bailey seamer wandering minds

Bailey Seamer in final leg of 5,000km walk up Australia's east coast to raise bipolar disorder awareness

ABC Far North

Topic: Mental Health

Bailey Seamer had conquered more than three-quarters of a gruelling 5,000-kilometre walk up the east coast of Australia, when she checked herself into a mental health hospital.

She had trekked for 10 months to reach North Queensland, pushing through being knocked unconscious in a remote creek and nearly getting hit by a car on the side of the Bruce Highway.

But as her mornings got tearier and familiar — but nonetheless terrifying — thoughts of wanting to die crept into her mind, she knew she needed to stop and get help.

"That was a really hard decision … I flew into Sydney and I actually went into a mental health hospital for a month," the 24-year-old said.

"I felt like I was failing because I had to go back … [but] I kind of developed this mindset: 'OK, I'm losing the battle to win the war'.

"I'm going to get treatment so I can finish what I started."

Bailey Seamer admitted herself to a mental health hospital on two occasions on her walk. ( Supplied: Wandering Minds Walk )

'There has to be more to life than this'

After years of dealing with crippling depressive episodes that could grind her down to a catatonic state, Ms Seamer was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when she was 19.

"It was quite crushing," she said.

"I felt a lot of doors and opportunities had been closed on me in regards to whether I would be able to own my own home, have a career, even tertiary level study felt impossible at the time."

During one of her first admissions to a mental health hospital she had an epiphany that would eventually take her from one end of the country to the other on foot.

Bailey Seamer began her walk in Victoria on 18 May 2022. ( Supplied: Wandering Minds Walk )

"I sort of went, 'There has to be more to life than this, there has to be more to life than just doctor's appointments and hospitals and being unwell,'" she said.

"So I'm going to do something 'grandacious' (sic) to show myself and other people with mental illness that there is a life worth living and we are capable of achieving great things.

"I guess that's sort of where it all started — from the lowest part of my life. And instead of letting that destroy me and my future I used that hardship as fuel to get here."

The first of millions of steps

In May last year, Ms Seamer's father drove her 13 hours from her home in Newcastle to the southernmost point of the Australian mainland at Wilsons Promontory in Victoria.

Armed with a 20 kilogram backpack — nicknamed 'Monster' — and not much hiking experience, she set off with the goal of making it to the tip of Queensland's Cape York Peninsula.

The walk has taken Ms Seamer to some of the most stunning parts of the country. ( Supplied: Sean Fox, Wandering Minds Walk )

She called the journey the Wandering Minds Walk to reflect the extreme fluctuations of life with bipolar.

Along the way she has raised more than $50,000 for the research organisation Black Dog Institute and addressed schools and community groups about mental health.

"It has been an absolute adventure. Lots of ups and downs, pun intended," she said.

"There have been a lot of times that I honestly thought, 'Oh my god, I can't do this'."

Hairy moments and 'crushing lows'

Barely a few weeks into her journey, she was rescued by emergency services after falling in a shallow creek and knocking herself unconscious in the remote far south coast of New South Wales.

Waking up wet and freezing with a black eye, she activated her emergency beacon.

"It took two police officers and a ranger about six hours to chainsaw in to where I was," she said.

"And then three days later I actually walked myself into that spot and walked myself back out — I couldn't miss an inch of the east coast."

About 2,000km later, while walking beside the Bruce Highway between Rockhampton and Mackay, a car nearly hit her before speeding off.

"They just came out of their way and ran over the spot I was walking — I had to jump into the bushes", she said.

"I'd love to say I took it like a champ but I was a mess, I was crying.

"I did put in a police report … but then the next day I started walking again because I feel like it's one of those times just getting back on the horse is probably the best way to go about things."

Ms Seamer's ultimate aim is to reach Cape York. ( Wandering Minds Walk: Bailey Seamer )

For all the physical challenges of the walk, her greatest struggles by far have been psychological.

While walking up to 40km some days has been therapeutic in many ways, it has not always kept at bay the "crushing lows" that have long punctuated her life and brought on suicidal ideation.

"I guess maybe I was a little potentially delusional that maybe this year, because I was doing something for charity, my bipolar might leave me alone," she said.

"You can be really deflated because sometimes you feel as though you are doing everything in your power to be well, and still getting sick is a really frustrating feeling."

Ms Seamer has made a point of speaking candidly about her struggles on social media to show people the realities of living with mental illness.

Alongside photos in stunning locations and effervescent pieces to camera are at times confronting videos of her in the grips of a depressive episode.

On two occasions she became so unwell she suspended her walk to seek psychiatric treatment, most recently in March when she flew out of Townsville to receive a course of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in hospital.

She returned a month later to pick up where she had left off.

Ms Seamer made it to Cairns after 12 months on the road. ( Supplied: Sean Fox, Wandering Minds Walk )

"That I guess was the whole point — it was about demonstrating there is a life you can live alongside mental illness and it doesn't have to stop you from pursuing your dreams and passions," she said.

"Over time I have realised on this journey that getting help isn't quitting.

"If anything, it's being so determined that you won't quit."

Nearing the finish line

After more than a year on the road, Ms Seamer has made it past Cairns and is about to start the final leg of her trip — crossing the vast and remote Cape York Peninsula.

She has vowed to reach the top, even if she has to crawl to get there.

"You've just got to keep moving forward — one step at a time — and not be afraid to access support if you need it," she said.

Ms Seamer walked solo through two states before her partner Sean Fox joined her in a support vehicle. ( ABC News: Sharnie Kim )

Ms Seamer hopes her journey will remind those living with mental illness to be kind to themselves.

"It's okay to be sick sometimes, it's OK to feel this way, it doesn't make you any less of a person," she said.

"You are deserving of a happy and healthy life. Don't ever stop fighting for that. You deserve that. We all deserve that."

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This Woman is Walking The Length of Australia’s East Coast – So We Joined Her For a Day

Eva Davis-Boermans

Eva is a creator and ocean lover from the south coast of NSW. Passionate about exploring, getting off the beaten track and looking after the planet so she can continue to adventure in it. She’s happiest when she’s out in the surf, behind the lens of a camera or behind the wheel of her beloved Troopy!

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Bailey Seamer is taking an entire year to hike the whole East Coast of Australia in order to raise awareness and money for mental health research. Eva tagged along for a day of walking to find out the story behind the Wandering Minds Walk.

The Wandering Minds Mission

I was told about the Wandering Minds Walk by my Mum who’d heard about it on the local radio. She excitedly told me that a young woman called Bailey was walking the entire East Coast of Australia to raise money for the Black Dog Institute, and she was about to wander through our little corner of the NSW South Coast!

My Mum loves nothing more than to lend a hand to adventurous souls, so naturally, she’d already reached out to Bailey on Instagram and offered her company on her walk, a place to stay, and as many cups of tea as she’d like.

They had a blast together and so being my mother’s daughter, I reached out and offered Bailey the same thing for when she reached my stretch of coast a little further north. She happily accepted and soon enough we were plodding our way along Wairo Beach, chatting about her journey, hiking , mental health, and everything in between.

Bailey’s Own Battle With Mental Health

The reason behind Bailey’s walk for mental health is deeply personal. She was diagnosed with a major depressive disorder when she was 14 and then later diagnosed with bipolar at 19. She explained to me that it’s a really common misdiagnosis.

‘Nobody goes to the doctors when they feel great, so that’s why a lot of people with bipolar slip through the cracks. They go in [to the doctor] feeling depressed, come out of therapy six months later feeling better, and then it usually takes a really long time for psychiatrists and doctors to figure it out,’ she told me.

Being a young person with severe mental health made things like completing the HSC and attending university really difficult for Bailey. She describes her bipolar diagnosis as ‘really overwhelming’ because it made her feel like she couldn’t complete anything.

During one of her stays in hospital, after a particularly bad day, Bailey decided to pack a day bag and set herself on a mission to walk to her parent’s house which was 30km away. It was the first time she’d walked a distance like that.

‘It was probably one of the first times that I really felt like I accomplished something in a really long time and had a bit of self-pride’

For Bailey, it was a turning point, and from then on, hiking became a cathartic outlet.

