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Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasize this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.
Publications and Policies
New releases:
Other Heart Foundation resources on the built environment:
These resources have been created by the Heart Foundation and our key collaborators for active living initiatives around Australia.
- Blueprint for an active Australia: Government and community actions to increase population levels of physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviours in Australia (2019)
- Quality Green Space Supporting Health, Wellbeing and Biodiversity: A Literature Review (2017) (PDF)
- Creating active communities. How can open and public spaces in urban and suburban environments support active living? A literature review (2010) (PDF)
Industry survey reports:
Consumer preference survey reports:
Australian Capital Territory
New South Wales
- NSW Healthy Built Environment resources - Former Active Living NSW
- Active Travel to School - Urban Design Study (2019) (PDF)
- NSW Healthy Planning Action Resource No. 1 - Urban Cooling with Green Infrastructure (2018)
- NSW Healthy Planning Action Resource No. 2 - Creating Walkable Neighbourhoods (2018)
- NSW Healthy Planning Action Resource No. 3 - Healthy Food and the Built Environment (2018)
- A baseline study of Healthy Eating and Active Living within NSW Local Government Community Strategic Plans and selected Delivery Programs
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
- Active Streets – the new normal for public space (2020) (PDF)
- Why Walking? The Heart Foundation call for a Walking Strategy (2019) (PDF)
- Streets for people: Compendium for South Australian Practice (2012) (PDF)
- The SA Active Living Coalition’s submission to the draft 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide (2016)
- The Heart Foundation submission to City of Adelaide Shaping Streets and Green Spaces (2019) (PDF)
- Quality Green Space Supporting Health, Wellbeing and Biodiversity: A Literature Review (2017) (PDF)
- Making the case for investment in street trees (2013) (PDF)
Tasmania
- Love your heart Love your community, A citizen science research project using the Heart Foundation's Community Walkability Checklist (UTAS Menzies Research Institute, 2026) (PDF)
- Healthy by Design®: A guide to planning and designing environments for active living in Tasmania (National Heart Foundation of Australia, 2009) (PDF)
- Design for safe and healthy communities: The Matrix of like design considerations for Tasmania (National Heart Foundation of Australia, 2011) (PDF)
- Tasmania Statement: Working Together for the Health and Wellbeing of Tasmanians (Tasmanian Government 2019)
- Support for a State Policy for Healthy Spaces and Places (2019)
Victoria
- Space for Active Play: Developing child-inspired play space for older children (2013)
- Food-sensitive planning and urban design - A conceptual framework for achieving a sustainable and healthy food system (2011)
- Safe Speed for all Road Users: Promoting safe walking and cycling by addressing traffic speed (2008)
- Planning for Food: Towards a Prosperous, Resilient and Healthy Food System through Victoria's Metropolitan Planning Strategy (2012)
Western Australia
External resources on the built environment:
These resources have been created by leading external stakeholders for active living initiatives nationally and internationally.
International
- United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals
- World Health Organisation’s Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018-2030
- World Heart Federation, More People, More Active, More Often for Heart Health – Taking Action on Physical Activity
- International Society for Physical Activity and Health ‘Eight Investments that work for physical activity’ 2020
- Global Designing Cities Initiative Guides and Publications
- National Association of City Transportation Officials (US), Programs, Guides and Publications
- Introducing the 15-minute city: Sustainability, Resilience and Place identity in Future Post-Pandemic Cities
- Healthy Streets, UK
- Centre for the Living City, USA
- Improving the Health of Londoners – Transport Action Plan
- Urban Design, Transport and Health, 2016
- Urban Mind: How can the design of urban spaces contribute to the mental well-being of teenage girls? Design Guide and Process Guide
- Make Space for Girls, the research background 2023
- Social Life Project: Men in public spaces
- Designing for Active Living, American Society of Landscape Architects
National
- Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA) Green Infrastructure Management Guide 2025
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, ‘The Relationship between health risk factors and the neighbourhood environment’ 2022
- Insufficient Physical Activity (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2020)
- Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, Physical Activity and Exercise Guidelines for all Australians
- Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2030
- Australian Government – Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards 2010
- Australian Human Rights Commission – Access for all: Improving accessibility for consumers with disability (2016)
- National Guide to a preventative health assessment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, 2018
- Cycling and Walking Australia New Zealand National Participation Survey 2023
- National Institute of Crime Prevention – Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
- Green Building Council of Australia Green Star Strategy
- Climate Council ‘Send the Right Signal: How to Effectively talk about sustainable transport’ 2022
- Climate Council ‘Shifting Gear: The path to Cleaner Transport’ 2023
- National Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030
- Austroads Guides (Road Design, Road Safety, Traffic management, Temporary Traffic Management)
ACT
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Queensland
- Bicycle riding encouragement guide - Queensland Government (2019) (PDF)
- Qld Planning and Development home page
- Qld Strategic Planning
- Department of Transport and Main Roads, Qld
- Healthy and Active Communities
- Planning for Walkable Neighbourhoods
- Healthy Places, Healthy People
- Shade Tree Guidance and Canopy Cast Tool
South Australia
- SA Planning and Development home page
- SA Strategic Planning
- Department for Infrastructure and Transport, SA
- SA Active Travel Design Guide
- Creating active communities. How can open and public spaces in urban and suburban environments support active living? A literature review (2010) (PDF)
- Office of Design and Architecture SA, Principles of Good Design
- Creating greener Places for Healthy and Sustainable Communities, Healthy Parks, Healthy People, 2019
- Health in All Policies
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia
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