Melbourne Area Research Articles

Development and Validation of a Novel Method Using QuEChERS and UHPLC-MS-MS for the Determination of Multiple Emerging Fungicides in Surface Waters

The increasing global reliance on pesticides for agricultural pest control has raised significant environmental concerns, particularly due to inadequate monitoring of emerging chemicals in surface waters. This study addresses the potential contamination of aquatic ecosystems by developing and validating a method for detecting trace amounts of four recently registered fungicides: three succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (fluopyram, penthiopyrad, pydiflumetofen) and fluopicolide, a structurally related fungicide. Employing QuEChERS-based sample extraction combined with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC-MS-MS), this method achieves detection limits of 0.1 to 0.2 μg/L, with recovery rates between 90% and 110%, and intra-day relative standard deviation values well within the acceptable range of less than 20%. Applied to surface grab water samples from the greater Melbourne area, Australia, the method successfully identified all four fungicides at trace levels, including a notable high concentration of fluopyram (7.3 μg/L) during autumn, with the others intermittently detected at lower concentrations. This study represents the first documented instance of quantifiable detections of these four fungicides in Australian surface water systems. Given their high toxicity to several organisms and the limited global data on these substances, our findings underscore the critical need for continuous monitoring to inform strategies to safeguard aquatic ecosystems from these chemicals.

Edgy Conservatives? The Late-Twentieth Century Rise of the Mortgage Belt in Australian Electoral Politics

The expansion of home ownership in Australia in the second half of the twentieth century was accompanied by a new vernacular geography – the mortgage belt. From the 1970s, such belts around major cities were frequently said to be crucial to federal and state elections. This article examines where political commentary located mortgage belt areas in Sydney and Melbourne and finds that it encompassed a diverse range of places often, but not always, on their urban edges. Their residents were believed to be particularly sensitive about interest rates but also other risks. While the politics of outer suburbia has often been posited as conservative, it is argued that such areas were electorally nuanced and reflected longstanding contingency in Australia around expectations of government that stands in contrast to conservatism elsewhere. These areas also highlight the continuing significance of popular access to property ownership as a theme of Australian political history.

Space-time analysis of accident frequency and the role of built environment in mitigation

The focus of this paper is to analyze the trends and locations of accidents in the Greater Melbourne Area (GMA) during a 15-year period (2006–2020). The places where accidents were most prevalent were discovered and the reasons which are contributing to the high accident rates in those areas are determined. Analyzing the patterns over time and variations in the frequency of accidents helped to identify areas that have improved or deteriorated in terms of road safety. A Tweedie model was developed to examine the intricate interaction between the accident frequency and its potential contributing factors such as socio-demographics, road transport infrastructure, and built environment. Ultimately, a clustering analysis was performed to elucidate the dispersion of road accident risk ratings among different local government areas (LGAs), offering useful insights into road safety initiatives and prioritization.

Background concentrations and spatial distribution of PFAS in surface waters and sediments of the greater Melbourne area, Australia

A survey of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) was conducted in Melbourne, Australia to determine background concentrations in residential, industrial, municipal wastewater treatment plants, and rural land uses. Surface water and sediment samples collected from 65 sites with different catchment land uses were analysed for thirty-three PFAS. Twenty-two out of thirty-three targeted PFAS were detected, with at least one PFAS species was detected in 98% water samples and 8% sediment samples. One site was determined to have point-source pollution from an airport (surface water Σ33PFAS = 4261 ng/L) and was excluded from statistical analyses. The median Σ33PFAS concentration in surface water was 63.5 ng/L and the average was 78.6 ng/L (range < DL-526 ng/L). PFAS species with the highest median concentrations were PFBA (11.3 ng/L), PFHxA (9.2 ng/L), PFOA (8.3 ng/L), PFOS (8.0 ng/L), PFPeA (7.5 ng/L), PFHpA (3.2 ng/L), and PFHxS (2.9 ng/L).The average Σ4PFAS in sediments was 0.35 ng/g d.w. (range = <DL-6.7 ng/g) and the congeners detected were PFOS, N-MeFOSAA, N-EtFOSAA, and N-EtFOSE. Significantly higher concentrations of all PFAS were found in urban areas than rural, except for PFBA which was evenly dispersed throughout all areas. Short-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs), PFBA, PFPeA, PFHxA, PFHpA, and the PFSA, PFBS were evenly dispersed throughout urban and industrial areas. PFOA, PFNA, and PFDA were higher, but not significantly, in residential catchments than industrial catchments. Industrial areas had significantly higher concentrations of perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs), PFPeS, PFHxS, and PFOS, and 6:2 FTS than other urbanised areas. The distribution of PFAS throughout catchment types in this study displayed similar trends to other studies including findings of PFBA in background areas. Ongoing monitoring of defined catchments is recommended to improve understanding of PFAS sources and changes in environmental profiles, and to assess the implications of its occurrence throughout the environment.

