VISITORS to Wycheproof have a large new attraction to photograph themselves at – a town sign designed by local VCE students.
Wycheproof P-12 College’s Year 11 design and technology students created the design behind the 10 letters, which were then welded by Charlton welder Jason Round.
The school’s design and technology teacher Laurie Pearse and Wycheproof plumber Stuart Nichols were also involved.
The students are required to undertake a community project.
The sign forms part of Buloke Shire Council’s planned development of local walking trails and a featured wetlands precinct.
Wycheproof P-12 College principal Christine McKersie said the project fitted perfectly with the environmental projects.
Ms McKersie said the new walking track, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, benefited the mental health of people of all ages, but especially young children.
“To be able to connect with nature is so important for their mental wellbeing,” she said.
“We’re so lucky to have the space around our school that we can do a big project with a students – they’ll always have that memory of playing a pivotal part.”
Ms McKersie said the walking track had taught younger students about tourism in the area and nature.
“We’re finding that it’s so great to have the world’s smallest (registered) mountain at the back of the school,” she said.
“We take the children out there regularly – there’s a tadpole pool that we visit and we have our last Year 12 assembly there at the natural rock amphitheatre.”
Ms McKersie said it was also great to see money being poured not just into sports like football, but into walking as exercise.
“The No.1 activity in Australia is walking,” she said.
“To see some money be put behind walking as a healthy form of exercise has been amazing.
“We’re seeing people of all ages walking along it, mums with prams and older adults from our community.
“It has such a spectacular view of the local surrounding areas.”
The $350,000 walking trail and wetlands project forms part of the State Government’s $2.7 billion Building Works package, which aims to create thousands of jobs and opportunities for Victorian businesses through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.
The Wycheproof project is being administered by Buloke Shire Council and managed by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), and is part of the Improving Public Visitor and Recreational Sites-Stimulus Program.
The project will involve the completion of the walking trail network through the Mount Wycheproof flora and fauna reserve, then loop into a wetlands precinct to be established on the site of the disused Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water storages.
Lighting, signs, furniture and tree planting and the addition of two new carparks on Mount Street and Charles Street will further revive the area.
Picnic areas and a cycling track will complete the range of leisure opportunities.
