armstrong creek urban growth plan volume 1 - City of Greater Geelong

greater levels of investment in linked open space networks and walking/ cycling
trails. These networks should be designed to promote walking and cycling as an
attractive mode of transport, link facilities and services in the growth area and
beyond, and should meet the actual and perceived safety requirements of all
users. In this way, such a network can provide a multitude of benefits including
integration of the growth area with surrounding suburbs, improved physical and
mental health and increased interaction and reciprocity with the growth area
population.
The Armstrong Creek itself presents an opportunity to create a linear open space
corridor through the study area, which could be linked with the existing Waurn
Ponds Valley Parkland to the north. In addition, an open space allocation
(described in the Barwon River Land Use & Open Space Corridor Plan 2003) is
planned to buffer the Barwon River as it traverses the Geelong urban area through
to Ocean Grove. One of the functions of this open space ‘spine’ is to establish a
linked open space corridor along the Barwon River through the existing and future
urban areas of Geelong. Integration of open space allocations within Armstrong
Creek with the Barwon river open space buffer would connect Armstrong Creek’s
pedestrians and cyclists with urban Geelong and Ocean Grove and the natural
amenity offered by the river itself. Such integration would provide health and
community safety benefits.
KEY CONCEPT: A GREEN WEB
…each additional hour spent in a car per day was associated with a 6%
increase in the odds of being obese, while each additional kilometer walked
per day was associated with a 4.8% reduction in the odds of being obese.
R.E.Anderson, US Dept of Health and Human Services
The vision for Armstrong Creek sees the provision of a network of recreation routes
linking parks containing the major stands of remnant native vegetation. This
implements one of the key initiatives of the Draft G21 Geelong Region Plan.
Much of the remnant native vegetation occurs along the Barwon River and
Armstrong Creek corridors. These corridors create continuous ribbons of land
running through the whole development, ideal for public parkland. Just north of the
growth area, Barwon River connects with the Waurn Ponds Creek corridor, which
already boasts a linear park. Therefore, the UGP plans to preserve the Barwon
River and Armstrong Creek corridors for public parkland and linkages to other
regional open space.
The growth area is currently dissected by a number of rural roads, many of which
are bordered by stretches of attractive and ecologically valuable vegetation. If
these roads were to be converted to urban roads, the widening, utility services or
ARMSTRONG CREEK URBAN GROWTH PLAN / VOLUME 1 (ADOPTED 13 MAY 2008, AMENDED MAY 2010)
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