The Ultimate 2024 Australian Charity Walk Guide

The Ultimate 2024 Australian Charity Walk Guide

When you set a goal, suddenly training becomes less of a chore and more of a focused mission. Whether it's just wanting to increase your walking distance or gearing up for a specific challenge, having a clear target in mind transforms your exercise routine. Instead of vaguely aiming to "walk more," your objective crystallises into something like, "conquer that upcoming charity walk."

This shift in mindset ensures that each step you take is not only about personal fitness but also about preparation for a bigger cause. Nothing gets you out of bed like the knowledge that if you don’t, you’ll get your ass kicked on event day. 

If you don’t have a goal, you can’t reach your goal. We at Vitasole think your next mountain to climb should be a charity walk. Not only will you have something to strive for, you’ll feel that sense of community of everyone else on the walk AND you’ll be helping a good cause. 

Upcoming Charity Walks in Australia

Nationwide Events

Million Paws Walk (RSPCA): 
26th May

We all love dogs. This charity walk from legends RSPCA is all about them. By signing up and fundraising you’ll be providing much needed support for the work the RSPCA do with our furry friends. The best bit? You don’t even have to have a dog to sign up!

Participate in various lengths and locations across the country. Find a walk near you.

Bloody Long Walk for Mito (Mito Foundation)

There are many forms of Mitochondrial Disease (like Cancer), but they are all devastating to whoever has it. The disease affects the powerhouse of the cell, the Mitochondria by limiting how efficiently it can change sugars into energy. Not much is known about the disease currently, so your help raising funds for research is crucial!

This walk, as the name suggests, is definitely one that you’ll have to train for. At a staggering 35ks, it’s not for the faint of heart. 

If you’ve got the gumption, pull on your Vitasoles and get training! You’ll be glad you did. 

Queensland

Vitasole is based in QLD so evidently we are a bit biased, but we thought we’d start with the greatest state in Australia (quite possibly the world), Queensland.

Walk to Defeat MND

If you lived through the early days of the internet then you might remember the “Ice Bucket Challenge'', where people would chuck a bucket of freezing water over themselves to simulate the effects of MND. Unfortunately, it didn’t find a cure and MND is still running rampant. The good news is that we’re fighting it right here in Australia with the Walk to Defeat MND. 

Choose between 2km and 4km walks in Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, and Toowoomba, happening through May to September. 

Memory Walk & Jog (Dementia Australia)

In Queensland alone there are almost 80,000 people living with Dementia. Anyone who knows someone that this affliction has affected knows just how debilitating, heartbreaking and scary it can be.This walk is on the shorter side at 2 or 5ks, but you’ll be doing a great thing supporting a great cause. 

The Kokoda Challenge (Kokoda Youth Foundation) 

In 1942, in the dark midst of WWII Japanese forces were getting dangerously close to Australia. Having landed in Papua New Guinea they started to make their way south to Port Moresby. If taken, it would become a strategic stronghold in the region. Becoming a real thorn in the side of Allied forces and putting Australia in very real danger of attack. 

In response, Australia sent 625 valiant soldiers to hold them back. Outnumbered and in gruelling conditions on the Kokoda Trail, the Aussies did just that! Becoming etched into national folklore forever in the process. 

But these days, that legacy is fading. Kids are less interested in the heroes of old, who have been replaced by whatever might be “trending”. 

The Kokoda challenge exists to fight that. The original Kokoda challenge on the Gold Coast is a gruelling 96 kms (the length of the Kokoda trail), giving a taste of what our brave soldiers in 1942 went through. The other (still gruelling) events are shorter with options of 18, 30 or 48 kms.

The funds raised go to support the Kokoda Youth Foundation. This foundation aims at taking kids away from technology and getting them back on the right track. Instilling those Aussie Digger values of courage, endurance, mateship and sacrifice. 

New South Wales

Undoubtedly, New South Wales is the most iconic state in Australia. Ask anyone overseas what the first thing they think about when you mention Australia is and you’d be hard pressed to find someone that doesn’t bring up The Opera House, The Harbour Bridge or Bondi Beach. 

There’s a reason it’s got this reputation, it’s beautiful! A charity walk is a great way to get out there and appreciate it. Here are our favourites. 

Seven Bridges Walk (Cancer Council)

20th October (Sydney) 

If you live in Sydney and you haven’t done this walk (or at least a fair chunk of it) already, it’s time to lace up those Vitasole’s and hit the track. Sydney is one of the best cities to walk in on Earth, and this track is one of the big reasons why. 

Circumnavigating the majority of the gorgeous harbour region this is a walk that will long live in your memories. 

Why not enjoy it with a bunch of other people in the same boat, raising money for a great cause along the way. This one is a bit on the longer side at 28 kms, so get out and start training (potentially on bits of this very track) today! 

MS Walk Run + Roll (MS Plus) 

26th May (Sydney) 

If you’ve ever known someone with Multiple Sclerosis (1 in 3 Australians will be impacted directly through a diagnosed family member, friend or colleague) you’ll know first hand what a truly awful affliction it is. At this point, there is no cure. This walk provides much required funds but is also a celebration of the resilience and diversity of the MS community. 