Avoid, adapt or exploit: Re-visiting bird responses to urbanization using a novel landscape approach

Urbanization threatens global biodiversity, yet numerous species persist in cities, highlighting opportunities for habitat restoration and conservation. To facilitate conservation planning, species frequently are assigned to urban tolerance groups such as ‘avoiders’, ‘adapters’ and ‘exploiters’. To be useful, species in such groups must show consistent responses to major gradients of change in urban landscapes. We used a landscape-scale approach to investigate the relative influence of housing cover and canopy tree cover on individual bird species and compared the results for species independently classified as urban avoiders, adapters or exploiters. We surveyed birds in 30 landscapes, positioned along concurrent gradients of housing and canopy tree cover, in residential areas of Melbourne, Australia. We modelled relationships between reporting rate for 42 species and the landscape cover of housing and canopy trees, for each gradient independently and in combination. Responses typically were non-linear and varied between species but generally were consistent within groups. Many species (∼40%) responded to a combination of both housing and canopy tree cover. Responses to housing typically were negative, while responses to tree cover were positive for avoiders and adapters, but negative for exploiters. Relationships with tree cover were stronger in landscapes with higher housing density. Whilst species responses likely represent a continuum, the relative consistency within and differences between urban tolerance groups affirm such general classifications to be a useful framework for synthesizing responses of multiple species to urbanization. Importantly, however, the status of at least four species changed considerably over the last 20 years, highlighting that such classifications are dynamic and respond to both environmental change in urban environments and changing biotic relationships.

Private-led land assembly and urban consolidation: The relative influence of regulatory zoning mechanisms

From the time a city is first subdivided, its structure of lots act as a precursor to all future redevelopment, forming the spatial bounds of land ownership that force buildings to develop and evolve in their place. It is therefore critical for planning systems that intend to contain urban sprawl to encourage the lot superstructure to adapt to the emerging needs of a city. This study assesses the role that existing regulatory planning mechanisms play in directing the spatial distribution and frequency of private developer-led land assembly. Drawing on two inner city local government areas in Melbourne, Australia, this research analyses the relative influence of local zone-led development controls on the occurrence of land assembly over an eleven-year period. A descriptive spatial analysis and global logistic regression model reveal that an interplay of maximum height restrictions, existing plot boundaries, and sales prices, have led to a disordered distribution of parcel amalgamations. A geographically weighted logistic regression model highlights spatial variation in the influence of these factors, with small lots in the inner city being subject to the least influence of development controls. The results are supplemented by a small sample of interviews with local planners and developers, who suggest that regulatory planning controls inadvertently turn desired built form outcomes into a tool for capital appreciation and landowner holdouts. In combination, the findings suggest that zone-led development controls do little to influence market forces in a manner that induces private-led land assembly in favour of the public good.

Quantifying the importance of urban trees to people and nature through tree removal experiments

Abstract Experimentally manipulating urban tree abundance and structure can help explore the complex and reciprocal interactions among people, biodiversity and the services urban forests provide to humans and wildlife. In this study we take advantage of scheduled urban tree removals to experimentally quantify the benefits that urban trees provide to humans and wildlife. Specifically, we aim to understand how trees affect: (1) bird and mammal abundance and diversity, as well as an ecological process (predation); and (2) people's perception responses, such as the importance that people assign to the trees, wildlife and the site. We designed two independent Before‐after‐control‐impact (BACI) experiments based on two sites where tree removals were occurring (impact sites): an urban park and a residential street, both located in the Greater Melbourne Area, Australia. We selected three control sites for each impact site, or four per experiment. Ecological data were collected through field surveys, and social data on people's perceptions through intercept questionnaires among park and street users. Data were analysed using a GLMMs to determine the combined effect of time (before and after) and treatment (impact and controls). At the urban park, the abundance of nectarivorous birds and possums both declined by 62% following tree removal, while invertebrate predation increased by 82.1%. The level of importance people assigned to the urban park and to the trees at the site decreased after tree removal, and people's attitudes towards tree planting became more positive, meaning more people wanted to plant more trees at the site. None of these changes were observed in the street experiment where fewer and smaller trees were removed, suggesting that effects may be highly specific to context, where factors such as tree volume, diversity and arrangement influence the magnitude of social–ecological effects observed. By demonstrating the social–ecological effect of removing urban trees, we provide evidence that urban trees provide critical habitat to urban wildlife and are perceived as an important aspect of the human experience of urban nature. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

