Walking SA is delighted to announce that Sharon Kelsey has been appointed as our new Executive Director.

With over 15 years as an Executive leading local government and public sector organisations, she has formal qualifications in law, management and adult education. With lived experience in the Australian outback, Asia, Europe, the US and interstate, she brings business acumen with her lust for walking.

Her wanderlust developed from her early years spent accompanying her amateur botanist grandfather as he trekked across the Fleurieu Peninsula. It was here she became adept at not only spotting orchids but knowing where the best spots were to take in the expansive views and find sufficient shade for a well-earned rest. As an active walker she has completed much of the Great South West Walk, the Heysen Trail and walked from Port Augusta to Quorn via the Pichi Richi Pass.

With a good knowledge across all our focus areas of bushwalking, walking for transport and walking for health, she will be working to seek the best outcomes for all trail users.

With an extensive career in leadership in large urban and smaller rural community-based organisations both here in South Australia and interstate she will be a valuable asset in liaising with a range of diverse stakeholders.

As a strong advocate for the benefits of walking including the health, social and mental wellbeing that flow from active participation, she will help Walking SA to achieve its vision of seeing more people walking more often.

Walking SA held its Annual General Meeting on Thursday 20^th October at the Torrens Rowing Club, with an attendance of over 50 people from member clubs, organisations and supporters. We greatly appreciate the attendance and engagement with those there on the night.

Thank you to Mary-Anne Healy from the Department of Environment and Water for the presentation for our bushwalkers on trail updates and plans, including the Southern Flinders Ranges (new Gorges Walk – construction to commence in 2023 and improvements to Tapanappa Ridge Lookout), the new infrastructure along the Wild South Coast Way (those who have used it give it a big thumbs up!), and the continuing work at Kangaroo Island.

Thanks to EXURBIA The Adventure Supply Co the Lucky Door Prize, a Salewa Denali II Tent valued at $429 was won by Sharon. The Denali II is a large 2-person, 3-season, double wall dome tent for hiking and trekking.

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.

Awards were presented to three organisations and one individual, celebrating their contribution to walking in South Australia. Awards were presented by Lyn Dean, Chief Executive, Wellbeing SA, and Rod Quintrell, Walking SA Chair.

Board

Walking SA Board and AGM guests, 20 October 2022. From left-to-right: Jim McLean (obscured), John Eaton, Jeremy Carter, Rebecca Tooher, Lisa Murphy, Matt Lang, Bill Gehling, Charlotte Budenberg, guest Mary-Anne Healy from the Department of Environment and Water, Rod Quintrell, Ian Radbone, guest Lyn Dean, Chief Executive of Wellbeing SA, Daniel Osborne, Meredith Lawson, Daniel Bennett, Jinal Shah, Tuesday Udell.

We welcome Daniel Osborne as a new Board member, having earlier taken on the role of Chair of the Walking for Transport Committee. With Daniel’s professional background as an Urban Transportation Plangineer he brings a valuable perspective to the Walking for Transport Committee. He brings a strong data driven approach to planning, design and policy development, informed by the work of globally recognised thought leaders. He has key skills in public transport infrastructure and network design, human scaled street design and spatial driven data analysis. He’s a big fan of challenging conventional wisdom.

2021/22 Annual Report

The 2021/22 Annual Report was distributed at the AGM and Helen Donovan, Executive Director of Walking SA, spoke to the report identifying a range of highlights from the past year.