How much does it cost to participate and is it tax deductible?
The cost for an individual is $310 – $60 to register and a further $250 fundraising component. The cost for a team of two is $620 – $120 to register and a further $500 fundraising component. The cost for a team of four is $1240 – $240 to register and a further $1000 fundraising component.
The fundraising component is tax deductible, the entry free is not tax deductible.
Can I do the walk if I do not reach the fundraising goal?
The Surf Coast Trek is a fundraising event. Entrants are strongly encouraged to reach the minimum fundraising target of $250 for an individual, $500 for a team of two or $1,000 for a team of four. We are confident that you can do it!
Can I fundraise more than the fundraising component of the entry fee?
Absolutely! Trekkers are encouraged to raise more than the minimum fundraising component. Remember all funds raised will be divided equally between the Give Where You Live Foundation and Kids Plus Foundation.
Is there a list of items that all participants must carry at all times?
It is recommended that participants carry with them:
- Water bottle (water and light refreshments e.g. fruit will be available at designated Rest Stops along the Trek)
- Sunscreen
- Food and snacks (e.g. snack bars, banana) to get you through the Trek.
- Mobile phone
- Light clothing (e.g. light top if the weather is going to be cool)
- Basic first aid kit (e.g. band aids, blister pads, compression bandage) – first aid officers will be positioned at designated drink stations along the trail).
More detailed information can be found on the equipment and safety page of this website here
Does this event have cut off times?
Yes – the cut off time for participants to complete the walk is 5:30pm. It is expected the majority of entrants will complete the walk by 4pm.
Each Rest Stop also has cut off times which have been calculated to ensure you reach the finish line in time. These times vary slightly each year, but you can find information on these cut off times via this page.
Where can I view the photos taken at the event?
A gallery of photos will posted on our Facebook page.
If I need to pull out during the event, what do I do?
In the event any entrant needs to withdraw from the walk once the event has commenced, they must notify one of the event marshals. Marshals will be stationed at the start and finish lines, and and drink stations along the trail – i. Urquarts Bluff car park; ii. Anglesea Shark Park; iii. Point Addis car park ; iv. Southside car park.
I am no longer able to participate, can I arrange a refund?
Unfortunately, registration fees cannot be refunded as per the Trek Terms & Conditions as agreed to during the registration process. Please check our rules and refund page for further information.
Where does the fundraising money go?
The Charities
Your fundraising dollars will be split evenly between local charities Kids Plus Foundation and Give Where You Live Foundation.
Kids Plus Foundation is a community organisation that informs, influences and delivers specialist multi discipline therapy programs for babies, children and young people with neuro developmental conditions, including cerebral palsy, brain injury and stroke.
Give Where You Live Foundation raises funds and allocates them to the less fortunate in our community on an annual basis via major grants programs within the Geelong and district including the Surf Coast.
How do I get to and from the event?
You can park your car along the Esplanade in Torquay. We suggest the parking areas along Whites Beach just up from Bomboras kiosk and the Fishermans Club. Free buses will then be available to take you to the start at Aireys Inlet Skate park- you can also make your own arrangements to park or be dropped off at the Aireys Skate park for the start (bookings are essential).
You will then be able to pick up your car, or be collected by friends/relatives at the Trek’s finish at Elephant Walk Reserve, Torquay. We run a free shuttle bus to take you from the finish line back to where you parked your car in the morning. Unfortunately we are unable to provide transport back to Aireys Inlet at the end of the trek.
Event Start Point
Event Finish Point
Can I participate if I am under 18 years of age?
Yes, however your parent/guardian must complete your registration process and sign your Participant Waiver.
If your aged under 15 years of age, you MUST be accompanied by an adult for the entire Trek.
What time should I arrive at the start line?
The Trek commences at 7:15am, all trekkers will be on the Trek by 7:45am.
Due to limited parking available at the start line at Aireys Inlet, we will be providing complimentary shuttle buses from Torquay to the start line in Aireys Inlet.
Where:
Intersection of Darian Rd and The Esplanade, Torquay. Opposite the Wyndham Resort.
When:
Buses will depart at regular intervals between 6:00am-6:20am
Please ensure that you arrive between 5:45 and 6:00am, no buses will be available for participants who arrive later than 6:20am.
If you are being dropped off at the start you should arrive between 6:30am and 6:45am. There is no parking allowed at the start line in Aireys Inlet which is why we encourage parking at the Torquay end and taking advantage of the complimentary bus to Aireys Inlet.
There will be a pre-walk health and safety briefing at 7:00am.
Trekkers in groups of 100 will be sent off on the Trek in timed waves. You will be allocated to a start time determined by your order of registering for the Trek, ie: the first 100 trekkers to register will commence trekking at 7:15am. You will be informed of your starting time prior to the Trek.
What do I do once I’ve registered?
If you’re registering as an individual, once you’ve set up your fundraising page and paid your registration fee, you’re ready to start training and fundraising!
You will receive a confirmation email which will provide you with a link to update your information as well as a link to send your fundraising page to family, friends and colleagues.
If you’ve registered a team of four or two, your other team mates will now receive an email with a link to which they MUST complete their personal details, sign the participant waiver and determine if they wish to reserve a seat on the bus to the start line.