New optimized configuration for a hybrid PVT solar/electrolyzer/absorption chiller system utilizing the response surface method as a machine learning technique and multi-objective optimization

The presented study examined the multigenerational power, cooling, heating, and hydrogen systems in coastal areas using thermodynamic and economic modeling and multiobjective optimization tools. The organic Rankine cycle (ORC), water heater, proton-exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer, absorption chiller, and photovoltaic (PV/T) panel were all included in a case study that was carried out in four different regions. In the EES, the suggested system was thermodynamically modeled. By utilizing the surface response (RSM) methodology, multi-objective optimization was carried out to identify the ideal PV/T area, turbine efficiency, evaporator pinch point, pump efficiency, and turbine input temperature. The ideal cost rate and exergy efficiency were 1.299 USD/h and 19.100%, respectively. The feasibility of the suggested module was studied in coastal areas of San Francisco (America), Dubai (Asia), Barcelona (Europe), and Melbourne (Oceania). Finally, the system's effectiveness in providing the power, cooling, and heating demands of a two-floor two-unit building during the year was evaluated.

Wildlife Emergency Response Services Data Provide Insights into Human and Non-Human Threats to Wildlife and the Response to Those Threats

Our transformation of global environments into human-dominated landscapes has important consequences for wildlife. Globally, wildlife is interacting with humans or impacted by human activities, which often results in negative outcomes such as population declines, disruption of social bonds, biodiversity loss, imperilment of threatened species, and harm to individual animals. Human and non-human threats to wildlife can be challenging to quantify and tend to be poorly understood especially over large spatial scales and in urban environments. The extent to which such damage is mitigated by reactive approaches (e.g., wildlife rescue) is also not well understood. We used data from the main state-based Wildlife Emergency Response Services (WERS) in Victoria, Australia to address these issues. The data, which describe tens of thousands of cases of threats to wildlife annually over a ten-year period, allowed a detailed characterisation of the type and extent of threats in the state. We identified the main common and threatened species impacted by various threats and showed that the vast majority of them were anthropogenic (e.g., vehicle collisions, cat attacks, and entanglements). The extent to which different taxonomic groups and species were impacted by various threats differed and threats were dependent on locations. The Greater Melbourne area was identified as a hotspot for threats to wildlife. The WERS was able to source service providers for thousands of animals annually, facilitating their assessment, release into the wild and rehabilitation. However, every year, thousands of animals died or were euthanased and thousands more were left unattended. WERS case reports are increasing and there is a growing service–demand gap. Whilst studies reporting on the demand and response of WERS are rare, situations in other parts of Australia and the world might be similar. This highlights the urgent need to understand and mitigate human and non-human threats to wildlife, particularly in urban environments, where the rate of biodiversity loss is high. We discuss opportunities and barriers to doing so.

RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION IN GENTRIFYING URBAN INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS: The Experience of Cultural Manufacturers in San Francisco and Melbourne

AbstractRecent urban scholarship shows how zoning and real estate dynamics shape ongoing processes of gentrification and deindustrialization. While studies demonstrate the impact of planning and property market pressures on the arts, less research has examined their effect on urban manufacturers in gentrifying industrial districts. Given the differential impact of zoning and real estate pressures, our research focuses specifically on how ‘cultural manufacturers’ negotiate changing land use patterns in gentrifying urban industrial areas in San Francisco and Melbourne. Our findings show how cultural manufacturers develop flexible workspace arrangements, business models and professional networks to negotiate urban restructuring and avoid displacement. Though innovative, these survival strategies provide limited ability to navigate structural barriers. Here, the presence of intermediary organizations can help coordinate a strategic response to industrial gentrification and indifferent planning policy. In our research we highlight the everyday practices of adaptation and collective action in an under‐researched cultural sector to provide a counterweight to macro‐scale transitional narratives. While cities have deindustrialized owing to technological and competitive pressures, to focus exclusively on this misses a range of resilience practices that have sustained manufacturers in restructuring cities.