Learning From Mistakes & Fruit Salad Support

In November 2020, Bailey took her love of hiking up a level and turned her dream of multi-day hiking into a reality. With the motto, ‘If I don’t do it now, I never will’, a few day’s notice, and almost no multi-day hiking experience, Bailey took the plunge. She bought all her hiking gear in one go and a one-way ticket to Coolangatta with the aim of walking 400km along the coast to Coffs Harbour.

Bailey reckons everything went wrong in the first week. She spent the first day walking along a five-lane highway, her feet fell apart because she had badly fitted boots and her pack was so heavy that she sent half her stuff home to Newcastle after the first week.

But despite everything, when she eventually made it to Coffs three and a half weeks later, she’d already decided that her next mission was to tackle the whole East Coast.

‘That trip was the best thing I could have done, even though it went so badly,’ she told me. ‘I made all my mistakes then so I didn’t have to make them now on this trip.’

Bailey is now well and truly in the swing of things, making her way along the East Coast of Aus, walking 8 – 10 hrs and completing between 15 – 45 kilometres per day, depending on the terrain.

‘I tend to just walk in the daylight hours so that I can then get to a destination, and figure out where I’m staying for the night within an hour of daylight to go,’ Bailey told me.

Although Bailey’s journey is a ‘one woman trek’ she’s very open to any assistance that people offer and explains that her support crew is a ‘fruit salad situation’.

Bailey with her Mum

Her family and friends often visit and walk along with her, plenty of friendly locals help her with accommodation and food as she passes through, and in some sections she has a support vehicle when it’s too dangerous or scantily resourced. One such place will be the Cape York Peninsula, where she plans to veer from the beach and walk along the Telegraph Track.

‘There’s something kind of poetic about being eaten by a shark, but fucked up about being taken by a croc,’ she laughs.

The Good, The Bad and the Hypothermic

But The Cape is a long way off yet. Right now, Bailey says that her mindset is just to think two days ahead at a time, to help stop her from getting too overwhelmed.

This technique has worked pretty well so far and her overall mental state is good, but she finds it’s highly dependent on what her circumstances are on the day.

‘On a bad day walking, if there’s been a bad bit of track or things go wrong, I feel like shit, but that makes sense. I’m finding once I’m in a situation that I feel comfortable and safe, those things and worries sort of tend to go away, which is nice to know that they’re just reflective of circumstance and not permanent,’ she said.

So far, Bailey has only had one really scary experience. After a particularly rough day of exhausting, overgrown track in the Nadgee Wilderness, she slipped and fell while filling up her water bladder, hitting her head and drenching all her gear in the process.

She managed to get out of her wet clothes and set up her tent, but despite her best efforts to warm up, her hands and feet were turning purple, she was nauseous and worried about concussion and hypothermia.

In the end, the rain, lack of fire and a looming night of Victorian mid-winter temperatures prompted her to use her Garmin to send for emergency help. 

It took rangers and police 4.5 hours to get 10km down a dirt road to get her, chainsawing through fallen trees along the way. They managed to get her out to safety for a few days of warmth and recovery before driving her back in to pick up where she left off.

A black eye to prove it!

Feeling Beachy

Needless to say, she’s happy to be leaving winter and the cold weather behind her as she tracks north.

‘I’m really excited to get up into the warm months, not necessarily a location, but I’m really excited to be able to wear shorts and a t-shirt and hang out and go for swims,’ she said.

‘I spend so much of my time near the ocean and I don’t want to touch the water because it’s so cold.’

And while endlessly strolling the beach might seem like a dream to some, Bailey says there’s definitely pros and cons to sticking on the coast.

‘The best part about a beach is the fact that you cannot be lost. You’re on the East Coast, it’s right there. You can’t fuck it up. The downside is that every beach has a headland and whether it’s crossable or not, you don’t know until you’re at the other end of it,’ she told me.

‘When you walk on beaches all day, it doesn’t matter about what time you start or what time you finish, you’ll hit a low and a high tide. So that kind of takes out that element of any control, trying to plan around that.’

‘I call my family and friends around really annoying stretches of soft sand so that they can distract me.’

A Tricky Goal to Measure

Despite the ups and downs of day-to-day life, Bailey’s goal of raising money and awareness for mental health is a constant motivator.

‘I have an ambition of raising $100,000. It may not happen, but when you’re already doing what I’m doing, there’s no point being conservative now!’

She chose to fundraise for the Black Dog Institute because of the work they do in medicinal and intervention surgery, which Bailey has benefitted from in her own mental health treatment journey.

‘They’re really digging into the science behind the brain and how it works. It’s so hard with mental health because it’s not like if somebody breaks an arm, we’ll just go in and put a cast on it. They can’t see the brain so it’s hard to measure what works and what doesn’t,’ she said.

Her other goal, raising awareness, is a much harder one to measure but equally important.

Although she could probably do her walk in less than a year, Bailey wants to take the time to engage with the communities she passes through in a meaningful way and use her journey to help people understand that you can have bipolar and still live life and achieve really great things.

‘There are a lot of people of all ages that suffer from mental illnesses that really do struggle with direction and purpose. When I was younger, I really needed that and I couldn’t find it in many places,’ she told me.

‘And I thought, it’d be really cool if I could be that person for someone else who is struggling and at the same time just try to open up conversations and comfortability around it.’

Bailey hopes that being loud and proud, and talking openly about her condition, while she tackles such a mammoth task, will help people in a meaningful way.

Get Stuck In!

As you might have gathered, Bailey is the kind of person who’s open, willing to meet new people, and include anyone and everyone in her journey. After our walk along the beach, she stayed in our spare room and we chatted until all hours over some home-cooked pasta with the heater on full.

Whether it’s walking with her for an hour or taking on a whole section of the coast and camping , Bailey wants people to come along for the ride and to know that there’s nothing stopping them from pursuing their own adventures, whatever they may be.

‘Aside from the mental health stuff, it’d be really cool for more people to recognize that you don’t actually need anything special to go out and do cool things or to follow any of your passions or anything like that. Like I’m by no means athletic. I’m just stubborn,’ she told me.

‘A lot of people have told me to my face, “That’s impossible. You can’t do that.”  And to be actually out there doing it, I really hope that some people find a little bit of solace and a little bit of motivation to go out and do their own thing.’

If you can’t meet up with Bailey in the flesh, you can still follow her journey and support the cause through her website and Instagram !

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Wandering Minds Walk.

A year’s journey Trekking over 5000km along the east coast of Australia.

I’m standing up to join Team Black Dog to turn groundbreaking research into life-saving action. Mental illness doesn’t discriminate. It affects people from all walks of life — individuals, families, workplaces and communities. Please support me as I spend 12 months hiking the east coast of Australia with the ambition of raising awareness, understanding and acceptance of mental health illnesses that affect 1 in 5 Australians every year.

Sponsorship will provide necessary funds for food, equipment acommodation and medical supplies for the duration of the walk. All sponsorship money that is not utilised for walking specicifc resources will be donated to the black dog fundraising page. The generosity of your sponsorship is a crucial component in keeping me alive, safe and able to continue my journey to help others.

To learn more about Bailey’s journey and to provide support check out the links below.

Hey Wandering Minds Walk, let's meet for a coffee?

Email Address

My Business Name

Where shall we meet? Where shall we meet? Mawson Boffee Seed Two Pines Cafe Caves Beach Grocer Caves Coastal

Charity, Awarness, Mental Health, Go Fund Me, Walk, Hike, Journey, Trek, Australia, Bailey Seamer, Advocacy, Black Dog, Depression, Sponsorship

cavesbeach connect.

All businesses represented on Caves Beach Connect are owned or operated by locals that live in and around Caves Beach although the businesses themselves may not necessarily operate in Caves Beach.

Our guiding principle for listing a business is for anyone that  lives in or around Caves Beach and owns or operates a business inside or outside of Caves Beach.

We want it to be a vehicle to encourage networking and for locals to support locals.

The  views  and  opinions expressed  by each business or community stakeholder are those of each business or community stakeholder and do not necessarily reflect the views of Caves Beach Connect.

