What you can do

Living Sustainably

Transport

Where do I start?

Look for ways of integrating more active forms of transport in your recreation activities. Plan your day out, include walking, cycling or public transport – use vehicles less and encourage your friends and family to do the same.

Physical inactivity is a major health issue in Australia. Contrary to what many of us think about ourselves, we are becoming less physically active and are international leaders among couch potatoes.

Living sustainably is about making smart choices – using and integrating low-energy forms of transport in our daily lives or adopting alternative strategies to avoid unnecessary travel.

Be healthy – take a walk

Recreational walking is one of the simplest and most beneficial things you can do for your health and wellbeing.

Walk at your own pace

You can control the timing, destination, purpose and the pace – enjoy a gentle strolling exercise or choose to walk fast, uphill or up stairs for a good 'work out'.

There are recreational groups throughout NSW, including walking clubs and many organised or self-guided walking tours you can exploit. Contact your local council or tourist information centre for information about walking tours and activities available in your area.

Be street smart, remember to keep a look out for hazards and keep to pedestrian walkways and paths if available.

Go for a bushwalk

There are more than 600 parks and reserves throughout NSW. Bushwalks are accessible as day trips from most urban and regional areas in NSW, and can be a fun way to encourage friends and family to walk more and renew their awareness of the natural environment.

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service provides detailed information about bushwalking, including: where to go, how to get there, what you'll see and what facilities you'll find there.

For more information contact your local NPWS office or visitor centre or call the enquiry centre on 1300 361 967.

Respect these special environments. When you're visiting national parks, nature reserves and other special areas, take care to minimise your impact:

Stay on the track, even if it's rough or muddy – walking on the track edges and cutting corners on steep, zig-zagging tracks increases erosion and visual scarring
Tread softly, choose suitable footwear for the terrain – often you will only need to wear lightweight walking boots or even running shoes
If there are no tracks, spread out rather than follow in each other's footsteps – a plant will be more likely to recover if walked on once rather than stomped on by the whole party
Walk as quietly as possible – this reduces the likelihood of disturbing wildlife and increases the chances of seeing it
Carry all rubbish with you – even discarded organic litter such as apple cores or orange skin adds nutrients to the soil that can aid the spread of weeds
Avoid walking on sensitive vegetation by staying on rocks and hard ground wherever possible – swamp and bog plants, mosses and other soft vegetation are easily destroyed

Most formal walking trails are graded, choose a trail that suits your abilities, time and level of preparation.

Refer to the bushwalking faqs for more advice on how to maximise enjoyment and minimise impact and the introduction to bushwalking. Also explore our resource centre for top tips.