This walk is one of the more inclusive ones on our list (it’s a walk, run AND roll), meaning anyone can give it a go, and at either 5 or 10 kms it’s one you can knock out without much hassle. 


Sunshine Walk (Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre Trust Fund)

November 10th (Albury) 

Supporting the local community always gives you a sense of pride, this walk does exactly that. All of the funds raised from this walk goes right back into cancer support services in their local region. Don’t get us wrong, all funding towards cancer is valid and important. But it can be nice to see your efforts having a tangible result (just like the tangible result your walking efforts will have on your health).

South Australia

Things happen a bit slower down south, and that’s just the way we like it! Steeped in history and truly gorgeous scenery, South Australia is a great place to get walking. There are a couple of great walks in this part of the world, but these are our favourite ones for charity. 

Pioneer Women’s Trail Walk (National Trust, SA) 

19th May (Adelaide) 

An idyllic walk through the Adelaide hills, raising money for a good cause AND a bit of a history lesson sprinkled on top, what’s not to like?! 

This walk honours the early settlers of Adelaide who landed in Hahndorf (where the walk begins). At the time the majority of food was imported into South Australia, this was expensive and of poor quality. The people of Hahndorf set up early farmland to help alleviate this by providing fresh produce. Upon harvest, it was the women’s job to make the arduous 35 km walk on the rough bush track to sell their wares. This continued until 1850! 

This walk gives an option of 26, 19 or 12 kms with all the proceeds going towards the National Trust. 

SAHMRI’s BRIGHT Walk (South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute) 

6th July (Adelaide)

This walk may well be the most fun on this list and one that the person writing this would very much like to do (*cough* hint hint, send your social media guy there *cough*). 

Many of the other walks featured on this list focus on the gorgeous scenery this country has to offer, but on this walk, you literally won’t be able to see it. 

That’s because this particular walk is at night. It starts at 4pm as the sun is setting on a brisk Winter day. But don’t worry, you won’t be short of things to look at. For the duration of this walk Adelaide is lit up by absolutely spectacular lighting installations. 

It is meant to symbolise the darkness that facing a mental or physical health disorder can bring to your life. But the support of loved ones and help of institutes like SAHMRI light the path in those dark times. The installations get brighter and brighter as you go along, finishing at the SAHMRI Cheesegrater building where you’ll be bathed in warm and light. 

This one seems like a lot of fun. A real party atmosphere supporting a truly terrific cause. 

Victoria

A home of culture, the arts, sport. We love Victoria, there’s just always something going on! Including a couple of absolutely great charity walks. Here are our favourites: 

Stadium Stomp (MND Victoria) 

2nd June (Melbourne) 

There have been many feats of athletic greatness at the MCG. Collingwood & St Kilda playing 2 grand finals in a row after a draw in 2010. Shane Warne’s 700th test wicket, and Scott Boland getting 6/7 on debut. Kerryn McCann taking the lead and winning in the Commonwealth Games Marathon 200m from the finish line. 

Well, you’re about to have an MCG feat of athletic greatness of your own. Normally, a walk up the MCG steps is a joyous one. Only a few more steps until you get to see your favourite team play on hallowed ground. Not anymore…

Stadium Stomp is a charity walk like no other. You’ll be trudging up every.single.one of those steps! In a ground that seats 100 thousand people, that’s a few. The full course is 7,300 steps, but they also offer a light version of 1,900 steps, or for the nutcases out there they offer Stomp Unlimited, which will have you climbing ‘til you drop.

Pasifika Festival and Charity Walk (Women's Federation for World Peace) 

7th December (Melbourne) 

The Pacific Islands are ancient slices of paradise nestled in the heart of the Pacific Ocean. But unfortunately, they aren’t paradise for everyone. Step outside the glitz and glamour of the beachfront resorts and you’ll see hardships and poverty simply not visible from the swim-up bar. On top of this, Global Warming and the rising sea levels that come with it are threatening their homes and way of life. 

The UN backed Women’s Federation for World Peace wanted to do something about it. The Pasifika festival started as a charity walk to celebrate Pacific Island cultures and raise money for projects that have been running since 2003, such as: 

  • Books for the Islands
  • Women's Sewing Centres
  • Pasifika Scholarship Fund
  • Pasifika Micro-credit Project
  • Island Lights Project
  • New Hope Academy Kindergarten and Primary School
  • Days for Girls reusable menstrual kits

After a leisurely 3km walk you’ll be treated with a Pasifika celebration of traditional dance performances, live bands, children’s activities, traditional food stalls and more. 

A great cause and a great day out. 

Conclusion

A charity walk is a lot of things; a great day out with your friends and family, an amazing way to raise much needed funds for incredible causes, but most importantly for us it’s an incredible goal to reach for when starting your walking fitness journey.  

We are blessed that Australia is an absolutely GORGEOUS place to go for a walk. Get out and hit the track in a pair of Vitasole shoes and soak it all in. Feed your body and your soul by exercising for a good cause. 

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