Oxfam Trailwalker Australia

A global challenge

Photo: Oxfam

Oxfam Trailwalker began in 1981 as a military training exercise for the elite Queen’s Gurkha Signals Regiment in Hong Kong. It has since grown into one of the world’s leading team endurance challenges. Above, walkers tackle the Oxfam Trailwalker Japan event.

Oxfam Trailwalker around the world

Oxfam Trailwalker is fast becoming a global phenomenon, with 16 events in 13 countries and counting. Globally, the events have raised more than $100 million for Oxfam’s valuable work in Australia and around the world.

In addition to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, the event is currently held in:

• India – February 2012
• New Zealand – April 2012
• Japan – May 2012
• Spain – May 2012
• The Netherlands – 2012
• France – May 2012
• Canada – July 2012
• UK – July 2012
• Belgium – August 2012
• Ireland – September 2012
• Germany – September 2012
• Hong Kong – November 2012

Stay tuned for additional Oxfam Trailwalker events due to start next year.

Oxfam Trailwalker in Australia

Oxfam Trailwalker launched in Australia in 1999, with events in both Sydney and Adelaide raising more than $250,000. A Melbourne event replaced Adelaide in 2003, and in 2011 Brisbane hosted its first Oxfam Trailwalker. More than 40,000 people have now participated in the event across Australia, raising more than $42 million.

Sydney

The Sydney event currently sees 550 teams tackle the challenging 100km trail between the Hawkesbury and Sydney Harbour and raises in excess of $3 million each year. The inaugural Oxfam Trailwalker Sydney was won by a team of Gurkhas from the UK who finished in 15 hrs 5 mins. Gurkha teams won again in 2000 and 2001, and in 2002 they finished in a then record-breaking 12 hrs 41 mins. The fastest time for the Sydney event was recorded in 2005 with ACTrun finishing in 11 hrs 59 mins. In 2009, Berowra Bushrunners became the first mixed team to win the Sydney event, crossing the line in 13 hrs 25 mins. In 2010, Quality Meats shaved more than an hour off the 2009 time, finishing in 12 hrs 7 mins.

Melbourne

The Melbourne event has steadily grown since 2003, with more than 700 teams now participating and close to $3 million raised in 2011. Keeping tradition alive, a Gurkha team also won the inaugural Oxfam Trailwalker Melbourne in 2003, finishing in 11 hrs 27 mins. In 2007, The Dashing Divas finished first, and in doing so became the first all-female team to win an Oxfam Trailwalker event anywhere in the world. In 2011, team Yettlum Meat broke the trail record set in 2009 by 12 minutes, crossing the line in 10 hours and 23 minutes.

Brisbane

The first Oxfam Trailwalker Brisbane was held 17-19 June 2011 in D’Aguilar National Park. The Brisbane event is considered the most challenging Oxfam Trailwalker event in Australia. The majority of the trail is set in remote bushland providing great bush walking, native flora and fauna, and several ‘bush checkpoints’ along the way. The fastest team, Team Calibre, set the trail record by crossing the line in 11 hours and 58 minutes. Fundraising for the first event exceeded all expectations, with teams raising more than $1 million.