Caves Beach Connect acknowledges the Aboriginal people known today as the Awabakal, as the traditional Custodians of the land, respecting Aboriginal Elders past, present and future. Caves Beach Connect recognises the local Aboriginal community today in all of their diversity, who came forward to share their experiences, knowledge, images and memories.

New South Wales News

Wandering 6000 kilometres for mental health awareness.

By MARGARET DEKKER

This is no walk in the park. Nor is it an average day-hike or overnighter on a clearly marked trail. The Wandering Minds Walk is a 6-thousand-kilometre trek (more or less) over a year, solo, carrying 18-kilograms of everything needed for survival with not everything going to plan, on a huge open trail from southernmost Wilsons Promontory in Victoria to northernmost Cape York in Queensland, and all that vast, changing country in between. Doing it is Bailey Seamer, a 23-year-old Newcastle woman whose mission it is to raise awareness, education and important funds for mental health, step by determined step. “I see it as going for a hike every day for a year,” Bailey laughed when The Northern Rivers Times caught up with her, shortly after walking the length of Yuraygir National Park from Minnie Water to Yamba and the big stretch from Woody Head to Evans Head, where Bailey was catching her breath.

Bailey Seamer starts her “WANDERING MINDS WALK” a one-woman trek along the east coast of Australia.

“My walking’s not really measured in kilometres walked but hours walked each day, and usually I walk between eight and ten hours a day, most days,” Bailey Seamer said. Starting May 18 from remote South Point at ‘The Prom,’ Bailey’s extraordinary feat is made all the more remarkable as hers is a path neither signposted nor contained whole in a guidebook, and far exceeds the 4-thousand-kilometre distance by road. “It’s kind of a course of .. just walk North!” Bailey laughed. .. Over beaches and bushland, river crossings and scrub .. and the dreaded impassable headland requiring the dreaded “backtrack.” “I have to all the time!” Bailey said. “It’s not all fun, some days I absolutely hate it because of physical injury or psychological stress or environmental factors I face. “But I do get these windows of absolute positivity and beauty which make it all worth it. Let’s just say it’s 90-percent grind and 10-percent pleasure,” Bailey Seamer said. This third-year nursing student has already raised $30-thousand dollars for the Black Dog Institute to help fund research, resources, and services for better mental health. 1 in 5 Australians will experience symptoms of mental illness in any one year. “ .. that’s around 5 million people. And roughly 60% of these people won’t seek help,” the Blackdog Institute states. Now 2100 kilometres into her northern ascent, it’s also a personal journey for Bailey Seamer who experiences bipolar disorder. “I was in psych hospitals as a young adult, but I got to a crossroads in my life where I said, ‘this can’t be it’ – I was told I’d struggle to ever work, hold down a relationship, finish a Uni. degree and it really did feel like an absolute sentence,” Bailey Seamer said. “But then I thought ‘this suffering can’t be everything I ever have.’ There had to be more to life, and I realised I could help others. “You could say, I was more scared of living the life I was then living .. than to take the jump to do something that may actually kill me!” Bailey said. And mid-way along her quest, Bailey Seamer is living proof anything’s possible. “You could say, I’m taking my mental illness on the road. It would seem impossible, managing a mental illness while simultaneously walking, that that’s where the problems would lie, but starting was the hardest thing to do. And it’s shown me that I can show others with mental illness that you can have a life and passions, you can do it,” she said. It’s a journey complete with unique coping strategies, to keep this one-woman show on the road, including her ‘Tantrum Timer’ when feelings ‘bubble’ and stress builds. “I set the Tantrum Timer to six minutes, throw the pack down whether it’s bush or beach, I scream, cry, let it all out like a toddler at the shopping centre and when the timer goes off, I pick myself up, brush myself off and get going,” she smiled. Because when the going gets tough, the tough get going, inspiring others. “People have contacted me saying ‘You’re the reason I got out of bed in the morning, because of what you’re doing, given what you’ve overcome to do this,’” Bailey Seamer said. As she draws her own inspiration from her late Grandma’s mottos: “If you’re brave enough to try, you’re brave enough to succeed ..” And: “Courage is not the absence of fear but deciding something else is more important than fear itself.” As Bailey treks ever north, parallels are drawn between her and American woman Cheryl Strayed who, at a similar 22 years of age, hiked 1770 kilometres up the Pacific Crest Trail on America’s West Coast, inspiring a best-selling book and movie. “People do say, ‘you’re that ‘Wild’ movie person and I go ‘yeah, kind of, but I don’t have the endless views and I have a lot of mud!’” Bailey Seamer laughed. “But it’s a similar thing, giving up everything to try and create a better reality.” From here, the reality is at least 700 more kilometres of coastline to Seventeen Seventy near Gladstone in Queensland, where Bailey finally turns in. “From there up, there are crocodiles! So, I’ll have to turn inland to get to Cape Tribulation,” she conceded. Her father, greatest supporter, and former Newcastle Knights player Scott Seamer will join his daughter for the last leg of this epic adventure, all the way to the Cape. “I know once it’s over, I will reflect on this trip with a lot of fondness, like any adventure, once it’s done, I will be like ‘I can’t believe I did that.” “This will be with me for the rest of my life, to take with me wherever I go, that I walked the East Coast of Australia. It’s good to have this in my back pocket, that my own capability is immeasurable,” Bailey Seamer said. Just don’t tell this walking warrior to ‘live in the moment ..’ “These people haven’t tried a river crossing!” she laughed. .. before I ask the obvious question to the one woman who’s walking the entire East Coast of Australia solo and carrying a heavy pack: “How are your FEET?” “Haha! My body is refusing to grow skin now on certain parts because it just comes off again anyway .. But my Soloman boots, they’ve been phenomenal, they’re my Four-Wheel-Drives,” she said, while still on her original pair! And her Top-3 highlights this far? • Jervis Bay “beautiful weather, no people, sunrises and just dolphins everywhere ..” • Yuraygir National Park “was gorgeous coming up through Yamba and Iluka ..” • Taronga Zoo’s ‘Roar and Snore’ experience As Bailey Seamer laces up for yet another leg of this one-woman triumph. “From here at Evans Head, I’ll zip up to Ballina by the beach .. it’s 40-something K’s (kilometres) then to Lennox to Byron Bay. Yes, a big couple of days!” she said. It’s almost a marathon. In more ways than one. “Yeah I do think of that sometimes .. But if I stop, I don’t get anywhere,” Bailey Seamer opined. Infinite wisdom already, from this 23-year-old’s infinite journey of a lifetime. “I didn’t expect this trip would harden me the way it already has, make me more cynical in fact, that it’s not this whimsical walk in a flowy dress but that out there, there are real life or death challenges. “My perception on reality is now very different, what’s important now are safety, shelter, food, and water. I have a whole new understanding of what is a problem. “And if change is going to happen, you can’t dictate how it will happen, and it’s likely to have both positive and negative aspects but that’s just what comes with it,” Bailey Seamer shared from her wandering and wondering mind. “And I have a whole new appreciation for something as simple as a bench seat! “You could say I had my ‘Forrest Gump’ moment,” she laughed. Indeed, ‘Walk Bailey Walk’ – for another 2000 kilometres, and more.

Heading North! 6000 kms to Cape York

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD BAILEYS STORY

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Ballina News

Ballina branch of cwa advocates for continued action on violence against women in nsw and act communities.

In response to the alarming rise in the number of Australian women losing their lives to intimate partner violence this year, the Country Women’s Association ( CWA ) of NSW is using its annual Awareness Week campaign to emphasise the urgent need for sustained action against gender-based violence and violence against women across NSW and the ACT.

CWA of NSW Awareness Week will take place from September 1 to 7, focusing on the ongoing crisis of gender-based violence, including domestic and family violence, as well as violence against women by men who are not their intimate partners. This marks the second time in five years that the association has dedicated its Awareness Week to this critical issue, having previously highlighted domestic and family violence in 2020.

Lyn Davidson of the Ballina CWA Branch stressed the importance of revisiting this issue during Awareness Week, noting that the problem persists and requires renewed attention.