GIS Analysis of Adequate Accessibility to Public Transportation in Metropolitan Areas

The public transport system plays an important role in a city as it moves people from one place to another efficiently and economically. The public transport network must be organized in a way that will cover as many places and as much of the population as possible, and support the city’s growth. As one of Australia’s largest capital cities, Melbourne is growing and expanding its metropolitan area to reflect the growth in population and an increased number of activities. To date, little research has been conducted to determine the accessibility and adequacy of public transport taking into consideration the blank spot areas, the number of public transport options for each area, the population density within specific geographical areas, and other issues. In this study, a new measurement model is developed that examines public transport in residential areas and the extent to which it is adequate for the various local government areas (LGAs). An accessibility approach is adopted to evaluate the accessibility of different types of public transportation in residential areas in metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The results show that in most LGAs, the number of blank spots will decrease as the population density increases. This indicates that residents in lower-density areas will have less accessibility to public transportation. However, there is no indication that there is a greater level of services (such as more night-time and weekend public transportation services) in the high-density areas. This research is significant as it will point to and help to improve the areas with inadequate public transportation and other issues, taking into consideration their geographical locations and population density.

Examining connection to nature at multiple scales provides insights for urban conservation

With the rapid increase in urbanization, local governments and organizations are searching for opportunities to improve the social resilience, health, and wellbeing of urban residents by increasing their connection to nature. However, these urban communities are highly heterogenous, and tailored nature engagement and conservation programs will be necessary for building nature connection across diverse segments of the population. Here, we surveyed Melbourne community members (n = 1585) to understand their connection to nature and other aspects of their relationship with nature to aid in designing and prioritizing new conservation programs across the city. We determined demographic, psychographic, and behavioral factors associated with an individual's connection to nature, characterized unique segments of the population, and identified neighborhoods with greater concentrations of residents with high and low connection to nature. Overall, we found that community members have relatively high connection to nature, are concerned about environmental issues, and frequently participate in nature-related activities. New and older Melbourne residents tend to be more connected to nature, though there is important variation within these populations. Of the six distinct types of community members we identified, students that have lived in Melbourne for most of their lives exhibited the lowest connection to nature of all other typologies. Furthermore, residents in neighborhoods south of the Yarra River are the least connected to nature. We discuss the importance of such multifaceted approaches for understanding nature connection in urban populations and outline important strategies and priorities based on individual, community, and geographic targets for conservation programming across the Greater Melbourne area.

“Home away from home” in pandemic times: how has COVID-19 changed the Airbnb market in Melbourne?

PurposeThis study aims to investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted and changed Airbnb market in the Greater Melbourne area in terms of its temporal and spatial patterns and identify possible shifts in underlying trends in travel activities.Design/methodology/approachA panel data set of Airbnb listings in Melbourne is analysed to compare temporal patterns, spatial distribution and lengths of stay of Airbnb users before and after the COVID outbreak.FindingsThis study found that the COVID disruption did not fundamentally change the temporal cycle of the Airbnb market. Month-to-month fluctuations peaked at different levels from pre-pandemic times mainly because of lockdowns and other restrictive measures. The impact of COVID-19 disruptions on neighbourhood-level Airbnb revenues is associated with distance to CBD rather than number of COVID cases. Inner city suburbs suffered major loss during the pandemic, whereas outer suburbs gained popularity due to increased domestic travel and long stays. Long stays (28 days or more, as defined by Airbnb) were the fastest growing segment during the pandemic, which indicates the Airbnb market was adapting to increasing demand for purposes like remote working or lifestyle change. After easing of COVID-related restrictions, demand for short-term accommodation quickly recovered, but supply has not shown signs of strong recovery. Spatial distribution of post-pandemic supply recovery shows a similar spatial variation. Neighbourhoods in the inner city have not shown signs of significant recovery, whereas those in the middle and outer rings are either slowly recovering or approaching their pre-COVID levels.Practical implicationsThe COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted short-term rental markets and in particular the Airbnb sector during the phase of its rapid development. This paper helps inform in- and post-pandemic housing policy, market opportunity and investment decision.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first attempts to empirically examine both temporal and spatial patterns of the COVID-19 impact on Airbnb market in one of the most severely impacted major cities. It is one of the first attempts to identify shifts in underlying trends in travel based on Airbnb data.

