Don’t have any spare change for a gym membership? No money floating around to pay for a personal trainer? No worries! These are great ways to keep fit for free; that’s right. No money! Nada!
Bendigo Parkrun
Race against yourself and try to beat the clock. Every Saturday from 8am at Kennington Reservoir you can register to run, and the friendly volunteers will time you. All you have to do it register online and bring a printed copy of your barcode (this is how they time you). This event is run entirely by volunteers who love running.
If you’d like to be involved as a volunteer, you can find more info here.
Map My Ride
This one is for local cyclists. Map my Ride is a website that allows cyclists to track and upload their cycling route, to share with others. There is a section for most popular routes in Bendigo which features a map, information on level of elevation and the distance covered. With mountain bike and road cycling maps ranging from 5km to 50km, there is something to suit everyone.
Bushwalking
Take in the surroundings and step out of the hustle and bustle with a bushwalk near Bendigo. There are a quite few options when it comes to bushwalking. You can explore the Mulga Bill Bicycle Trail on foot from the Eaglehawk Playspace, around the lake, across Simpsons Road and into the forest. Or what about a picnic with the family somewhere along the O’Keefe Rail Trail? We are lucky to have some spectacular bushland and natural reserves to explore in Central Victoria. Discover them here.
A suggestion from Emily is The Goldfields Track, she says its an awesome spot for bushwalking and mountain bike riding. This track allows visitors to savour the unique combination of natural beauty and the gold rush heritage. The track is broken into three smaller tracks, each with something to unique to offer. Find out more here.
Crusoe Reservoir and No 7 Park
This bushland reserve is surrounded by the Greater Bendigo National Park and is a great spot for running, cycling, walking or kayaking. Sign posted and colour coded trials make it easy to track the distance covered as you make your way through this beautiful landscape. Around Crusoe Reservoir is 3.3km and around the No 7 Park is 1.4km. If you head out there in the warmer months, it makes for a great swimming spot too.
Lookouts in Bendigo
A fun and free exercise option in Bendigo. The Poppet Head Lookout located in Rosalind Park is the perfect way to see a 365-degree view of our beautiful city, and let us tell you, walking up there is one heck of a workout! We recommend taking a stroll from Lake Weeroona, following the Bendigo Creek Trail 1.5km to Rosalind Park. Starting at the bottom of the hill in the park, make your way up to the top of the Poppet Head and enjoy the view. The One Tree Hill lookout is another fun fitness option, a challenging 3km walk uphill, where you get to enjoy another picturesque and completely different view of Bendigo from above, then loop around back down to the bottom of the hill.
Do you have any other suggestions? Please let us know so we can add them to our list.