“We represent 8,000 women across NSW and the ACT, and we believe it’s crucial to keep applying pressure on policymakers to improve support and protections for victims of gender-based violence,” Lyn said.

During this year’s Awareness Week, the CWA of NSW is advocating for several key measures, including:

• Further reforms to bail laws to enhance the protection of victims, especially in rural and regional areas.
• Sustainable funding models for frontline victim support services, as well as services targeting perpetrator risk factors.
• The establishment of a real-time system to record, track, and share information on perpetrators across systems and jurisdictions.
• Additional resources for women facing violence in rural and regional communities, where isolation and limited services can make seeking support even more challenging.

The CWA of NSW is also committed to involving men in this year’s campaign, reinforcing the message that everyone must contribute to changing societal and cultural factors that lead to violence.

“It’s up to all of us to take action against violence when we see it, speak up against violent or oppressive language, and challenge the myths that perpetuate these behaviours. When we stand together, we can start to see meaningful change,” Lyn said.

This year, the CWA of NSW is partnering with Domestic Violence NSW, the peak body for specialist domestic and family violence services in NSW, and The Men’s Table, an Australian non-profit organisation that promotes healthy masculinity and provides men with opportunities to discuss personal issues in a supportive environment.

“These organizations are making significant strides in creating positive changes in our society that can ultimately lead to a reduction in incidents of senseless violence,” Lyn added. “With their support during Awareness Week, we aim to continue the conversation around gender-based violence, acknowledging its complexities, and remain fully committed to finding the resources and strategies needed to reverse these devastating statistics.”

For more local Ballina news, click here .

$50,000 Initiative to Foster Kindness in Children Across Regional NSW

By Robert Heyward

The Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation has invested $50,000 in a pilot program aimed at nurturing empathy and reducing anxiety in young children across regional New South Wales. The initiative, titled ‘SeeMore Kindness,’ will be delivered by KIDS Foundation to 650 early childhood education centres in regions including the Central Coast, Hunter, Mid North Coast, Northern Rivers, Central West, and New England.

Jackie Connors, Head of Customer Retail at Newcastle Permanent and spokesperson for the Charitable Foundation, highlighted the significant impact the project is expected to have on local families.

“This pilot will initially focus on 20 Early Childhood Education Centres but will ultimately reach more than 26,000 parents through a digital parenting book offering practical tools for raising emotionally intelligent children,” Connors said.

She emphasised that teaching emotional skills like kindness and empathy from a young age is crucial for lifelong success. “We hope the children who receive the SeeMore Kindness training will grow into more confident and understanding individuals. The Foundation is committed to supporting projects that drive positive social impact, and we are thrilled to support KIDS Foundation in this important work.”

Dr. Susie O’Neill OAM, spokesperson for KIDS Foundation, expressed enthusiasm for the program’s potential to become a staple in early childhood education.

“We are delighted to deliver our new SeeMore Kindness module, which will benefit not only the children but also their families and educators,” Dr. O’Neill said. “Our curriculum-aligned content provides practical lessons and activities designed to teach kindness as a practice for building empathy and reducing anxiety in children aged four to six.”

The long-term vision for the SeeMore Kindness program is to embed it into the preschool curriculum as a best practice for fostering lifelong emotional intelligence in children.

“With the help of our program, we believe that over time, children will become healthier, more connected, active, resilient, mindful, and kind,” Dr. O’Neill added. “We are incredibly grateful to the Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation for their support, which has made this important program possible, and we are excited to see the positive impact it will have on children.”

For more information about KIDS Foundation and their initiatives, visit KIDS Foundation.

For more New South Whales news, click here .

Government Guarantees Regional Flight Bookings for Rex Customers

The Albanese Government has announced a guarantee for regional flight bookings with Rex during the airline’s voluntary administration process, ensuring that travellers can continue to book with confidence.

Passengers booking regional flights on Rex can rest assured that their journeys will either proceed as planned or they will receive a full refund. Rex, one of Australia’s largest regional air carriers, plays a crucial role in maintaining connectivity across 41 regional and remote routes, 21 of which are exclusively serviced by Rex.

Recognising the importance of Rex’s operations for Australia, the Government is actively collaborating with the administrators to secure a robust future for regional aviation.

The guarantee applies to all regional flight bookings with Rex made after the airline entered voluntary administration at 9:31 PM on July 30, 2024. This assurance aims to instil confidence in customers to continue booking flights, which are vital for staying connected to family, friends, healthcare, and essential services, while also supporting the sustainability of aviation.

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts will maintain close communication with the administrator regarding plans for the continuity of services to regional communities.

Furthermore, the Government expects the administrator to prioritise the entitlements of Rex employees throughout this process.

This guarantee underscores the Government’s commitment to ensuring that reliable air services remain accessible to regional Australia, and that no community is left behind.

NRTimes Online

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Bailey Seamer trekked the east coast of Australia on her epic 'Wandering Minds Walk' for bipolar disorder and mental health awareness

Having walked 9 million steps across three states, Newcastle's Bailey Seamer let the tears flow.

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She was elated to have completed a 5500-kilometre walk along the entire eastern coast of Australia.

The 24-year-old began her "Wandering Minds Walk" in May last year at the most southern point of Australia - Wilsons Promontory in Victoria.

She ended the epic adventure last week at the most northern tip of the country - Cape York Peninsula in Queensland.

"I went out at sunrise. There were a lot of tears," she said.

Speaking on a road trip home to Newcastle, she said "managing bipolar disorder was the inspiration for the walk ".

"I got into walking as an important part of my recovery and healing."

She walked the east coast to "show myself there was a life worth living" and that people with bipolar disorder were "capable of achieving great things".

Along the way, she raised about $89,000 for the Black Dog Institute and did public speaking on mental health.

For her, living with bipolar disorder meant "fluctuating between periods of elevated mood and instability and crushing depression".

"The depressive side has always been the most disruptive part. I could be really functional for six to seven months, then catatonically unwell for a week to three months with no warning."

She takes medication daily and does "a lot of things to maintain wellness", like focusing on diet, exercise and sleep.

During her walk, she had to take breaks to twice receive treatment in mental health hospitals with transcranial magnetic stimulation [TMS].

She says it can be "a very frustrating experience for a lot of people" to get the mental health help they need.

"I've been pretty lucky that my family was always relatively proactive," she said.

"I've been accessing resources like psychiatrists and psychologists since I was about 14 or 15.

"Over that decade, I acquired a network of resources and learnt what does and doesn't work."

In her public speaking, she gives the message that "mental health isn't your fault, but it is your responsibility".

"It's important to be as proactive as you can with your mental health, instead of waiting for things to get bad."

She walked solo through Victoria and NSW, mostly along beaches and through national parks.

"I had a 20-kilo pack named Monster. I literally went north every day as far as I could."

At times, she was miles away from anyone while "crossing creeks and rivers by swimming".

"There were a lot of situations where I felt unsafe and unsure," she said.

"I saw some of the most gorgeous stretches of coastline, but a lot of it was pretty gnarly."

In Queensland, she recalled "isolating stretches between petrol stations, with no towns, police or anything".

She had a terrifying experience when a maniac tried to hit her with a car.

"But I never had a day on the walk that was as difficult as managing a mental health condition."

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Wandering Minds

Help me create a mentally healthier world.

A year’s journey Trekking over 5000km along the east coast of Australia starting from the most southern point of Australia at Wilsons Promontory to the most northern tip of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland. Positively impacting others through mental health advocacy & education whilst raising funds for the Black Dog Institute.

I'm standing up to join Team Black Dog to turn ground breaking research into life saving action.

Mental illness affects 1 in 5 Australians every year.  Mental illness doesn’t discriminate. It affects people from all walks of life — individuals, families, workplaces and communities.

Please donate today!

Please Help Me Reach My Goal

Select amount to donate.

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Your contribution helps cover the costs of fundraising.

By helping cover our costs, you keep our donations platform free, so we can help create better mental health for all.

Thank you to my Sponsors

Mackay Aged Care Facility

Amazing aged care community in Mackay !! Thankyou so much

Wadalba Community School Fundraiser!

Thankyou Wadalba Community School!!

