All welcome at Armadale Settlers' Common after the opening of accessible trail

The beauty of the bush in the Wungong Valley at Bedfordale can be enjoyed by everyone, after today's opening of the Armadale Settlers' Common Accessible Trail by Disability Services Minister Helen Morton.

The City of Armadale has created an accessible trail in the Bedfordale foothills area to enable locals and tourists who use wheelchairs and other mobility aids to visit the area.

The Armadale Settlers' Common bushland area has a 3.2km network of bush trails which link with 17.5km of trails in the greater Common area.

The accessible trail project includes a one kilometre sealed trail to provide wheelchair and other mobility aid access, ACROD parking facilities at the trail entrance at Observation Circle and an accessible gate at the trail entrance.

"The City of Armadale has been active for many years in ensuring accessibility is a feature of the city's public amenities," Mrs Morton said.

"The development of this new trail is a commendable step towards ensuring more of the community's most significant recreation areas are open and accessible for everyone."

The City of Armadale established the trail using a $58,000 grant from the Department of Sport and Recreation and State Government-supported Lotterywest, and Public Open Space funding.

The Minister said the City of Armadale's commitment to accessibility in local projects aligned with the aims of the State Government's Count Me In: Disability Future Directions Strategy.

"The Count Me In vision is about people living in welcoming communities that facilitate citizenship, friendship, mutual support and a fair go for everyone," she said.

Mrs Morton said the Lotterywest contribution to the project was another example of how profits from lottery games went back to the community as grants for innovative community projects.

"In 2009-10, Lotterywest gave nearly $235million to the Western Australian community.  Of this, $113million went to more than 1,000 community groups and local governments," she said.