Many volunteers and others have contributed to South Australia’s great walking trails, walking clubs, and walking promotion and opportunities for health, wellbeing, recreation and tourism.
In its third year, last night’s annual Walking Awards at the Jade in Flinders St recognised sustained and outstanding contribution to walking at all levels throughout South Australia.
Awards were presented to 12 organisations and individuals, celebrating their contribution to walking in South Australia.
If you know of someone who should be considered for 2019’s awards please do consider nominating them, we’re accepting nominations throughout the year.
2018 Annual Walking Award Winners
District Council of Cleve
2018 Local Government Award – Organisation
The Council developed the 5km trail to a standard to be accessible to people with mobility issues. Many have made use of the trail, as well as local gym members, a local walking group, and the local parkrun – all assisting in the promotion of participating in structured and unstructured …
South Australian Recreation Trails Inc (SARTI)
2018 Special Recognition Award – Group/Organisation
On Saturday 5 May 2018, the final section of the 350km Lavender Federation Trail was opened at Clare. It had taken 21 years since the concept was imagined for the dedicated volunteers of South Australian Recreation Trails Inc (SARTI) to bring the trail from a vision to reality. …
National Trust of South Australia – Hahndorf Branch
2018 Special Recognition Award – Group/Organisation
The trail honours the German pioneer women who regularly walked along the old Peramangk trails with their produce to sell in Adelaide. The Hahndorf Branch has been instrumental in establishing, maintaining and promoting the trail, having first walked the route in 1980 and opening the trail in …
National Heart Foundation Walking
2018 Special Recognition Award – Group/Organisation
The Heart Foundation established the program to encourage thousands of Australians to get moving for better health. The program gives participants 20 weeks to walk towards the magic target of a million steps or complete 100 group walks. Built upon the strong foundation of their network of free …
Department for Environment and Water
2018 Special Recognition Award – Group/Organisation
The Government of South Australia’s Department for Environment and Water established the Park of the Month program as a means of promoting our national parks in South Australia. Run in conjunction with Nature Play SA, this has been an exciting program focusing on individual parks with an …
Peter Beer, Adelaide Bushwalkers
2018 Long Standing Contribution/Distinctive Service Award – Individual
Peter Beer has been a member of Adelaide Bushwalkers (ABW) since 1959 as a prolific walk leader, facilitating training for new members, Walks Secretary and President. He has published two books, “Flinders Ranges Walks”, and more recently “Adelaide’s Best Bush, Coast & City Walks”. Peter …
Ted Chessman
2018 Special Recognition Award – Individual
As a trained and experienced walk leader Ted has for almost 30 years been involved in establishing walking groups. For 29 years Ted led 2 walks a week with the Keep Fit SA campaign (1989-1998) and later the Keep Walking group. He led walks of varying grades of difficulty, which enabled people …
Andrew Govan, Bushwalking Leadership SA
2018 Long Standing Contribution/Distinctive Service Award – Individual
Andrew has been involved in bushwalking since the early 1990s and has been a tireless contributor. He has been instrumental in continuing to ensure Bushwalking Leadership SA remains relevant and fit for purpose to the South Australian community. He is an active member of their Board and is …
George Adams, South Australian Recreation Trails Inc (SARTI)
2018 Long Standing Contribution/Distinctive Service Award – Individual
For the past 19 years George has been involved bringing the vision of the Lavender Federation Trail to fruition. George has taken every opportunity to complete the trail by assisting in planning of the trail route, working bees, and marking the trail. As the trail grew in length, he undertook …
Barry Stacey, South Australian Recreation Trails Inc (SARTI)
2018 Long Standing Contribution/Distinctive Service Award – Individual
Barry served for almost 14 years as Secretary on the Board of the South Australian Recreation Trails Inc (SARTI), which has brought the vision of the 350km Lavender Federation Trail to fruition. As planning and construction of the trail spread further north, in his role as Secretary he has been …
Cynthia Pyle, St. Agnes Bushwalking and Natural History Club
2018 Long Standing Contribution/Distinctive Service Award – Individual
Cynthia has served as Club Secretary since 2004, including collating the walking program, organising the Club’s publicity and being the first point of contact for enquires from potential members and current members. She leads many interesting walks where she shares her comprehensive general …
John Wilson, Friends of the Heysen Trail
2018 Long Standing Contribution/Distinctive Service Award – Individual
John joined the Friends of the Heysen Trail in 1990, volunteering in trail maintenance, collaborating on an interim Heysen Trail Maintenance Manual and in developing the first Management Plan for the Heysen Trail. Serving on the organisation’s Council since 1995, as editor of the organisation’s …