Thanks for an awesome day bailey

Dawn Denton

Awesome work! Thanks for all that you do 🙏

Philip Walker

Best wishes

Stacey Lambkin

Thank you, Bailey.

My son suffers from mental health but we are doing our best to help him through .

Donna Richley

Bailey- you are an inspiration to so many suffering with mental illness and also to those fortunate enough to not have mental illness.. you are one strong lady fighting for a wonderful cause.. We Thankyou x

Poppy Kenworthy

Poppy was so worried for your safety on the WMW and relieved by every safe progress update. He loved following your journey (photos, videos and interviews) and asked after you all the time to hear about your experiences. He would have wanted good health to have seen you finish but sadly not to be and so would have joined you in spirit each step of the way to Pajinka. Poppy loved you very much and was incredibly proud of you ❤️

Samantha Campbell

Congratulations Miss Bailey 🙏 Such a massive accomplishment 🥳 You are an Inspirational Legend🙌🙏💜🦅 Bless You 🙏💖

Lotsafreshair (juicy Projects)

My Black Dog walks beside me sometimes… thanks for taking yours for a walk and inspiring us all to do the same.

Mcnaughton Sarah-jayne

Iain and denise moodie.

Congratulations Bailey. Fantastic achievement and all for a good cause. Love Moods and Dee

Cape York Cash Donations !!!

Carolyn Urquhart

Well done Bailey! Your amazing efforts have had a positive impact on so many people along the way xx

Peter Radvan

Catherine denton, julie withoos.

Congratulations Bailey on an awesome journey!

We crossed paths at Coen. What an inspiration you are...we've just driven the trip, I can't imagine walking it. All the best xo

Sensational achievement

Jake Thompson

Brett Taylor

You did it. Such an inspiration. 💪♥️

Nat Tarrant

Michelle doran.

Phenomenal achievement Bailey!!

Awesome work Bailey!

Amanda Mosby

Michelle byrnes.

Dear Bailey, You are such an inspiration! Well done on achieving such a feat. It takes incredible courage and dedication. Michelle

You add something truely beautiful to this world, you are magnificent in every way. Congratulations on your journey it was phenomenal to watch you walking against the tides (emotionally and physically), yet still moving forward. Absolutely awe-inspiring, a true angel. I wish I could donate more, this is all I have. I would give you my life, if it would mean you could live twice as long, as there needs to be more of you in this world. I will do what I can to promote you and your cause, and spread light on such dark issues, so more don't have to suffer in silence. Thankyou for your strength and empowering message. I wish you the very best for your future as you absolutely deserve it.

What an incredible experience! I don't know you, but I am so proud of you!

Congrats on amazing achievement. Good luck for the future.

[email protected] Ellercamp

Your Just Amazing Awesome Person Well done Bailey from Leisa Ellercamp Shaye Hetherington Kye Hetherington Love you

Alaina Edwards

Bailey You are an incredible woman. It took strength, courage and commitment and you did it. Next step- Nominations for an Australia Day Award. Three Cheers🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Richaard Jermyn

Congratulations on a fantastic achievement Bailey!

Karen Mccole

Well done Bailey, it's been inspirational following your trip. Stay well.

Carmel Brown

Bravo! ‘Lose your mind and come to your senses.’ Fritz Perls. Hope the landscapes were awesome!

Sarah From Cape York Weekly

You deserve a thousand foot massages! Keep spreading awareness and looking after yourself :)

Sam Vincent

Amazing effort!!

Congratulations Bailey. Amazing achievement for a necessary cause.

Dan Enderes

Your story and vulnerability is so inspirational and hits close to home in my family. This is such important awareness. Amazing work, safe walking. Gratitude to you.

Wow!! Congratulations! So inspiring!

Louise Marsh Holistic Beauty Therapy

Bailey, I am so damn proud of you. I knew you would do it and you have! Can’t wait to see you and give you a massive hug! Love you!! 🥰

Angus Macleod

Lauren anderson.

Thank you for sharing all of this with the world.

Incredible Bailey. Congratulations xx

Matt Cowdroy

You are an inspiration Bailey

The Newnham Family

An inspiration! We loved meeting you on the road to the tip, not once but twice. Incredible. Well done for sharing your story, for continuing to fight and for giving others the strength they need to get through their own journey x

Alison Sibson

Sophie thomas, jane holmes.

Well done Bailey, a fantastic acheivement

Absolutely amazing!

Ebony Denholm

You are phenomenal Bailey!!! I am in complete awe of you and the journey you made. Thank you eternally for the contributions you have made to Black Dog and the awareness you have raised along the way. Absolutely legendary 💪🏼

Kimberley Batchelor

What an amazing effort, so inspiring x

Leanne Cruickshank (insta: Lec1969)

....and you have officially reached $80,000! WHAT a privilege it is to make that final donation to Mark $80,000 raised!! WHAT a legend you are! THANK YOU! 👊👊👊

You should be super proud of yourself, what an achievement :)

Leigh Gardiner

Inspirational !! And amazing 😘😘

Bianca Racsits

Susan thomas, phoebe seamer.

So proud and I love you 😍

Such an inspiration, well done!

Katrina Cataldo

Congratulations Bailey! What an amazing accomplishment!! You’ve no doubt made a huge difference in your mission for mental health awareness.

Huge achievement..loved watching your journey..Congratulations Bailey

Fiona Davies

Proud of you x

Well done! What an achievement 👏

Courtney Jackson

Courtney mcfadyen.

Well done Bailey!

Shannon Hartigan Images

Congratulations 🎉 Amazing achievement

Lorelle Hall

Came across you in Cairns! Soo excited you made it!! Safe travels back to Melbourne and thanks for doing such an awesome thing for an amazing cause ❤️

Maree Wright

Well done Bailey, truly inspirational

Modern Business Solutions

Bailey you are an absolute inspiration to young women everywhere. May we know them May we raise them May we be them! Cheers!

You’re a damn legend! Well done!!!

Keep shining your light.

Chris Jordison

What an inspirational woman. Thank you for every step you have taken. I am in awe of you. A cause very close to my heart.

Lucy Sheppard

Claire starr.

You are amazing congratulations Bailey and the team 😘

Jeff And Jules Punsand-fremantle

We saw you walking with your mum yesterday on our way out. Congratulations. Amazing Effort!!!

Cassandra Brooks

Hi Bailey. Little by little, a little becomes a lot and I hope my little donation helps a lot. I will miss watching your little videos and I look forward to seeing more from you warrior woman xx

Katie, Dianna & Alan Lowe

What a wonderful achievement!! And such a worthy cause. Kudos to you. Cheers Robyn

So so proud of you. Such an inspiration. My mum suffered with mental health and passed away at 38. I am so sad we weren't still living in pormpuraaw when you were at Musgrave as I would have loved to have met you.

Shanna Muston

Congratulations Bailey, you are an inspiration!

Adventure Physio

I've been watching since Townsville and so happy for you and this achievement. Your story about finally finding happiness yesterday made me cry too. Thanks for sharing this important story with the world

Eva Davis-boermans

You legend 😊 big love xx

What an inspirational journey! Congratulations & well done!

Manuel And Paola

Bailey , saw you on ch 9 this morning. You are an inspiration . Wish you and the team great success in your endeavours Keep on chooglin. All the best

Melinda Farrelly

Congratulations Bailey, I have been following you since day 1. You are a true inspiration to so many.

Tony Balkin

Woohoo Bailey 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 What an unimaginable feat for most people…….you are a testament to putting your heart, mind and soul into a purpose for the greater good. To me and I’m sure many others, you are an inspiration for how to live life, with or without mental illness. Personally, you have helped me to accept my mental illness journey and not hide under the shame. Congratulations, you are a legend 💪🥾🖤🐾

Kathy Dodds

Well done was an honour to share the morning with you at Pajinka

Belle Thorpe

Well done Bailey! What an incredible journey, and for an amazing cause.

Tara Mckean

Elly francis-pester.

Congratulations Bailey, what a massive achievement. I’ve been following you since you were close to me in Victoria. Such a worthwhile and important cause and you should be so proud!

