Just been reading up on it. Cycling looks does look awesome there.

CityCycle:

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/BCC:BASE:c=PC_5516

And cycling in general...

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/BCC:BASE:c=PC_2613

Cycling to New Farm from my place, along the river and over the pontoons... awesome. Stop at the Power Station for a fat yak...

If you google map 'Kearneys Spring' in Toowoomba, theres a huge area of bushland below us, anyone know if this has cycle tracks in it? Or is it just for walking...

Just watch for the lions out Toowoomba way, Toowoomba way! I think they're sleeping though.

I know, I'm glad I'm not the only one who bursts into song when I say Toowoomba 'The Lion sleeeps 2niteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!' lol





Not quite the original, but cool all the same lol

I ate healthier in the UK as food imo was cheaper (or money went further).. so my choice is somewhat less & I end up eating crap now and then. But I get more exercise than I did in the UK and do more outdoor activities.

Beer cancels it all out either way..

Not necessarily - I travelled to work by a train and two tube trains each day, if I went shopping I would get the bus.

When I had my bike I would wheeze badly each time I used it and it was flat where I lived.

Here I cycle to/from work, to the beach etc. I also do alot of walking and need my inhaler far less.

I feel more inspired to walk/cycle and swim in the ocean here although admittedly when its pissing with rain - less inclined.

But on the whole, I look and feel alot healthier, my asthma is better which I guess makes everything else easier. It was easy to slob around in the UK - in fact I quite enjoyed it but here, I enjoy being more active.

There is less of the open bridleway type thing. However as we are close to the Dandenongs and paths in our village it cancels out.

It's possible to do one fine 10k walk from a reserve near our house all around the valley bowl and back again via a circuit here - and that is one of many. Even the walk to the bank of shops (5k round trip) is good and is used by pedestrians, cyclists and people on horseback.

I can walk many a route through the villages that connect the Dandenongs - needing a car to get to a start-point initially. Infact there is a route which extends 50 miles or so from the SW tip of the Dandenongs out along the Waburton trail and up Mt Donna Buong in the NE. It changes in character every 10k or so - I like to walk or run one of these segments.

Bits of it go through dense forest - perfect for summer runs on hot days. Others out in the open.

If I had to come down on one country, I would say that Australia has the weight problem - your average bogan can be huge - whereas your average chav or chavette seems to prefer the scrawny look..the reality is that both countries are up there with the US and Mexico in the fatty stakes...or is that steaks...

Think I must be living in a totally different universe to you Grayling although am still only 30 minutes from Brisbane.......................................... .........
rain or shine,cold or hot there are always people using the many walking and cycling tracks round here.

We have free tennis courts and basketball courts which are in use from sun up to sun down (Xmas day they were full to bursting), we have 3 lakes with walking/cycling tracks round and our local council is just creating a huge botanical gardens again with provision for walkers and cyclists.

The local land developer provides free cycles for anyone who wants to use the trails and there are free excercise classes on the lake sides again which are well attended.

On our travels (mainly in Qld) we have never found any problem accessing walking trails in the countryside and the local people are more than willing to suggest the best places to go to enjoy walking in the countryside.

I can't comment on the fast food places because I don't use them myself and really don't take much notice of the people who do but as far as the shopping malls are concerned I work in a big one and the main increase in people in there when it is stinking hot is usually the pensioners who probably don't have aircon at home.

Loz x

Wonder why there are so many lardarses about then?

....and why Australia has such an obesity problem

Fast food is the main reason imo. Every mall has a plethora of them. I am healthier here, but only because I made the effort. Plenty outdoor stuff here and plenty in Britain. Walking is deffo better in Britain but I prefer cycling here. Golf is better weather wise but the courses in the UK are far superior, understandably. Make of it what you will.

Possibly

The binge drinking culture does not help either.

For sure. Not sure how that happened with the lack of good pubs here.

They go to places like the racecourses......full of drunks again this afternoon

Never get that anywhere else