Restore sight with every step

The Wild Women On Top Coastrek is a 30 and 60 km team trekking challenge to restore sight.  Coastrekkers raise money to help eliminate avoidable blindness by walking along some of Australia’s most beautiful coastlines.

Fred was always up for a challenge

Fred pushed the limits – as a surgeon and humanitarian as well as a mountaineer. So it makes sense that our biggest fundraiser not only takes place in the great outdoors, but is also a true test of endurance.

Fred's passion, in addition to ophthalmology,
was mountaineering. So the Wild Women on Top & Coastrek are very special to me and The Fred Hollows Foundation...

- Gabi Hollows
 

What is Coastrek?

Wild Women On Top Coastrek was founded by Di Westaway together with her business partner Lisa Marshall.

Since Sydney Coastrek began in 2009, with just 40 trekkers, over 22,000 people (90% of them women between 35-55 years) have been inspired to get fit trekking to transform lives.

To date, the $18.5 million dollars raised through Coastrek events have gone towards training hundreds of eye doctors and eye health workers and buliding many new eye hospitals. All this has restored sight to tens of thousands of needlessly blind people. 
 

Coastrek has transformed my life - it's the most extraordinary experience to walk with friends along the beautiful Sydney coastline and feel absolute happiness...

- Julie McCrossin

Your life-changing Coastrek Adventure

Teams of four, with at least two women in each team, take between 8 to 18 hours to complete the challenge. You'll get fit while raising money to transform lives.

When you sign up for Coastrek, you embark on months of adventure: planning, preparation, training, fundraising, chatting, walking…Join us and experience the magic.

Ways to be involved

There are many ways you can get involved with Sydney, Melbourne or Sunshine Coastrek:
 

• you can enter or join a team
• donate to a team or a friend
• become a volunteer.  

Whatever you choose, your contribution will help The Fred Hollows Foundation continue the vital work to end avoidable blindness.


Who are the Wild Women On Top?

 

 

Wild adventure challenges and motivates us to get out of our heads and in to our hearts to feel natural exhilaration. This can be addictive. 

- Di Westaway

Wild Women On Top transform lives. We create wild adventure challenges to get women walking in nature, inspiring and motivating us all to take action and get moving. And when this happens, we feel natural exhilaration. Doctors call it “lifestyle medicine.”

By committing to challenging adventures with friends, we’re motivated to do things we wouldn’t normally do, like daily walking. This creates sustained behavioural change. 

But most of us need to be tempted by exciting goals first. The Wild Women On Top Coastrek, Wild Weekends and Wild Adventures motivate women to walk.


Sydney Coastrek

Sydney Coastrek is an annual event held in March along Sydney's stunning coastline. The 2017 event saw 3,500 happy trekkers crossing the finish line in Bondi, battling sometimes torrential rain and strong winds. Over $2,5 million have been raised to help restore sight!

We can't wait to next year's two epic events starting at sunrise take you through pristine national parks, secret coves, stunning beaches and Sydney's iconic landmarks.  Trek 60km from beautiful Manly to iconic Bondi Beach or 30km from Kirribilli and finishing at Bondi Beach.

The Coastrek adventure takes you on a 12 Week Training Program. You'll get loads of expert tips and fundraising support to help you prepare for the big day. You’ll also get access to a huge range of nutrition, injury prevention, gear and other fabulous partner offers to support you along your journey.

Quick Facts
Date:  Friday 16 March 2018  - Register your interest now!
Location:  Sydney
Teams of 4, at least 50% women
Entry Fee:  $199 per person – 60km (Early Bird) or $149 per person – 30km (Early Bird)
Fundraising goal:  $500 per person ($2,000 per team)

 Find out more about Sydney Coastrek

Melbourne Coastrek

Melbourne Coastrek 2017 saw over 1,800 trekkers walk along the beautiful Mornington Peninsula coast, bathed in glorious autumn sunshine, and raise close to $1.4m to restore sight.

This annual event offers you the choice of a 60km adventure from Cape Schanck to Point Nepean or the 30km trek from Koonya Beach to Point Nepean. Along with your trekking buddies, you’ll walk on beautiful beaches and nature trails, visit sparkling bays and rugged coastline steeped in history and you’ll gain fitness, have fun and help restore sight to needlessly blind people.

The Coastrek adventure takes you on a 12 Week Training Program and you will receive loads of expert guidance and fundraising support to help you prepare for the big day. You’ll also gain access to a range of nutrition, injury prevention, gear and other fabulous partner offers to support you on your journey.

Quick Facts

Date: Friday 25th May 2018 Register Your Interest Now!
Location: Mornington Peninsula
Teams of 4, at least 50% women
Entry Fee: $199 per person – 60km (Early Bird) or $149 per person – 30km (Early Bird)
Fundraising goal: $500 per person ($2,000 per team)

Don't want to trek - you can still be part of the fun by signing up as a volunteer a

Sunshine Coastrek

Quick Facts
Date: Friday 28th July 2017  -  REGISTRATION CLOSING!
Location: Sunshine Coast
Teams of 4, at least 50% women
Entry Fee: $199 per person – 60km (Early Bird) or $149 per person – 30km (Early Bird)
Fundraising goal: $500 per person ($2,000 per team)

Volunteers for Coastrek

Do you want to make a real difference in someone’s life? Coastrek volunteers are central to the success and vibe of the event. 

There are many different ways to get involved, all of which play a vital role in supporting Coastrekkers and The Fred Hollows Foundation on event day!

Choose one of the many different roles and locations along the route and select from a variety of shifts ranging from 1 hour to 4 hours or longer.

Explore the Coastrek website to find the perfect event for you. Bring along your friends, family and colleagues to join in the fun and be part of transforming lives to people who need our help the most.

Watch this short video and immerse yourself in the atmosphere and fun of being a volunteer. 

Sign up and make a difference as a volunteer - next Coastrek is in Queensland so register now as a volunteer for Sunshine Coastrek. Bring along friends, family and colleagues to join in the fun. Plan your next weekend in the sun now!

The difference you make

Since 2009, Coastrek has raised over $18,5 million dollars and helped support the training of thousands of doctors and nurses and restored sight to hundreds of thousands of needlessly blind people.
 
This is how our trekkers make a difference:

• $100 can fund eye screening for up to 500 children in Laos
• $250 pays for a cataract surgical kit in Nepal 
• $500 allows one optometrist to conduct eye screenings for one month in Nepal
• $850 can provide glasses for 180 children at such an eye screening camp in Nepal
• $2000 pays the training of a trachoma eye lid surgeon in Ethiopia
• $5000 pays the education for an eye doctor in Cambodia

If you have any questions about Coastrek, please get in touch with Markus Schar, our Partnerships Executive (Coastrek).

We'd like to thank Coastrek VIPs and Ambassadors: Susie O’Neill OAM; Libby Trickett OAM; Ruth Hollows; Adam Spencer;  Julie McCrossin; Libby Gorr; Everest summiteer Cheryl Bart AO; vision impaird trekkers Ben Phillips and Francois Jacobs;  former Senator the Hon John Faulkner; former PM the Hon Tony Abbott MP;  Hon Tanya Plibersek MP; Pat Farmer AM and Fran Kelly.