Shelley Vetter

Congratulations Bailey!!! A crazy awesome achievement for such a great cause. Go girl!!!

Tamira Mearrick

Rose devereaux.

Well done Bailey! Absolute legend.

Taryn Jasmine Sandall

Kerryn james.

With my family members all struggling with mental illness, I applaud you for your commitment and spreading the word. Congratulations, great effort 👏👏👏

Clare Mccall

You’re an inspiration!

Jill Player

Well done Bailey

Geoff Millman

Congratulations Bailey, Breathe out the fear breathe in the courage! You will make it.

Proud of your awareness to support your disability by taking on the huge task of such a big walk to raise money for people with a mental disability. Go Bailey

Scott Staines

Truly amazing effort for a great cause.

Nicky White

Congratulations on completing your epic walk Bailey! I saw your segment on The Today Show this morning and was so impressed by your courage and determination to achieve your mission of promoting awareness and education of mental health challenges. All the best for whatever you do next!

Sharon Ford

Thank you Bailey hope your really proud of yourself My son suffers terribly with bi polar life can be such a struggle for him. I will tell him what your doing it might give him sone hope ❤️

Congratulations. Thank you. It's been such an emotional ride watching you walk. You are amazing!

David Esposito

Hi Bailey, you are an inspiration! I've really enjoyed following your journey. Congratulations on reaching your goal. You should be proud of all the lives you've touched a long the way, and putting a spot light on mental health. Enjoy every last minute on your way up to the tip!

Lisa Bastedo

I Have been following your journey! So close to the finish line now!

You are an absolute inspiration Bailey!! Have loved following your journey. Enjoy reaching the tip tomorrow and the celebrations of your achievement!!!

Great work, you are so inspiring!!

Sally Mcneil

Nanette & anthony wattus.

We have been following your journey since day one. So blessed that you asked me for directions to the bar at Laura Rodeo as I got to meet and really know the amazing woman you are. Sending all our love and we will be watching you complete your journey right to the end. You go girl!!!!💗

Lions Den Hotel Patrons

Congratulations Bailey We took the hat around again tonight.

I am so super proud of you Baily You have fought so hard Will be with you in my heart tomorrow Please enjoy every moment. I will miss seeing your face everyday xxx

Ange Wagland

You're incredible Bailey - thanks for bringing so much awareness to mental health, and for hanging in there during all the tough times. Congratulations on completing this huge challenge!

Julie Sullivan

Good on you. It was great to meet at the library at Mission Beach. This illness can be difficult at times but also a lesson in life that leads to a greater understanding of the human condition.

Jessie Booth

Illa langa farm.

An amazingly courageous effort Bailey. Keep it up.

Tiffany Blok

What an incredible journey you have had! Thank you for raising awareness and sharing your own challenges along the way. Congratulations <3

Got nothing but Great effort

Amazing effort! Not just the walking but all the work you did especially speaking with kids and communities. So good!

Teina Harawira

Congratulations Bailey! That is an awesome achievement. We saw you in the road and at Moreton Telegraph Station!

Evans Family

Awesome Bailey - good luck with the last couple of days!

What a journey! Thank you for raising awareness for mental health and sharing your journey with us! Your family & friends must be so proud of you! Well done!

Inspiring woman

Sarina Foot

You’re amazing! What an astonishing achievement and huge dedication 💗💗💗

Louise Beard

Cassy Wingrove

You’re amazing!!

Emily Brown

Kath watters.

Great effort!

Julia & Amber Lewis

So proud and blown away by all that you have done. Keep being amazing Bailey!

Sarah Pendergrass

Absolutely incredible effort Bailey!!

Well done Bailey, great achievement 👏

Bless you, amazing job, so many people inspired by your resilience, your messages of hope. Lived following your journey. Enjoy a rest. ❤️

Bailey, you are a super inspiration x

Michael Page

Amazing effort Bailey! Such an inspiration! XX

Cindy Eiritz

Bless you Bailey you are a through and through legend. Thank you for everything you have done and thank you for everything your legacy will continue doing. Sending so much love, Cindy and Jamie

Go bails! You’ve done amazing ❤️

Sarah Gatens

You are just fabulous so proud of everything you are doing thank you

Inca Pickersgill

What an inspiration! So happy I met you!

Inspirational your flyer was in my letterbox and I thought bloody hell what an epic effort. Your killing it awesome work 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

Kasmyn Murfet And Lewis Kirkman (tassie Troopy)

You're an absolute fighter Bailey! Thank you for sharing your own personal mental health journey and helping others speak up about a topic everyone suffers from at some point in their lifetime. The world needs more Baileys and Seanys! You are extraordinary. Keep being your incredible selves. Much love xx

Congratulations Bailey, so proud of you!

Terese Mcdevitt

wonderful girl

You are amazing!

Marc Hansen

Awesome effort Bailey, you are making an amazing contribution!!

Nick Farr-jones

Great effort - well done!

Fiona Erquiaga

Have loved following your insta stories from the very beginning. You have helped me be strong in going to my own psych appointment. Will be a special day when you reach the top!

Trineey Elliott

Go, you good thing!

Gregory Seary

Philip wells.

You’re awesome.

Lucinda Peeler

Bailey! You’re such an inspiration and doing such good things. Sorry I’m so late to donate. I’ve watched your whole journey and I can’t believe the little baby we left in Newcastle is this amazing, tough, brilliant woman!

Monique Embling

Bailey, you are unbelievable. Massive congratulations on getting to The Tip. I am in awe of your strength of character

Erica Tanner

Gal! You are such an inspiration! Such a privilege to have met you back in Ecuador and see you do this amazing journey! Might have even convinced me to walk Te Araroa (NZ’s 3000km hike from top to bottom!)

Amazing, Bailey! You’re nearly there! Congratulations, what an inspiration you are! Enjoy the walk to the finish with Sean & your family.

Hoping this makes it 70707. 🤞🏻

Three days left. Holy crap. What an incredible walk. Every day, and the whole lot put together. You’re a superstar.

Carmen (archie’s Mum)

So proud of you!!! You are such an inspiration and role model.

Janelle Duncan

What an incredible effort. So inspirational and cheering you all the way to the finish.

So inspiring Bailey! I have followed your journey and seen the highs and lows but you have never ever given up ❤️💕 what a woman and what a cause

Fiona Boyce

Wow… an amazing effort… I am late to follow your journey .. but what a journey! Feel proud 💕

I have been going through the worst depression of my life these past 6 wks and watching your walk has given me some strength and hope. I am seeing much brighter days now and I know how much you would want to know that too. All the best for your last days of the treck.

Keep up the great work!

Cath Harris

Amazing achievement, Bailey! Enjoy the final few days.

Adam Mumford

Awesome work Bailey!! Soult is about to get going, so more to come from Soult in a couple of weeks...

What an amazing achievement!

Thank you for sharing your amazing journey, your personal experiences with living with a mental illness and raising awareness. You are one awesome chick!

Donna & Ian Campbell

You are a Legend. Exceptional effort. . well done. Donna & Ian Campbell. (James)

Keep up the amazing advocacy and awareness raising. So inspirational. Thank you

Ari And Ruby

You are amazing Bailey. Resilient, brave, kind and positive. You should be so proud of yourself. A once in a lifetime achievement 🤍

Caitlin Harris

Thought I better with 3 days left. 😳😬🤣

Outback Gear Solutions

ONYA LEGENDS! :)

Go Bailey! Absolutely legend 🙌🏼

Julie Larpent

Fantastic achievement! 💜

Shae Arthur

I just wanted to say, you have done an incredible job hiking all that way! (5000kms on foot is absolutely astounding) We appreciate all your hard work throughout this incredible feat. You are amazing Thank you!

Sarah Crosbie

Awesome cause and amazing accomplishment walking the east coast of Aus! You got this!

Meagan Frankham

I am so proud of you. I know my mum would be cheering for you too!

Incredible journey!

Watching your journey is both inspiring and humbling

Unique Building Partners Pty Ltd

Well done Bailey, what a massive achievement and a great cause.

Ian Whiteley

Rowena whiteside.

You are so inspiring Bailey!! Well done!