Magnifying the Terrace: David Saunders and the Cross Street Co-Operative Housing Development

ABSTRACT This paper traces the influence that pioneering Australian architectural historian David Saunders (1928–1986) exerted over the development of the University of Melbourne’s Cross Street Co-operative Housing Development in Carlton designed by Earle, Shaw & Partners (1970–1971). Cross Street is one of a number of public–private medium-density housing developments that were constructed on large sites resumed by the Housing Commission of Victoria after World War II. While the Housing Commission was demolishing large areas of inner Melbourne for tabula rasa high-rise modernist development, Saunders argued for the retention, adaptation, and acculturation of urban form, exemplified in the house he and architect wife Doreen designed for themselves in Parkville (1962). Saunders took an active role in commissioning Cross Street and his influence meant that it became the first large-scale urban project in Australia that consciously articulated an understanding of its historic environment. The project demonstrates many of his key urban ideas such as the importance of the nineteenth-century terrace form and shared pedestrianised spaces. This paper argues that the project presaged the so-called rediscovery of the city in Australia, emerged amidst the rise of local architectural history as a discipline, heritage activism, and an institution positioning itself for expansion.

Measuring Neighbourhood Walking Access for Older Adults

Older adults are an important part of the world’s population. Many researchers have worked on walking as a mode of transport and measuring walking access. However, considering older adults (aged 65 and over) walk time, older population, and older pedestrians’ safety to measure walking accessibility has not been widely discussed. This study proposes two Walking Accessibility Index (OWAI1 and OWAI2) to measure walking access levels for older adults around the neighbourhoods. The index considers the older travelers’ walk time to reach various destinations (e.g., shopping, healthcare, education, and recreation services), land use mix, pedestrian crash datasets, street connectivity and the older population. Among these two proposed indices, OWAI1 statistically performs better. The transport and urban planners can use the newly developed OWAI1 for future planning and policy implementations. The index may be applied to measure disabled commuters’ walking access levels as considerable walking speed is lower. Besides, the proposed index is also appropriate for other adults by using the corresponding variables for that particular age group. Metropolitan Melbourne is used in this paper as the case study to measure older adults’ walking accessibility. This paper outlines that the older adults’ walking access level is very low for most Melbourne areas, negatively impacting their travel behavior.

Self-compassion training in palliative care during COVID-19: A pilot study.

This pilot project replicated a self-compassion program to support health-care professionals in palliative care settings. We anticipated that undertaking this program would enhance participants' psychological well-being. Participants were recruited by convenience sampling from palliative care services in an area of Melbourne, Australia. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the program was offered online and comprised six once-weekly gatherings. Three survey rounds with identical questions were conducted prior to, immediately after, and 3 months after the training. The surveys consisted of 6 scales: the Self-Compassion Scale, the Santa Clara Brief Compassion Scale, the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, the Professional Quality of Life Scale, and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index Scale. Paired-sample t-test and repeated measures analysis of variance analyses were used to compare participant responses. Nine participants working in palliative care completed the training and 3 surveys and included qualitative responses. The experience was overwhelmingly positive. Self-compassion (F=14.44; p<0.05) and mindfulness (F=18.44; p<0.05) scores significantly increased post-training, were picked up in a short time and endured. The emotional state improved by compassion satisfaction, showing a positive improvement 3 months post-training, along with there being no changes in compassion satisfaction, burnout, and dispositional empathy. Participants all worked in a supportive environment, which encouraged self-care. Even against the pandemic difficulties, a short online program was effective, assisting participants to cultivate their inner resources in mindfulness and self-compassion. While a small sample size, expansion of the training may benefit the wider palliative care workforce.

Maternal warmth is associated with network segregation across late childhood: A longitudinal neuroimaging study.

