The 5th Aussie Peace Walk
2025 Aussie Peace Walk
We celebrated our 5th Aussie Peace Walk with additional walks in Sydney and the Blue Mountains
One Wet Day And A Sunny One
Unlike 2024, 2025 marked a significant year for different reasons. This year, we held the Sydney IML IVV Cup along with the Aussie Peace Walk.
The Aussie Peace Walk in Canberra had a smaller turnout than in 2024, in no small part due to the weather. But together with the Sydney walks, participant numbers for the two events were comparable with last year.
Despite Saturday’s persistent showers, enthusiastic walkers from across Australia and around the globe splashed their way around Canberra with smiles on their faces! The rain became less of an obstacle and more of a shared adventure as participants connected with fellow walking enthusiasts along the trails.
As walkers traversed the longer paths, conversations flowed as steadily as the raindrops—turning what could have been a dreary day into hours of delightful camaraderie and shared accomplishment.
What better way to experience Canberra than with newfound friends on an adventure together!
Sydney IML IVV Cup
The Sydney IML IVV Cup, was a unique ‘one off’ event we held the weekend before the 2025 Aussie Peace Walk. Ninety-eight walkers, mainly international visitors, gathered to walk the first half of the iconic Bondi to Manly Walk.
‘The Cup’ was a challenge event promoting non-competitive walking events accredited by the two main international walking organisations: the IML (IML Walking Association) and IVV (Internationaler Volkssport Verband) and was open for anyone to enter who can walk 10km or 20km on two consecutive days.
On Saturday, both the 20km and 10km walks started at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach and headed north along the coast toward Sydney Harbour. Attendees met for a social dinner at the Slip Inn on Saturday evening.
On Sunday, 10km walkers started again at Bondi Beach and walked south, whilst the 20km walkers met at Rose Bay (where they finished the previous day), and continued their walk for another 20km to the city, around the Opera House and over the Sydney Harbour Bridge to Neutral Bay.
Countries Represented
Ages of Two-Day Walkers
Charity Funding Total
Walkers collecting their event packs.
International participants head toward the World Peace Bell for the Opening Ceremony.
New In 2025
The 5-Year Patch
For our fifth Aussie Peace Walk, everyone taking part for the fifth year received a new 5-year patch in recognition of their loyalty to the event.
Future walkers will earn the Aussie Peace Walk 5-year patch when they complete their fifth Aussie Peace Walk.
5-Year Pins
This year we introduced 5-year pins for all those who have completed events in the Aussie Peace Walk over the last five years.
‘5-year pins’ were awarded for completing the following events five times:
- The Marathon
- The 42+24km
- The 21+24km
- The 12+12km
- Volunteering for five years.
One walker, Ming Lou, was awarded a 5-year marathon pin, 5-year 42+24km pin and a 5-year volunteer pin for her five years as an Aussie Peace Walk volunteer.
Two Hertz Courtesy Busses
We piloted a courtesy shuttle service last year, using a 12-seater bus to transport tired walkers back to their accommodation.
This year, a new event partner, Hertz, supplied two 12-seat mini-busses, which proved invaluable in enabling us to provide a free shuttle service transporting participants between their accommodation, the Start/Finish area and the airport.
The photo above was sent in with the caption:
“This is what it is all about – Peace Walk – where else in the world! – Canberra – Priceless!”
Walkers head off on Saturday morning, undeterred by the rain.
30 Countries Represented in 2025
Australia, Russia, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand, China, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Spain, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, South Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine.
Largest International Team
Russia had the largest international presence this year’s Peace Walk, with 26 participants, primarily from Vladivostok.
Volunteers From The UK
Two volunteers joined us this year from across the globe. Mike and Marie from Cornwell in the UK provided invaluable support, helping for days with the setup and cleanup after the event.
5-Years, 10 walks, One leg
We were proud to present Dianne North from Wollongong with a 5-year patch and 5-year 21+24km walking pin. Even more inspirational as Dianne walks with a prosthetic leg.
Participants gather for the start of the Sydney walks.
International walkers cooling off along the Saturday 20km walk from Bondi Beach to the city.
- 7km Walkers 15%
- 12 km Walkers 27.1%
- 21km Walkers 44.1%
- 24km Walkers 52.6%
- Marathon Walkers 11.4%
- Walked on both days 78.7%
Most Popular Walks
Last year we had an influx of 7km walkers because of our focus on supporting the 7km MarchMingle charity walk.
This year, most walkers did the longer walks with the 21 and 24km being the most popular combination.
If we compare participation with 2023, the spread of walkers across the events was similar, with 24km the most popular event, followed by 21km, 12km and 7km and the marathon.
78% of participants walked on both days, which is our highest percentage of two-day walkers since the first Aussie Peace Walk in 2021.
MegaMingle walker Loris Stefani gets his passport stamped at the Nepalese checkpoint. His fifth year doing the 42 and 24km.
Volunteers with a participant at the Scrivener Dam marathon checkpoint.
Recognising The Volunteers
The Aussie Peace Walk is entirely organised by volunteers. Our management team work tirelessly throughout much of the year to prepare for the event, but nothing is possible without the dozens of volunteers that contribute their time to bring the event to life in the weeks leading up to the end of March each year.
This year, in addition to acknowledging the participants who have taken part each year since the first Aussie Peace Walk in 2021, we also recognised our volunteers with a special 5-Year volunteer pin.
Volunteers Thank You
On the Wednesday after the 2025 Aussie Peace Walk, a representation of volunteers met at Capital Brewing to discuss what did and didn’t work at this year’s event.
Event Director Chris Edwards gave a short presentation, which included a video of the event, before he and Operations Manager Janine Linklater awarded certificates to clubs and individuals for their exceptional volunteer service in the last five years.
Volunteers in the Rain
On Saturday, walkers took to the trails in the rain. Spare a thought for all the volunteers around the route manning checkpoints and taking care of participants.
5 Years Volunteering
Clubs and organisations that contributed to the AussiePeaceWalk’s success since 2021 were presented with a certificate of appreciation and 5-year volunteer recognition pin.
These included the Rotary clubs of: Canberra, Canberra Berley Griffin, Hall, Tuggeranong, Jerrabomberra, Canberra Sundowners and Woden Daybreak along with AussieWalk and ACT Walking for Pleasure.
The 2025 Mingle Walk In Pictures
Click the arrows to scroll through photos of the 2025 Aussie Peace Mingle Walk.
Thanks To All Our 2025 Volunteers From:
University of Canberra Interns