The Queensland Rural, Regional and Remote Women’s Network (QRRRWN) is excited to announce that it has been the recipient of a Queensland Women’s Week grant for a project called ‘Walk around Queensland’.

Overcoming isolation of rural, regional and remote (RRR) women by connecting virtually and face to face in Kingaroy, the project aims to motivate RRR women to exercise and actively care for their wellbeing.  With many women putting themselves and their health last on the priority list, the theme “You’re worth it” is set to encourage a reshuffling of the priority order.

Together, participants are going to take a virtual walk through milestones around rural, regional and remote Queensland. The project involves participants from across the state using the free World Walking app during Queensland Women’s Week to log their daily walk/jog/run & other physical activities, along with a purpose built facebook event.  Each post will add to the cumulative kilometres walked by all participants and tracked on a Queensland map showing and celebrating how far the group has walked around Queensland.

Prizes will be up for grabs for those who participate in a number of categories and there will be information, inspiration, motivation and support channelled through the facebook event in the lead up to and after the event.

Being launched in Kingaroy on 3 March is significant for QRRRWN in its 25^th year as the South Burnett is the birthplace of QRRRWN (formerly QRWN and RWN) and will also be the community hosting the 25^th QRRRWN state conference in September this year. In honour of this, the virtual route starts and ends in Kingaroy.

The project will encourage accountability by connecting participants who sign up, creating incentive for them to exercise more frequently through daily competitions creating a fun atmosphere and recognition of women participating.  The seven-day commitment is hoped to encourage continued walks and keeping the QRRRWN Group on World Walking open after the event will encourage continued connectedness between members.

How to join?

Everyone is welcome to participate! Together the group will take a virtual walk through milestones around rural, regional and remote Queensland in the name of health, wellbeing and community.

1. Sign up to the Facebook event to stay up to date: https://www.facebook.com/events/916748911833363/

2. Join the QRRRWN group on World Walking
* On desktop, visit: https://worldwalking.org/groups/4k6qe
* On iOS or Android: Install the World Walking app, then search for QRRRWN group

3. Once you are in the group, join Walk Around Queensland (in Our Walks)

4. From 3 – 10 March, add your daily steps towards Walk Around Queensland in World Walking.

You can convert other forms of exercise (swimming, biking, housework, and more) into steps using this online calculator (http://www.calorieking.com.au/tools/step_equivalence.php).

5. Everyone is welcome to participate. Get your friends involved and share photos of your walks in the World Walking group, and the Facebook event page (hashtag #walkaroundqld).

Every step counts – our target is 7,734,284 steps to Walk Around Queensland 

As further encouragement, prizes will be given for the most kilometres walked by an individual.

This project has been supported by YWCA Queensland and the Queensland Government. Thank you to World Walking for setting up the custom virtual walk.

For more information, please contact QRRRWN on 1300 795 571.