This report looks at how people travel around Melbourne, with a particular focus on the role of walking and access to suburban shopping centres. It includes analysis of Melbourne household travel data captured through the Victorian Integrated Survey of Travel and Activity (VISTA).

This research summary draws on the latest data on the benefits of walking for physical health, and mental and social wellbeing; as well as for the economy and environment. This summary is intended for people working in local government and community health organisations to support policy and planning.

Despite its potential to deliver significant benefits to cities and people, walking is typically overlooked in planning and investment decisions – most likely due to its routine nature. This report identifies key issues with the current investment process that present barriers to appropriate levels of investment in walking.

Walking, often combined with public transport, provides a critical opportunity for young people to lead independent lives. Suburban environments that are difficult to walk around or to use public transport leave many young people reliant on parents or others to drive them.

Employing data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey for 2013 and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), this study finds a link between a more walkable neighbourhood and wellbeing, mediated to a very marginal degree by physical activity.