More than ten years ago, a group of local community members (now known as Romsey Ecotherapy Park Inc) came together with a vision to transform a derelict historic school site into a regionally significant special place to enhance health and wellness in nature for all ages and all abilities.

With Macedon Ranges Shire Council subsequently purchasing the former Romsey Primary School site from State Government, The Active Nature Space (Federal Government funded) aimed particularly at younger children, was completed in 2018 with the addition of the huge climbing forest  (State Government funded) for older children and adults added in 2019. 

Bendigo Bank, State Government (Regional Development Victoria) and MRSC funding support has enabled construction to now commence on the remainder of Romsey Ecotherapy Park – the Sensory Therapeutic Space, Arts Culture Space and Woodland Ramble – with completion by mid 2022.

The Sensory Therapeutic Space (featuring sensory gardens, permanent art installations including kinetic and sound sculpture elements, ephemeral billabong, sand play and a water feature) will be a valuable nature-based resource for the elderly, those recovering from illness or those merely wanting respite from daily life.

The Arts Culture Space will feature an outdoor event space and picnic facilities with the potential to be activated for a vast range of purposes all of which facilitate community engagement, address social isolation and attract visitors to the region!

This era of COVID-19 has necessitated social distancing regulations which have restricted person to person interaction on many levels - community, social, workplace, sport, family –resulting in stress, social isolation and the associated deleterious health consequences.

This underscores the critical importance of nature-based activity and its health benefits which is the ethos of this Park.