Riverbank comes alive on Brimbank Park’s Welcome Day

It’s where Alice fell down the rabbit hole and where Snow White stumbled across the quaint cottage of the seven dwarves.

Nature is undoubtedly the starting point for many childhood adventures, and Brimbank Park’s Welcome Day is hoping to celebrate this ‘green connection’ on April 9.

Parks Victoria and the People and Parks Foundation are inviting families to the Keilor East area of the park at 10am on Thursday for a day of exploration, prizes and giveaways.

As well, Brimbank Park’s new adventure trail will be opened and children will be encouraged to discover the plants and animals that rely on the Maribyrnong River.

There will also be a mini-beast discovery, where families can join a park ranger to discover a bug’s world beside the Maribyrnong River, using nets and microscopes to examine their findings.

Kathryn Campbell, mananger of Parks Victoria’s Healthy Parks Healthy People initiative, says research shows parks are good for physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

“For example, sitting in a park for 15 minutes restores our capacity to focus and increases our sense of well-being. Play is also important for a child’s physical health and development,” Ms Campbell says.

“Unstructured play in parks engages their imaginations, increases their physical activity and can make them calmer and more focused.”

More details at www.parksvictoriadiscovery-melbourne.eventbrite.com.au.