A nature and healing park east of the Macedon Ranges is taking strides as Victorians reconnect with nature on their way out of lockdown.
The Romsey Eco-therapy Park is 11 years in the making and has turned an old school site into a park for all ages and abilities, less than an hour's drive north-west of Melbourne.
The park's second stage will include a sensory therapeutic, arts and culture space and construction will begin in July next year.
Speech pathologist Trish Baddeley said the park had been a great place for her two daughters to develop their confidence and social skills.
"The space is designed with infinite possibilities when it comes to play," she said.
"It's full of natural elements and encourages kids to use their imagination, problem-solve and come up with different ways of getting from A to B.
"There's a few tumbles, but the challenges are part of the fun and it's all worth it for the joy they feel when they master something."
As a busy mother, Ms Baddeley also said it was nice to be surrounded by a range of different people in such a beautiful, natural space.
"I find it a great bumping place for running into people you know and meeting new people in the community; it's those unplanned, incidental interactions that can really make my day."
Jenny Stillman from the park's committee said the pandemic had shown Australia how important it was to have places of healing.
"Certainly this year, where communities across the country, certainly during our lockdown periods, when exposure to the outdoors has been a precious commodity," she said.
"It has also been certainly brought into the spotlight for its benefits for emotional wellbeing."
A woodland garden ramble and a car park will make up the next and third stage of the park.
Ms Stillman said it was a huge attraction for the east corridor of the Macedon Ranges.
"Both of these spaces together add to what is there in the active nature space, which was more focused on younger people and based around the very ancient oak tree that is in that site," she said.
Stage 2 of the park and is funded by the Statet Government.
Local MP Mary-Anne Thomas said the Macedon Ranges Council had not yet applied for funding to develop stage 3, however any application would be considered on its merits.
She said designs for stage 3 were included in stage 2.
