Ambient sound of trekking through a forest. Artist: Tim Kahn – Source
Strap on your trekking shoes, rally up your closest friends and family and get ready to feel alive. We’ve found something to make you feel great!
The social purpose enterprise, Wild Women On Top, is inviting teams of four (at least 50% women) to join their life-changing hike along the Fleurieu Peninsula on September 21, 2018, to help raise funds for mental health organisation beyondblue. Grab your girlfriends and join Olympic Gold Medallist and mum Juliet Haslam, and journalist Jennifer Byrne, by registering for the inaugural Adelaide Coastrek – a 30-60km team trekking challenge – when registration opens Tuesday, May 1, 2018.
beyondblue CEO Georgie Harman is excited about the Adelaide Coastrek, knowing how important hiking can be.
“Research shows keeping active can help you stay mentally healthy or manage and recover from anxiety or depression,” Georgie said. “Adelaide Coastrek ticks all the boxes when it comes to looking after our mental wellbeing by spending time with family and friends, keeping fit and having fun.”
beyondblue is an independent, not-for-profit organisation working to reduce the impact of anxiety and depression and prevent suicide in Australia.
But while there’s the heartwarming part of raising funds for a good cause, there are others who see this trekking challenge as a way to really feel alive again.
Women walk as part of Coastrek in Sydney’s North Head. Image: Supplied
Local Adelaide Olympian and Coastrek ambassador Juliet Haslam fell in love with the natural exhilaration hiking offers after a calf injury left her unable to play team sports. She quickly yearned for the feeling of being alive again and discovered that walking in nature with the wind in her hair and the sun on her skin was the best solution.
“After the injury limited my fitness options, I began to explore and found all of these fabulous trails, almost in my own backyard,” Juliet said. “Only minutes from home I’m able to climb hills, jump creeks and enjoy incredible scenery, all whilst getting a sweat up and having that head clearing time and space that we all so desperately need!”
She hopes to motivate and inspire family, friends and everyone to give hiking a go so that she can share the buzz she gets from wanderlusting with others.
“It really is exhilarating and I want others to experience and enjoy it as much as I do. Fitness, fun, fresh air and friendship – what more could you ask for?” Juliet said.
“I love that Adelaide Coastrek is raising funds for beyondblue which is such an amazing cause and can’t wait for all of Adelaide to get on board in September.”
For others, this trek is all about feeling the philanthropic thrill of standing up for a worthy cause.
Women at the Coastrek finish line in Sydney. Image: Supplied
Journalist Jennifer Byrnes is the Patron for all Coastrek events and is hoping to encourage other women to sign up to the challenge and help raise vital funds for beyondblue.
“I couldn’t be happier or prouder to be joining the Coastrek team in the role of Patron,” Jennifer said. “I feel totally in synch with all the things it stands for – love of nature, a keen faith in the power and generosity of women, and a commitment to the work of beyondblue.”
Coastrek began in Sydney in 2009, before launching in Melbourne in 2015 and the Sunshine Coast in 2017. Since then nearly 25,000 trekkers have raised over $22 million for charity.
Adelaide Coastrek was launched by former Prime Minister and beyondblue Chairwoman, Julia Gillard, in February. Ms Gillard said she was delighted that local women would be encouraged to join the challenge while aiming to raise over $1 million.
Registrations for a limited number of places on Adelaide Coastrek open from May 1 at www.coastrek.com.au
