By Esther Lauaki
The transformation of the 150-year-old Romsey Primary School site into a medical centre and ecotherapy park has been nine years in the making.
Cobaw Community Health Service and the Greater Romsey All-Abilities Park group have worked with Macedon Ranges council on the nature-based health and wellbeing park.
Stage two of the Romsey Ecotherapy Park project was completed in recent weeks and includes an active nature space with a 40-metre flying fox, balancing logs, basket swing, and a cubby built around a historic oak tree.
A medical centre opened in July in the main building.
Park committee member Jenny Stillman said that the park was designed to provide sensory therapies through engagement with nature and was a community-led initiative aimed at building an accessible passive recreation space for locals and visitors.
“There are spaces that have got really significant health and wellbeing purpose behind them,” Ms Stillman said.
“This is not just a community park, it’s really important for Romsey in an economic development and visitor economy perspective.”
But she said more is needed for the final stage of the development which will include a sensory therapeutic garden, ephemeral billabong and water play area, and an arts and cultural space for art installations and performances.
