Walking SA held its Annual General Meeting on Thursday 9^th November at The Jade, with an attendance of people from member clubs, organisations, supporters and the public. We greatly appreciate the attendance and engagement with those there on the night.

Thank you to Travis Saunders who presented on challenges and strategies to enable more neurodivergent people to experience the life-changing benefits of bushwalking. Travis is a qualified bushwalking guide, accredited running coach and founder of Inclusive Trails; offering expeditions, bushwalking programs, run coaching and mentoring for neurodivergent adults. He has recently been awarded a Churchill Fellowship scholarship to “To investigate models of support that enable autistic people to access and enjoy bushwalking.”

Thanks to EXURBIA The Adventure Supply Co three random Lucky Door Prizes were drawn and won to spend in-store at EXURBIA: 1 x voucher valued at $200 to Liz O’Shea, and 1 x voucher valued at $100 Melanie Sjoberg, and 1 x voucher valued at $100 to Jeremy Carter.

Award Winners

We presented the awards for the annual Walking SA Walking Awards. The awards recognises and promotes the achievements and work of groups, organisations, local and state government, and volunteers in South Australia. The Awards process is an opportunity for public and peer recognition of achievements in walking, and demonstrates to volunteers, community groups, the recreation industry, business, government, and the wider community the significant and positive impact that can be achieved through improvements to walkability. This year the awards were expanded to include a new category, to an organisation or individual that makes walking more inclusive and an adjustment to an existing one, to value the commitment to walking of a volunteer.

Awards were presented to three organisations and one individual, celebrating their contribution to walking in South Australia. Awards were presented by Gabrielle (Gabby) Fisher, Wellbeing SA, and Rod Quintrell, Walking SA Chair.

Board

We welcome Michelle Nash and Kristen Willson as new Board members, whilst thanking retiring Board members Jim McLean and Ian Radbone for their enthusiam and contribution to the Board over the past years. Both Jim and Ian will continue in their roles on the Walking for Recreation Commitee and Walking for Transport Committees.

2022/23 Annual Report

The 2022/23 Annual Report was distributed at the AGM and Sharon Kelsey, Executive Director of Walking SA and Rod Quintrell, Chair, spoke to the report identifying a range of highlights from the past year.

We also presented “Our Walking Journey 2023 – 2025” – Walking SA’s strategic plan for the next 3 years.

Our Walking Journey is a refresh of our Strategic Plan but you might view it as a significant step. It is. Walking SA is firmly focussed on our contribution to making SA a world-class walkable State. This Plan sets out our ambitious first steps. We also reinforce our mission for ‘More People walking more often’ and articulate our values of being interactive, immersed in nature, inclusive and inspiring. Read our Plan and join Walking SA on its journey to make a real difference for the benefit of every South Australian.

The Walking SA Board publicly declare our support for the constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and for a Voice that will provide a mechanism for First Nations peoples to actively participate and advise on policies and laws which affect them.

History tells us that previous First Nations representative bodies have been continually dismantled by the commonwealth government at will. By writing YES in the referendum, Australians can establish a permanent representative body that advocates for the needs and aspirations of First Nations people.

As the peak body representing all types of walking in South Australia we know that First Nations communities are at the front line of climate impacts in this country. We share a deep love of our country and actively pursue sharing this reverence with all Australians. By ensuring that First Nations communities are represented in shaping national policies, we can not only take substantive steps to close the gap, but also take steps towards achieving better health, environment and climate outcomes for all.

We know the names of all the parks and of those generous European benefactors who bequeathed land back to the government on their passing, but we struggle to tell the stories of those who lived on these places pre European settlement. There is work to be done.

Walking SA supports all elements of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, recognizing the focus is on the First Nations Voice to Parliament, while not diminishing the need to begin work on negotiating Treaty and embracing Truth-telling.

We encourage those who have not read the Uluru statement to do so. it is a hopeful and generous document and I quote:
In 1967 we were counted, in 2017 we seek to be heard. We leave base camp and start our trek across this vast country. We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future.

ulurustatement.org/the-statement

We acknowledge the diversity of views on this issue and encourage all our members and the broader community to engage in these important processes in the hope that we all will be able to make an informed decision when voting in the upcoming Referendum on 14 of October 2023.

For more information contact:
Sharon Kelsey, Executive Director
Walking SA
www.walkingsa.org.au
office@walkingsa.org.au

Position statement as at September 2023.