Hi all

Family violence can affect everyone, be they men or women, girls or boys, young or elderly.

Perpetrators use family violence in many forms to control you. It might be physical violence. It might be withholding bank details so you can’t spend your own money. It might be constantly putting you down or threatening your loved one or even your pet, if you don’t obey certain demands.

But you can make a difference. You are already making a difference if you are joining me on this trek or supporting someone who is going on it.

You can also make a difference by being part of a community which says “no” to violence.

Every day Windermere provides support services to people who are impacted by the trauma of family violence.

Windermere supports families who need to leave a violent situation to explore long and short term housing options. They also connect them to other services which assist them to rebuild their lives.

Contact Windermere during working hours on 1300 946 337 to find out more how they can help. In an urgent life threatening or emergency situation always call 000.

Kokoda preparation

Winter is not the easiest time to get outside, so I keep reminding myself why we are going to Kokoda. It promises to be a trip of a lifetime, but it is also an opportunity to make a positive difference to others.

Like many of my team mates, I am starting to increase my activity levels as Kokoda draws closer.

By October we are all aiming to be able to walk for entire, consecutive days on steep, muddy jungle trails.

One of the best ways to prepare is by working out in similar conditions and terrain that we will find along the Kokoda Track. Many of us have been finding steep bush tracks, which feature tree roots, mud and vegetation or improvising with stairs.

Many of the team have visited one of the most well-known spots to prepare for Kokoda, the appropriately named 1,000 Steps Kokoda Memorial Track in Upper Ferntree Gully. This was where we held a group training session earlier in the year.

Situated in the Dandenong Ranges National Park the track combines a steep path with steps that lead up to the top of One Tree Hill. As a bonus, it’s been a learning opportunity as it was created as a Kokoda memorial. The Kokoda campaign is remembered with various plaques throughout the park.

The steep slopes and awesome bushland of the Dandenong Ranges also offer plenty of other opportunities to train for Kokoda. You can even continue on from the 1,000 Steps to complete the whole 20 kilometre Mt Dandenong Hiking Trail from Ferntree Gully to Mt Dandenong.

Thanks for your support and joining us on the journey. If you know of any great places to train for Kokoda, then please let us know, email events@windermere.org.au.

Collectively the team have so far raised over $48,000, what a massive effort.

You can make a difference to children and families in need by making a donation to Windermere here.

#trektoendviolence

Mt Little Joe training

Mt Little Joe trail