Frequently Asked Questions
Why participate in the walk?
This Walk is a special way of showing your support for individuals living with mental illness, their carers and families. It's also a great opportunity to find out more information from participating mental health services and raise funds for One Door Mental Health.
Who can register to walk?
Anybody and everybody. Invite your family and friends and make a day of it.
When is the event?
The 2023 Wellness Walk will go ahead on Sunday 15th October 2023.
Can I log my walks with my fitness app?
Your profile page includes your personal distance tally so you can track your distance towards your target. This is a great way to keep your friends updated on your workouts!
If you track your workouts with Fitbit, Strava, MapMyFitness or Garmin your distances will automatically add to your tally.
Follow these steps to track your KMs automatically:
1. Download the Fitbit, Strava, MapMyFitness or Garmin app and set up your account
2. Log in to your Wellness Walk account.
3. Under the heading Connect your preferred Fitness app, click your chosen app.
4. Follow the prompts to connect your account
5. When you next work out, select start your workout in the app on your phone. Once you end your workout, save your workout and your distance will be published to the tally on your page the following day.
If you have synced your app already but it is not working, please log in and re-connect it.
- Fitbit: You must start an activity and save it. If no activity is logged, then your cumulative activity will sync at the end of the day. If you are having issues, try syncing through BOTH your Fitbit and the Fitbit app on your smartphone.
- MapMyFitness: You must start your workout, stop your workout and then SAVE your workout.
- Strava: You must start your workout, stop your workout and then SAVE your workout.
- Garmin: You must start your workout, stop your workout and then SAVE your workout.
Your tally will be updated each day with the previous day’s distances.
Manually adding activity
Remember, you can manually add your exercise to the tally in the My Fitness Activity tab within your logged in dashboard. This is a great option if you’re using a pedometer or a different method of tracking your distances.
Follow these steps to manually add your activity:
1. Log in to your account and select My Fitness Activity.
2. Under Add activity, enter the required fields. Depending on the challenge this may be steps, distance and/duration.
3. The logged activity will now appear on your fundraising page!
What time should I arrive at Government House for the bridge walk on Sunday 15th October?
Registration to pick up your bib is from 9:00 am to 9:30 am. The 5.9 km walk starts at 10:00 am. The 2 km mini walk starts at 10:15 am. There will be pre-walk activities beforehand and prizes, food and live music post-walk.
Can I participate if I can't attend the Bridge Walk and Festival at Government House?
Participants are welcome to join our event virtually and walk or run anytime, anywhere across Australia.
Please note participants must have a valid ticket to attend our Bridge Walk and Festival at Government House.
But don't worry, if you change your mind you could always purchase your tickets on the day.
Where does the Bridge Walk start and finish?
The Walk starts and finishes at Government House, Sydney.
What is the total distance of the Walk?
There are two walks to choose from, a 5.9 km Walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and a 2 km Mini Walk around the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Is there a map of the Walk?
Does the walk go over the arches of the Harbour Bridge?
No, the Walk is along a flat, pedestrian walkway with spectacular views - some stairs during the walk.
Is there disability access on the walk?
The 2 km mini walk through the Royal Botanic Gardens is suitable for wheelchair users. There are no steps.
Although there is a lift from Circular Quay up to Cahill Express (instead of using the Moore Steps) there are a number of steps coming down from the Harbour Bridge and again into Argyle Street - this means unfortunately the 5.9 km course is not suitable for wheelchair users.
How do I get to the start of the walk?
Public Transport – Ferries, Buses and Trains all stop at Circular Quay. Please visit www.transportnsw.info
What is the event website?
How long have you got to complete the Walk?
There's no time limit, this is a walk for pleasure! You walk at your own pace - it's not timed. It usually takes around 45 minutes to 1 hour, but you can take as long as you need.
Is my registration fee tax deductable?
The registration fee is not tax deductable; however donations over $2 are tax deductable.
Can I register as an 'individual' walker?
Yes! Individual walkers are welcome to register.
Can I register a 'team' of walkers?
Yes! A team can have as many members as you like. Start by registering yourself as the team captain and establish the team page. Then invite your team members to join by registering as individuals then selecting your team name. Don't forget to set up a fundraising page for your team to share.
Can I become a sponsor of the event?
Yes, we have plenty of opportunities for organisations to sponsor the event.
Will there be water stations along the walk?
You will be provided with a bottle of water at the event, but we always encourage you to also bring your own bottle of water to avoid dehydration.
Will there be direction marshals?
The course will be stationed with directions and marshals along the route.
Is there a secure place to leave bags?
No - there will be no bag drop. You'll need to keep your belongings with you at all times.
Will there be first aid available?
St Johns Ambulance will be available.
Where is the nearest Police Station?
The Rocks Police Station 132 George St The Rocks NSW 2000 - (02) 8220 6399
Can I still support the Wellness Walk if I can't make it on the day?
Absolutely! If you can't make the walk but you want to show your support you can make a donation here.