How does a team of four take part in the Trek?
You can break up the trek between your team of four any way you wish:
- Complete the whole Trek together
- Split the Trek distance as a relay and swap over at our Rest Stops – each team member will need to see a volunteer to sign in and out of the Trek by having their bib number scanned (course description for more details)
- Two team members do approximately 20km each as a relay
- Or any other configuration that excites you!
For relays, teams will need to work out their own logistics and transport options.
We will provide buses to transport participants only to the start of the Trek from Torquay to Aireys Inlet.
How do I set up my team fundraising page?
1. Set up your page here
This aspect will just require your contact details.
Choose Fundraising Type (TEAM)
If you’re doing as a team the Fundraiser Title will be the main name of your Page, i.e. “Doing it for the Kids” or “Telstra’s Challenge”
Team Name might be “The Telstra Staff team” or “Jess, Kate and Bill” this will appear below the Fundraiser Title
If you do not have an image at the time of sign up we can can add this for you later.
2. Once you submit this, it will take you to a confirmation page with 2x links.
The 1st link is what your team will share with family and friends to donate.
The 2nd link is what you need to send to your team members, so that they can join your page.
This information will also be emailed to you.
3. Share the 2nd link with your team members, and they will join your team. The good news is that when someone donates they can allocate their contribution to either the whole team or an individual.
4. Your team members will also receive an email once they join with the link to share around.
Please feel free to give us a call on 5229 4364 or email info@surfcoasttrek.com.au if you have any troubles or if you have any further questions.
Can I bring my dog or pram?
As parts of the Trek are very narrow and there are steps and beach access required, we unfortunately cannot permit dogs or prams on the Trek.
Is there a cut-off date for fundraising?
The cut-off date for fundraising is at 11:59PM Sunday-week after the Trek. All donations must be deposited onto the online fundraising pages by this date.
I missed the first free training session, can I join the next ones?
Yes, you can join in the training at any session, after you’ve registered for the Trek.
You can also join in any of the training walks without attending other training sessions.
What is the walking surface like on different parts of the route?
The majority of the walk is alongside the ocean on cliff top paths and beaches, although the path does go inland at a couple of spots; the longest section being from Point Addis to Southside through the Iron Bark Basin.
The walking surface varies between flat paved surfaces (e.g. the last section towards the finish in Torquay), rugged and fairly steep steps in the Iron Bark basin as well as some beach walking in soft sand at high tide- e.g. the section before Point Addis.
We’ve loaded some photos that show the variety of walking surfaces on the gallery page of the website
Can I run the Surf Coast Trek?
The Trek is a walking event – not a run!
Safety considerations, Rest Stops, nutrition and logistics have been planned to be appropriate for walking speeds of between 4 and 7km/hour.
We cannot accommodate runners.
When can I collect my Trek pack?
Trek packs will be ready to collect in March before the event from the Give Where You Live Foundation office, 18 Myers Street, Geelong (cnr Myers & Fenwick Streets). Our collection hours are 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.
If you have registered to have your pack delivered they will be mailed out during March. Specific pick up dates will be announced on socials and via email closer to the date.
All Trek Packs MUST be collected a full week prior to the Trek date, your Trek pack contains your T-shirt, cap and most importantly your Trek bib which MUST be worn on the day.
Mailed packs to teams of two or four will be sent to the team captain. Team packs cannot be split unless collected from the Give Where You Live Foundation office.
Does my team need to be a team of two or four?
Yes, teams must be registered as either a team of two or team of four. If you have more or less than these numbers you can register as individuals. You can all still trek together, just let us know so we can ensure individuals start in the same wave of trekkers.
How do I get back to my car from the Trek finish line?
We will be operating complimentary shuttle buses from the Trek finish line at the Elephant Walk Reserve, Torquay to where your cars are parked near Wyndham Resort (where you were picked up by the buses in the morning).
As you have just walked 40km the last thing we would want is for you to have to walk another 1km back to your car. Look out for the shuttle bus pick up signs near the car park at the Elephant Walk Reserve.
What start line wave am I in?
Each year we send trekkers off in waves to help reduce congestion along the first leg of the Trek. Your Trek bib colour and number will determine what wave you walk in. In 2020 the first wave of trekkers will be sent off at 7.15am. We will confirm remaining waves closer to the date. Be sure to check your emails for further information.
How much of the fundraising goes towards Kids Plus Foundation and Give Where You Live Foundation?
We’re pleased to say that 100% of money raised by trekkers goes towards the two foundations. At the end of the event, the fundraising is split down the middle and distributed to Kids Plus Foundation and Give Where You Live Foundation. A live tally of fundraising efforts can be seen on our fundraising page here.
What if I can’t make the Trek training?
While it’s great to complete the free 10-week training with O’Malley Fitness, we understand the time and location won’t suit everyone.
It’s important to complete your own training to ensure your body is in peak fitness to trek the 40km from Aireys Inlet to Torquay. Mick O’Malley has kindly supplied us with a few PDFs with suggested training routines (here and here) as well as tips on what to do in the lead up to the Trek online here.
