Living on farms and many kilometres from school, few children at Bungaree Primary get the chance to regularly walk to school.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But on national Walk Safely to School Day on Friday the entire school - all 13 pupils and their teachers - will meet at the local shop and make their way to school on foot.
Principal Catherine Barnes said the children looked forward to Walk Safely to School Day each year.
"We get mums and dads come along, a few dogs, little brothers and sisters, and everyone walks together," she said.
"When we walk to school from the shop we've got a couple of service roads we need to go through, there are lots of locals coming in and out of the shop and across the road.
"People might not realise it does get busy in Bungaree and we need to reinforce about road safety, about what safe pedestrians do and what they need to look out for."
The walk to school also involves crossing the railway line, another hazard the children need to learn how to safely navigate.
"It's not just the busy road, but also the train line that kids have to cross. It's part of our local community when the train comes through.
"We need to make sure that our children think about the consequences of their actions and make good choices."
The Bungaree walkers will be among thousands across Australia taking part in the national Walk Safely to School Day - an annual day to encourage parents, caregivers and teachers to help children get enough physical activity each day by walking to and from school.
This year is the 20th annivesary of national Walk Safely to School Day.
New research from Active Healthy Kids Australia found 86 per cent of children believe physical activity is important for their health and wellbeing, but only 12 per cent get the recommended 60 minutes a day of "huff and puff" physical activity.
AHKA chair Dr Natasha Schranz said the study showed children understand the importance of being active and want to be active, but there were barriers preventing them from doing that.
"Parents, caregivers, teachers - and society as a whole - have a vital role to play in ensuring our young people remain active on a daily basis," she said.
"It seems that ... walking is not being encouraged during the morning and afternoon drop-offs and pick-ups, which is unfortunate given that walking to or from school is one of the easiest ways to get kids moving more each day," she said.
Have you signed up to The Courier's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.