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In the loop
Edmund Rice Community Services Lucky Loops event organisers Michael Naismith, Georgia Weymouth Large, Tara Lesnjak and Simran Sadheora are gearing up for the cycling event. (Damjan Janevski) 324488_06
Cyclists of all skill levels and ages are encouraged to start training ahead of Edmund Rice Community Services’ Lucky Loops event. Co-organised with the Westside Cycle Club, the non-competitive event will run from 10.30am to 2pm on Sunday, April 30, at Truganina. The event will see riders take on a number of different courses, including a two-kilometre course for children and a five-kilometre loop. Each child 12 and under who completes the two-kilometre loop will receive a lucky dip prize, while adults who complete the shorter loop can receive a coffee and scones and adults who complete the five-kilometre loop enter into a special prize draw. The event will also feature a multicultural food and performances. Edmund Rice Community Services recreation co-ordinator Michael Naismith said the event will have a strong multicultural flavour alongside its focus on physical activity and social cohesion. “Many bike events can be a little intimidating for those that have never been in one and they are not always inviting for individuals and families from diverse backgrounds. “That’s why we wanted to offer a bike event with a difference: one that is fun and exciting for beginners, but one which also provides an adventurous trail for the more experienced.“
Zoo expansion milestone facilities. This will enable works to commence on the 21-hectare Asian elephant habitat at the zoo, which will house the new herd that is currently at Melbourne Zoo. Australian company Fairbrother has been appointed to deliver these works, as well as a pedestrian walking trail. The purpose-built 21-hectare elephant habitat is expected to be complete and ready for its new residents in 2024. The project was designed by award-winning Victorian landscape architecture practice TCL and prioritises animal welfare while providing an immersive experience that
Our aim is to take the stress and
connect more visitors with Zoos Victoria’s fighting extinction work. “This expansion will deliver a world-class experience for visitors and ensure our wonderful new Asian elephants and their calves have access to the best standard of care possible,“ Ms Stitt said. Funding for the zoo expansion was announced in November 2020. As reported by Star Weekly, the government announced plans for a treetop Sky Safari gondola as part of the project. The gondola will stretch across the zoo and provide 360-degree views of the zoo savannah,
the You Yangs, Melbourne’s CBD and the bay beyond. Zoos Victoria chief executive Dr Jenny Gray said the expansion would allow even more people to experience the wonder of wildlife in a safari setting, while they learn how they can contribute to fighting wildlife extinction. The government said expanding Werribee Open Range Zoo will also provide a significant boost for the local economy, with the creation of 118 jobs. D e t a i l s : d e v e l o p m e n t .v i c . g o v. a u / WerribeeZooExpansion
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American bison and Asian wild horses are beginning to settle into their new homes at Werribee Open Range Zoo, as the tourist attraction’s $88 million expansion project reaches its first milestone. Stage one of the zoo expansion has been completed, creating two management yards, new paddocks and veterinary species for the American bison and Asian wild horses, which are considered to be two priority conservation species. Environment Minister Ingrid Stitt said zoo staff will now begin to migrate the American bison and Asian wild horses into their new