Your journey has helped spread awareness openly and honestly. Well done Bailey!

Rohan Eccles

Lee delaney.

Bailey, I've been with you all along the way. You are one tough & unique young lady!

Luke Meisenhelter

Yeaaaah Giiiirl

Ilana Lawrence

We’ve been cheering you on the entire time!

Evolution Mining And Civil Pty Ltd

EVMC is behind you Bailey! Keep pushing right to that finish line, your work is amazing and we can't wait to see you on the way back down.

Anne Cleverley

Wow- so close now. It’s been so good to be part of your journey.. Thank you for making a difference to so many . ❤️

Raelene Sykes

Danielle smith, eliza davies.

So proud of you! You are so close ✨✨✨ keep pushing

Brittany Lynch

Catherine smith.

I met you in Mollymook on the night with that crazy moon. Sorry it took so long to donate. You are absolutely amazing, inspiring and honest. x

So incredibly proud of you!

Kieran Fellowes

Well done Bailey you told me about your goal all the way Back in the Ulan Green gym now your about to finish it such an amazing effort nearly dying didn’t even make you give up proper beast stuff well done you psycho.

Rosie Vranic

Truly inspirational! Well done on such an amazing achievement!

Lily Rhodes

Bring it home strong. Thanks for your wonderful service to such an important cause.

Complete admiration for you Bailey! Goodluck for the final few days 🤍

Jann Falk Eastley

Thank you for speaking and sharing your story about mental illness 🙏

Love seeing your Insta posts, so proud of you! 🤍

Melinda Swanson

It's been great to follow your journey. I have shared your Instagram videos with my students, a great role model for our young girls.

Amazing, inspirational walk you are doing. I have loved watching your honest talks and seeing the experience. You should be so proud of yourself xxx

Cynthia Ballard

Halyburton legal.

Your mum told me about you. Inspirational! Hope your last few days are fulfilling and you can celebrate. Thanks for raising awareness and being so committed to the cause.

Louis Mcintosh

It's been great following your adventure. I did it on a motorbike and thought that was tough. I can't even image walking all that way. You are extremely strong and resilient. Make sure you check out the beautiful waterfalls and beaches.

Well done and good luck Bailey.

Margaret And Robert Mcdonald

Congratulations Bailey on this awesome challenge you have taken to raise money and awareness for mental health. Can wait until you stand at the tip of Australia it’s a massive feeling. We spoke to you at Telegraph Station just before boarding our comfortable bus and have been thinking of you ever since. You had bad blisters but yet you have kept going. 😍 cheers Marg and Rob McDonald

Amazing effort

Chris Blunden

Well done Bailey and accolades to both you and Sean for an amazing effort for such a vital cause. Come say hi on your way back through Port Douglas. Cheers Chris & Mark

You are amazing.

Shelly Wiltshire

Joel seamer.

Absolute legend ❤️❤️

Allana Wait

You’ve done such an amazing job!! Keep pushing

Aimee Bennett

Get it gurl!!! One week to get it!! Just. Keep. Going! So proud of you.

The Woods Family

We stopped and met you on our way to the Tip. You are almost there. A great achievement

Robert Mawkes

Saw you at Palm Creek today. Keep it up Bailey. We are hoping to be at the top when you arrive.

Chris Morris

What great cause, congratulations of this epic walk

You're amazing Bailey. All the best for your future. X Regards, Sherrie

Awesome stuff, keep it up!

Katie Scott

Amazing achievement for an amazing cause.

Graham Harding

Yr interview on sth East abc this morning, inspiring, good fortune, to you.

Susie Thompson

Amazing mission and journey, very inspiring. Well done

You’re such an inspiration, well done Bailey!

Philippa Mcdonald

You are so inspirational, doing so much good work. Keep going, you’re leaving a positive impact with every person/place you go

Shirley Dalton

All the best for the remainder of your trek. So brave!

Fully support, keep it up!

Sandra Cotter

Hi Bailey, only been following you for a few weeks and amazed by your honesty and courage. You’re almost to the Tip; what an effort!!! Hope you reach your target and then some…

You are amazing Bailey

Steve Kenworthy

Massive effort Bailey. So proud of you.

Jenna Beatson

An incredible feature, Bailey. You're smashing it!

Robyn Woolage

Kiesha trickey.

Amazing, very inspiring. Thank you for your amazing efforts to raise money for a very worthy cause

Well done on your long hike!

Rachel Kriss

I know it’s not much,but as I’m fighting my own battle with cancer,I am limited financially…I follow you on Instagram and you have helped me out of dark times,truly .. so don’t think for a second you are not reaching far and wide ! Such admiration for your strength and tenacity 🙏🏻💪🏻💪🏻

Steve Douglas

Awesome effort Bailey. Almost there. Sending my best wishes and encouragement. More will, drive and persistence than I have. I'm impressed. Well done.

It’s certainly harder than people think!

Thank You for going on this epic journey and for helping others! 💕

Well done Bailey, your almost at the tip! It has been inspirational to follow your journey

Shinaide Daly

Well done. To meet you along the way was a blessing.

Anne Jacobs

Amazing work Bailey. I hope you are so proud of this huge achievement. Great cause. Thank you for raising awareness.

Jodie Harpin

You are amazing 👏

Kim Kingston

Read about you in Mindfood. Remarkable. Good on you, Bailey. Take a breath and keep going!

Love watching you along your journey!!

You are an inspiration, so nice to see real emotions real mental health as I know personally it is a fucken hard gig My hat goes off to you warrior’ xx

What you're doing is absolutely amazing! I hope that you are super proud of your achievement and raising some much needed funds.

Marita Collins

May your journey inspire others to believe. Thank you.

Belinda Wolstencroft

Tom connolly.

Good on you. I admire your personality

Gail Stevens

Legend, you’re amazing, Bailey!

Great cause and achievement Bailey. You should be very proud of yourself. Keep up the motivation for the final four weeks.

Happy trails to you. Awesome work and thank you

Brad Mckenzie (walk The Black Dog)

Great work Bailey. Thanks for the work you're doing, the messages you're spreading, the lessons you're teaching and the lives you're changing. Always prioritize you own well-being. You should be very proud.

Shutdown Scaffold

Nearly there legend. Killing it!!!!

Inspiration energy honesty and integrity are the haulmarks of your efforts So stoked to have journeyed some of the way with you Stay strong stay engaged with your crew Your doing so well in the journey Love and peace Bretto

Trudy Buchner

Jodi flanigan.

You are awesome Bailey 😊

Craig Twyford

Broken hearts are for arseholes….. I know you will conquer it 💪

Stephen Butler

Good luck and I hope you don’t have blisters

Dennis Gardiner

Great effort! Well done 👍

John Marshall

Ashleigh whittaker.

Thank you 💜🧡💙

Sharon Green

We met Bailey at the Lions Den Hotel, she had just completed her days walk. We had no idea at the time how far she had already come. You are such an inspirational young woman and you should be very proud of your achievements. Can't wait to see the pic when you make it to the Top! 🤗

Leif Schnoor

Thank you Bailey for all you’re doing: you’re an amazing support and advocate for people managing mental health challenges, and you’re doing an awesome job educating the community, and empowering people to ask for help. Good luck and safe travels on your walk!

You are a champion ! I have driven the PDR and at least it’s flat terrain . Be proud you deserve it 👏✌️

Paul Griffiths

Great cause Bailey, I've had a few problems myself, they creep up on you when you're not looking 🤭🙄

Robyn Stevens

Well done and hopefully see you soon , we have a coffee from you , we're at Hahn River Roadhouse now :)

Wendy Fabbro

Well done for taking action

Great work so far, not far to go! Truly inspiring!

Elizabeth Cornally

Anita mcglynn.

Well done Bailey. What an amazing thing you are doing!!

You are an incredibly inspirational person Bailey! I have been following your journey for the last few months and I admire your honesty and tenacity- you’ve definitely deepened my understanding of what bipolar is like and that’s helped me to better appreciate the challenges my cousin faces each day. Haha and good ol Seany- he’s a keeper for sure!!

Dianne Brassington

Well done, what a brilliant effort.

