Wandering Minds Walk
A one-woman trek along the entire East Coast of mainland Australia.
Bailey's incredible journey began in May 2022, at “South Point” Victoria, (the most southern point of Australia’s Wilsons Promontory). From there Bailey traversed along the eastern coastline of three states to the most northern tip of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, trekking an incredible 5,500 kms over a 14-month period.
Following foot trails through some of the most rugged terrain in the world, motivated to join the growing movement and conversations around mental health awareness, Bailey fundraised over $100,000 for the Black Dog Institute, supporting their ongoing commitment to mental health research, resources, and services.
👟 5,500 kms
💪 14 months
❤️ $100,000+ raised
👟 5,500 kms 💪 14 months ❤️ $100,000+ raised
Armed with a 20-kilogram backpack nicknamed Monster - and not much hiking experience, Bailey set off hiking through countless diverse natural environments, from pristine coastlines, national parks, mountainous terrains, lush rainforests, arid deserts and the 1600+ kilometres of Queensland’s infamous Bruce Highway.
Her wandering minds walk was deeply rooted in raising awareness about mental health and the walk itself was a powerful platform for mental health advocacy particularly highlighting the struggles of living with a chronic mental illness, whilst attempting to reducing associated stigma. Throughout her journey Bailey prioritised connecting with local communities along the East Coast including one-on-one conversations with individuals, speaking at community events and school engagements and linking in with mental health organisations and support groups allowing her to spread awareness at a ‘grass root’ level. She also contributed to her mental health objective of raising awareness and tolerance through social media, online platforms and various media sources with coverage on radio and television, newspaper and magazine articles, podcasts and a guest interview in a suicide prevention documentary streaming on Stan.
The walk was deeply rooted in raising awareness about mental health.
Bailey’s walk along the East Coast of Australia was an inspirational journey through some of the country’s most iconic and diverse landscapes, yet fraught with an amplitude of challenges including extreme weather challenges, wildlife encounters, navigational difficulties, injuries, remote areas including a rescue operation with limited support and supplies, contributing to psychological and physical fatigue. Throughout her journey, Bailey not only persevered through adverse physical challenges but also took it upon herself to explore and advocate for mental health support resource availability along the east coast. Her ambition is to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding mental health, promote management and wellness amongst us by encouraging people to access the help they need without stigma or judgment.
