Best in Australia is the Aim ...

Members of the Telfer family enjoying a quite outing on Gasteway Island.

More than 500ha of public open space in Albury-Wodonga will be developed as parklands over the next five years in one of the most exciting and ambitious projects of its kind in Australia.

Albury-Wodonga Regional Parklands Inc. (Parklands) is oversighting the planning and development of the new regional parklands, which will include waterways, valleys, forests and hilltops selected from its 6000ha land bank.

The new regional parklands also link with existing networks of trails, bicycle paths in and around the urban areas of Albury and Wodonga, surrounding hills and the Murray River floodplain.

Says Parklands Chairman Ron Dennis. "We have the land. We have planning expertise. We have talented and enthusiastic people driving the project along."

"Significant initial funding is in hand and development is under way in varying stages on five parks."

"The parklands will quickly become a standout community resource and asset offering enormous recreational opportunities and additional lifestyle quality for the people of Albury-Wodonga region and beyond.

"It will be an outstanding legacy for future generations.

"Special funding, totaling $400,00 for initial development of the regional parklands comes from the Commonwealth Governments Natural Heritage Trust.

It is being allocated to two projects over three years: the Eight-Mile Creek and Tributaries Revegetation Corridor at Thurgoona, east of Albury, and the Lower Kiewa River Revegetation Corridor, south east of Wodonga.

Other projects underway are at Gateway Island, McFarlanes Hill and Huon's Hill (with joint venture partners) in Wodonga.

Principal resourcing for Parklands comes from the Albury Wodonga Development Corporation with significant support from Wodonga City Council.

Hume and Towong shire councils pay membership fees and revenue is also by grazing leases or licenses.