Tewantin Noosa Lions Club launched its first walking school bus with over 16 students from Noosaville State School participating in the Two Feet Tuesday’s event.
The walking school bus trial provides students and their families with a supervised active transport alternative to driving to school.
The supervised 1km walk starts at Cranks Park on Outlook Drive, Tewantin and winds its way through the Crank’s Creek walking trail.
Tewantin Noosa Lions Club 1st Vice President Ian Glew said, “The Club’s volunteers were keen to drive the initiative to encourage more students walking to school.”
“In the 1970s, approximately 80 per cent of students walked or rode to school, compared to less than 20 per cent today.
“As a community, we rely too heavily on motor vehicles. We all remember the fun and freedom we had when we used to walk to school with our friends, and we want to help bring that back that sense of community as well as improve the health and wellbeing of families across Tewantin and Noosaville”.
Noosaville State School and its Environmental Leaders are getting behind the project to help encourage more students to walk to school.
Noosaville State School Deputy Principal Alasdair Scott said, “Getting more students to use active travel makes the school zone safer and reduces congestion by removing the number of vehicles on the road.”
“The biggest benefit of walking to school is the increased physical health and wellbeing of our students. Students who walk to school arrive alert, ready to learn and concentrate better in class.”
Children who walk to and from school are more likely to continue the healthy behaviours later in life and develop a greater connection with their community.
The walking school bus initiative has been made possible through the kind support of Noosaville State School, Noosa Council’s Go Noosa Schools program, the Buderim Lions Walk Safely to School program, Tewantin Noosa Lions Club and the Adopt a Cop program.
Students, parents and carers attending Noosaville State School are encouraged to come along to the next Two Feet Tuesday’s event on Tuesday 8 March and Tuesday 29 March.
