Mental health walk returns

THE Conquer the Corrugations Mental Health Awareness Walk is set to return to the state’s south-west, for the second year.

The two-day event involves walking from Winchelsea to Inverleigh and back, a distance which totals nearly 40 kilometres.

The aim of the event it to help participants develop resilience and encourage the community to chat about mental health.

“We are trying to build up the resilience in people and we think one way of increasing resilience is about learning how to communicate amongst ourselves,” said Robert Earle, event coordinator.

“It means that when we have an issue, we don’t just sit on it.”

Conquer the Corrugations first started in Queensland nine years ago and now there is also a walk in the Northern Territory.

“The organisers up there lost their nephew to suicide so they decided they would do something about it,” said Mr Earle.

“This year will be their tenth anniversary and it has about 150 people attending.”

After hearing about the event on Landline and taking part in the walk, Mr Earle decided to bring it to Victoria.

He said walking can make it easier for participants to open up.

“Even if you don’t have a problem, maybe just come along and walk and talk,” said Mr Earle.

“When you walk and talk, you’ll open up a lot more and talk about more things than if you’re sitting there looking at someone in the face.”

To register for this year’s walk, which will take place on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 April, visit the Conquer the Corrugations website.