The negative impact of adverse experiences in childhood on neurodevelopment is well documented. Less attention however has been given to the impact of variations in “normative” parenting behaviors. The influence of these parenting behaviors is likely to be marked during periods of rapid brain reorganization, such as late childhood. The aim of the current study was to investigate associations between normative parenting behaviors and the development of structural brain networks across late childhood. Data were collected from a longitudinal sample of 114 mother-child dyads (54% female children, M age 8.41 years, SD = 0.32 years), recruited from low socioeconomic areas of Melbourne, Australia. At the first assessment parenting behaviors were coded from two lab-based interaction tasks and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the children were performed. At the second assessment, approximately 18 months later (M age 9.97 years, SD = 0.37 years) MRI scans were repeated. Cortical thickness (CT) was extracted from T1-weighted images using FreeSurfer. Structural covariance (SC) networks were constructed from partial correlations of CT estimates between brain regions and estimates of network efficiency and modularity were obtained for each time point. The change in these network measures, from Time 1 to Time 2, was also calculated. At Time 2, less positive maternal affective behavior was associated with higher modularity (more segregated networks), while negative maternal affective behavior was not related. No support was found for an association between local or global efficacy and maternal affective behaviors at Time 2. Similarly, no support was demonstrated for associations between maternal affective behaviors and change in network efficiency and modularity, from Time 1 to Time 2. These results indicate that normative variations in parenting may influence the development of structural brain networks in late childhood and extend current knowledge about environmental influences on structural connectivity in a developmental context.

Internal migration and house prices in Australia

ABSTRACT Australia is one of the most mobile countries in the world due to internal migration. This study provides the first evidence of the causal impact of internal migration inflow on house price changes across 237 statistical regions in Australia from 2014 to 2019. Employing a spatial correlation approach, the paper indicates that internal migration that amounts to 1% of the initial local area population is associated with a 0.52–0.71% increase in house prices in the three most populated states of Australia. Migration inflow has a significant positive effect on house price changes in metropolitan areas of Sydney and Melbourne rather than non-metropolitan regions.

Lead poisoning of backyard chickens: Implications for urban gardening and food production

Increased interest in backyard food production has drawn attention to the risks associated with urban trace element contamination, in particular lead (Pb) that was used in abundance in Pb-based paints and gasoline. Here we examine the sources, pathways and risks associated with environmental Pb in urban gardens, domestic chickens and their eggs. A suite of other trace element concentrations (including As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) are reported from the sampled matrices. Sixty-nine domestic chickens from 55 Sydney urban gardens were sampled along with potential sources (feed, soil, water), blood Pb concentrations and corresponding concentrations in eggs. Age of the sampled chickens and house age was also collected. Commercial eggs (n = 9) from free range farms were analysed for comparative purposes. Study outcomes were modelled using the large Australian VegeSafe garden soil database (>20,000 samples) to predict which areas of inner-city Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are likely to have soil Pb concentrations unsuitable for keeping backyard chickens. Soil Pb concentrations was a strong predictor of chicken blood and egg Pb (p=<0.00001). Almost 1 in 2 (n = 31/69) chickens had blood Pb levels >20 μg/dL, the level at which adverse effects may be observed. Older homes were correlated with higher chicken blood Pb (p = 0.00002) and egg Pb (p = 0.005), and younger chickens (<12 months old) had greater Pb concentrations, likely due to increased Pb uptake during early life development. Two key findings arose from the study data: (i) in order to retain chicken blood Pb below 20 μg/dL, soil Pb needs to be < 166 mg/kg; (ii) to retain egg Pb < 100 μg/kg (i.e. a food safety benchmark value), soil Pb needs to be < 117 mg/kg. These concentrations are significantly lower than the soil Pb guideline of 300 mg/kg for residential gardens. This research supports the conclusion that a large number of inner-city homes may not be suitable for keeping chickens and that further work regarding production and consumption of domestic food is warranted.

Adolescents’ perceptions of park characteristics that discourage park visitation

Parks are key amenities of liveable cities that support physical activity and social interaction. However, parks are often not well attended by adolescents, and little is known about what park characteristics may discourage adolescents from visiting parks. The aim of this study was to explore what park characteristics adolescents perceive as most likely to discourage park visitation. Adolescents (n = 444, 13–18 years, 53% female) from seven schools in diverse areas of Melbourne, Australia completed an online survey at school. In response to an open-ended question, participants listed three park characteristics that would most likely discourage their park visitation. Content analysis was performed to determine categories of park characteristics from the coded responses. The six most frequently stated park characteristics that would discourage park visitation related to: play equipment (e.g., small/children’s playgrounds, no play equipment, no swings; 44% of participants mentioned the category at least once); social factors (e.g., crowded parks, presence of undesirable people; 32%); natural environment (e.g., small/no grassy space, large grassy open space; 28%); maintenance (e.g., dirty facilities, rubbish; 23%); sport/recreation features (e.g., skate park; 20%); and amenities (e.g., no shade, toilets, drink taps; 19%). To encourage more adolescents to increasingly visit parks, it is imperative for stakeholders to address the park features that they perceive as unappealing to ensure that park design caters to this important age group.