.
Scanning the QR codes around the lake, the animals appeared virtually and it became a game to see if we could photograph ourselves patting the various animals.
There are 10 Australian Animals to find in total including a dingo, a koala, a kangaroo, a crocodile, a cockatoo, a wombat, a echidna, a frilled neck lizard, a cassowary and a platypus. On this walk we also discovered a water feature that involves jets of water coming out of the ground which I know will be a hit with children as the weather warms up!
The Norwalks cater to all fitness levels, they’re familyfriendly and a perfect way to spend time exploring Norwest whilst exercising. For us it was a wonderful afternoon out and we are certainly looking forward to exploring more of the Norwalk trails soon.
For more information on Norwalks including a map visit https://www.norwestcity.com.au/ and search for Norwalks.
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