These are the rules in Victoria ..

You can ride on a footpath if you:

• are a child under the age of 12 
• are an adult supervising a child under the age of 12 
• have been given and are following the conditions on a medical certificate that says you have a disability that makes it difficult for you to ride on the road. You must be able to show the certificate to a police officer or authorised person when asked.

Bike riders must keep to the left on footpaths and shared paths, unless impractical to do so. 
Bike riders must give way to pedestrians on shared paths or footpaths (see above for restrictions regarding bike riding on footpaths).

Are they followed?   NO.   They zoom along, usually young hoons, without regard to anyone or anything.  I usually walk two dogs around here and have to keep looking over my shoulder  If i see them coming towards me that's one thing, but it's the ones who come from behind that are so dangerous, the ones that weave in and out. .