Loddon Tracks and Trails Strategy - Loddon Shire Council

The following graph shows the projected changes in relation to the ageing of the
community over the next few years.
Estimated Resident Population from Department of Planning and Community
Development:
Population Total 0-17 18-34 35-64 65+
2006 8,095 23% 14% 42% 21%
2007 8,077 23% 14% 42% 21%
2016 8,172 19% 14% 39% 28%
4.3 Potential Local Market
Walking and cycling are the two of the most popular forms of physical activity in Victoria.
Participation rates in these two activities continues to increase, whereas participation in
organised sporting activities such as tennis, Australian Rules Football, netball and
cricket is in a current period of decline. By transposing Victorian participation rates in
the various physical activities that can be undertaken on tracks and trails against Loddon
Shire demographics, we can estimate the potential size of the market. It must be noted
however, that these figures should be used with caution, as participation rates in
selected activities vary from place to place dependent upon a whole range of factors
including availability of activity, level of competition offered, coaching standards, facility
standards, access to facility, climate, culture / history of activities in certain areas, etc.
No Activity % of Victorian
Participants
No. of Potential
Loddon Participants
(Population 8,095)
1 Walking (other) 34 2,752
2 Aerobics / Fitness 20.8 1,684
3 Swimming 11.3 915
4 Cycling 10.7 866
5 Running 8.7 704
6 Golf 6.8 551
7 Tennis 6.4 518
8 Walking (bush) 4.6 372
9 Netball 3.8 308
10 Football (soccer) 3.6 291
11 Basketball 3.5 283
12 Australian Rules Football 3.3 267
13 Cricket (outdoor) 3.3 267
28 Canoeing / kayaking 0.7 57
29 Horse riding / equestrian
activities / polocrosse
0.7 57
Estimated local market for tracks and trails is 4,808 people, which equates to 59% of the
population (although there may be some doubling up of numbers due to people
participating in more than one of these activities). No other physical activity or centre for
physical activity comes close to this number, yet expenditure on infrastructure for other
physical activities currently far surpasses the expenditure on tracks and trails.
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