Victoria Park Lake Accessible Walk, Shepparton

Victoria Park Lake Accessible Walk, Shepparton created by Victoria Walks

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Summary

Walking and rolling is very easy and very pleasant around Shepparton's popular Victoria Park Lake. Stop for a picnic, take in some culture, enjoy people and bird watching or simply cruise the paths.

Description

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What can I see?
Everyone can enjoy this walk on foot or by mobility aid. It circles a large ornamental lake. There are many locations to observe birds and water activity. Boating is popular, including the wonderful Shepsailability program.
There are picnic areas, an accessible playground , swimming pool and Shepparton Art Museum.

How accessible is the path?
Main paths are smooth, flat, wide and easy to follow with room for side-by-side travel and turning a wheelchair. Accessible map signs are absent. The park is popular, surrounding roads can be busy. Cyclists may share pathways.

Jetties are accessible and include wheel buffers. Safety rails are present on bridges, not elsewhere. Paths may have drop offs to the lake or lawns. Some lips are present where surfaces change. Plant ingrowth narrows some paths. Bollard gaps occasionally narrow to 1 meter. There is a driveway crossing beside the sailing club.

Rest areas
The park is well maintained. There are several shelters - a few have connecting paths to the walking path, others are island settings via soft grass. Areas near the Goulburn River have red gum cover for shade. Most paths are exposed to the weather. Seating is common beside the path. Not all seats have shade, back or armrests.

Shepparton Art Museum and cafe connects to the walk: opening hours.

Some BBQ and picnic areas include roll under table access and accessible bins. Island settings are more common. Accessible water fountains are provided. Nearby shops require road crossings (via traffic lights).

Toilets
There are easily accessible toilets and MLAK changing places around the lake. The southern block requires gravel crossing to a lipped concrete floor.

Dogs must be on a leash.

Public Transport
Dyson's Shepparton No. 9 bus stops 100m away outside Aquamoves. A shelter is available. The connecting path is sealed and smooth. No road crossing is required.

Parking
The walk starts at the accessible parking /playground on Tom Collins Drive. The surface is firm, flat, sealed and has 5 spaces. There are several accessible spaces around the lake for drivers to pick up from shorter walks. Mobile phone coverage is good.

Following photos and descriptions provide more information regarding accessibility. Conditions may change. If you notice any variations, please let us know.

Please help us to improve accessible walking maps by completing this 5 minute survey.

“Walking and Rolling Together” is a partnership between Victoria Walks, Disability Sport & Recreation and Regional Sport Victoria.

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Points of Interest

1. Accessible parking

The accessible parking outside the accessible playground has 5 spaces with protected side space. There is ramped access directly to the path. Otherwise there are accessible spaces around the lake.

2. The paths

Smooth, firm and flat paths up to 3.2 meters width are either sealed or compacted granitic sand. There are edge drop offs to dirt or lawn surfaces, water and gambions along the lakeside.

3. Jetties

Jetties are accessible. Safety rails are provided for access, then wheel buffers on the over water platform. Some are ageing with boardwalk movement present and wooden hand rails that may splinter.

4. Boat sheds driveway

Shepparton Rowing Club and Shepsailability use the lakeside sheds here. The driveway to parking crosses the path. There are no crossing markings other than a yellow bollard. Watch for cars.

5. Birdlife

The park has an abundance of birdlife either on the water or amongst the vegetation, such as this watching egret.

6. Shepparton Art Museum (SAM)

If you wish to enjoy SAM during your walk or roll the western bridge or paths have the easiest access. The northern path has a long slope.

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7. MLAK changing places bathrooms

There are 2 MLAK changing places bathrooms. 1 at the accessible playground and 1 at SAM (pictured). Note: choose the western path to access the one at SAM. The rear path has a long slope.

8. Bridges

All the footbridges around the lake have safety rails and can accomodate mobility aid users.

9. Island settings

There are alternatives, but some features of the park do make accessibility more challenging than it should be. This internally accessible BBQ shelter has no connecting path.

10. Accessible BBQ shelter?

With a connecting path, roll under tables and a smooth concrete surface this BBQ shelter looks OK at first. However, getting round is not easy due to poor table orientation and deep edge lips.

11. Northern boat ramp and staging area

This area varies through concrete, asphalt and compacted surfaces. Lips may be encountered between surfaces. Not all ramps have safety rails. Steps down to the platform do not have highlight marking.

12. Accessible toilets

There are 3 blocks with easily accessible toilets. This northern one has a door width of 860mm, floor area 2x3.4 meters. Note: the southern toilet block has gravel access and a lipped concrete floor.

13. Signage

It is easy to follow the path around the lake. This tall Boating Safety sign is the best map sign you get.

14. Bollards

The smallest bollard gap is 960mm as pictured. Take some care around bollards. They are usually grey against a grey surface. Some have a roughened base and are missing caps.

15. Exercise stations

These may not be accessible to everyone, but many do like to have a go.

16. BBQ and picnic shelters

This accessible BBQ shelter has roll under tables, room for a wheelchair to turn and no lips. Surfaces looked due for a clean. Other shelters are in island settings and make access less easy.

17. Drinking water and seating

Accessible water fountains are installed and various styles of seating are located along the path. Benches and seats with back / armrests connected to the path may have lips where surfaces change.