Go you good thing! You are a beautiful human - I wish you all the best for your walk and your life.

Sally Stobo

Well done on your walk and starting conversations - you are doing a very worthwhile thing 🤗

Love what you’re doing. So important 💕.

Sarah Laxton

Good on you Bailey, epic trek. Look foreword to meeting you in Cooktown

Paul Reeves

I have shower and toilet facilities if you want in Cooktown. You and your support people can use my block of land to camp or bring you RV/Caravan and have free use of facilities, water, and electricity. If that would help. My number is 0437692168 . I will be there around the 18th June. This offer only applies to this team.

Dick And Pip Smith Foundation

Karessa cullen, carolyn cross.

Well done, Bailey. You are an inspiration.

Nick Rutledge

You chose to do this and you're seeing it through on behalf of so many others. Thank you.

Darling Bailey. What a treasure you are! I just saw ABC article about you and I am in awe of your courage, smarts and message. Thank you so much for sharing your story. Please keep talking loud and proud - you have so much to say that we all need to hear.

What an inspiring story. Keep on keeping on xx

Bruce Draper

Good job Bailey! Lovin your work!

Linas Spokevicius

Kim Johnstone

Great work Bailey. I know your amazing parents and have met you when you were really little.

Thank you for all of it 🙏🏽

Inspiring and thoughtful x keep going x

Caroline Wetherall

What an amazing challenge for a great cause. Dig deep, keep going and be hugely proud of yourself.

Janette Carland

We were so pleased to meet you this morning in Port Douglas and wish you all the best for the last leg of amazing journey .Tiu are inspirational xx

Hi Bailey, thank you for being such a beautiful inspiration and shining a light on mental illness.

Blue Dog Port Douglas

Wishing you all the best on the final leg of your journey, you’ve got this.. It was lovely to meet you & your Mum yesterday in our shop. Enjoy your lovely new Sunglasses 😎

Misha And Andrew Mccallum

Tremendous effort, Bailey! Good luck to the end!

Good on you Bailey. You are changing the world with your brave journey. Safe travels xx

Keep up your good works.

Janet Elders

Stay well God Bless you. Cheers from lnnisfail

Helen Rouse

I’m in awe of your effort . ThankYOU for your commitment to fundraise for this worthy cause

So great to meet your wonderful selves! Thank you for your time and energy and the coffee! All the very best on your adventures :)

Jan Britton

Go Bailey, you are inspirational

Love your work! Keep being amazing!

Mission Beach Donations ! ?

I first picked up on your crusade when you passed through Hervey Bay and have been following your adventure ever since. An inspirational story and human x

Ashley Martin

Nearly there, you are doing wonderfully. So impressive.

Amanda Pigram

It is a true privilege to witness your journey- thank you for shining a light on such an important cause.

The Pocket Elarish

Peace, love and muffins from the Pocket xx

I bloody love what you’re doing and hats off to you for keeping going. Many would’ve quit months ago.

Leisa Mcdermott

Thanks so much for talking at Mission Beach Library this morning Bailey. It was lovely to meet you and hear your story x

Cardwell Legends ?

Lawrence mason.

Go Bailey! You rock!

Super super impressive and inspiring. Thank you for your honesty and authenticity. You’re making a real difference doing this.

Diana Sklenar

Hi Bailey and Sean met you at Ingham caravan Park today good luck and God bless praying for your safe journey and return from Cape York you ll make a wonderful caring kind nurse 😀❤Diana xoxoxo

Harry Walker

Not long to go mate! 💪☺️

Dave Campbell

All the best Bailey, you are a champion.

Grotti Lotti

I hope you know how much of a huge positive impact you’re having Bailey. Not just the fundraiser, but by openly documenting your journey (in both senses). Much love.

You’re amazing!

Rotary Gladstone

I’ve been enjoying following your adventure, and just appreciate your honesty always. Particularly when you’ve had to take a break. You’re doing so great!

All the very best Bailey! You’re an amazing young young woman 💝💝💝

Alison Zammit

Keep going Bailey - you can do it!!

Moana Bikini

What an incredible journey and positive message! Congratulations and best of luck... Team Moana is behind you!

Jeanie Zonta

Donations from 'My Place Townsville' group meeting - toward Bailey Seamer's East Coast Trek campaign.

Tim And Ashy Hind

Your sister Phoebe told us all about it at City of Sydney Fire Station....inspirational and what a legend! Good luck!

Noel Menheere

Bailey May your physical and emotional journey guide you where you need to go. It was a pleasure meeting you in Townsvilke. Love from Bev

Love your message. It was a honor to have beers with you on TSV.

Amazing endeavour for such an important cause, well done on everything you have achieved and goodluck for the rest of the journey!

Lachlan Popham

Koffee witch.

Thank you for all you are doing.....raising money & walking for mental health. You are awesome. TIA 🙋

Thank you for raising awareness 🙏Wishing you well and loads of ongoing support along the way 🤗 🦋

Feed Central

Thank you for sharing your journey and raising awareness for mental health.

Bradley Garner

Good Luck Love your work great Cause

Well done!! You go girl

Congratulations on your journey.

Colleen Forbes

What an amazing achievement. My daughter had the pleasure of meeting you at Burdekin Plaza Pharmacy and encouraged us to donate. As a family also living with members with mental illness, your motivation to raise awareness means so much. You are amazing !

best of all wishes!

Keep up the great work

The Dream Catcher

You are incredible Bailey. When you finish I will donate again.

Michelle Bowen

Best of luck on your inspirational journey

Deeanne Fonti

Parth nathani.

Allan Brookes

Great work! All the best in your journey

Well done so far. Awesome 👏

Rick The Legend From Proserpine

Jodie vucas.

Thank you Bailey!

Cash Donations Roadside

Roadside cash donations from Gladstone to Mackay ! Thankyou legends !!

Toyota $100 Cash Donation Mackay !

Toyota $100 cash donation Mackay !

$50 Roadside Cash Donation Mackay

Roadside cash donation Mackay

Marlborough Caravan Park Cash Donation

Cash donation Marlborough caravan parking

General Store Marlborough

$20 cash donation ! Thankyou

The Couple At Marlborough Caravan Park

Thankyou to the gorgeous couple at Marlborough caravan park Thank-you for your $50 cash donation !!

Roadside Donation

The legends who pulled over driving to work near Marlborough and donated $50 each !! Cheers legends !

Archie Rockhampton

Archie’s pocket money Rockhampton!! Thanks little legend !

Information Centre Rockhampton

$100 donated Cash at information centre Rocky, Cheers legends !

Don And Geraldine Horspool

Thank you for spending time with us. You are doing a wonderful thing and I am sure that you will be making a difference to so many people's lives. You are a both beautiful souls.

Wow! Well done, what a great achievement and a great cause! Travel safe xx

Claire Wyatt

So so good to meet you today! Keep walking!! Great cause!

Meraki Circus (rachel)

You’re amazing Bailey! Thanks for representing and raising awareness for such an important cause. Xxx

Great work Bailey! 5500km trek is honestly mind-blowing. Keep it up, you're an inspiration! Love from Mackay

Rob Mccormack

Alica humphryson.

I love so much what you are doing chick

Diana Macnevin

So wonderful to read about your amazing journey Bailey in our local newspaper today. I was diagnosed with Bipolar at 17. It’s taken over 30 years for me to finally have well managed Bipolar. I have wonderful professional support people and fabulous support from family & friends. I still have good & bad days though. People don’t usually understand Bipolar because Bipolar is a condition which is hard to explain. Keep walking Bailey you are an inspiration!

Paul And Lynn

Keep going Bailey! You’re amazing!

Michelle Wiseman

I wish Bailey all the best life has to offer and that she is an inspiration to us all.

Your amazing

Good on you!

Gus Stedman

Great work Bailey and Sean

What an inspiration Bailey! Wishing you all the best as your continue on your incredible journey!

amazing!! inspirational!!

Keep up the fight Bailey you are a Legend xxx

Goode's Butchery

We look forward to meeting you when you get to Sarina.

Wazza & Pam

Awesome kid, keep walking

Thank you for what you’re contributing to the mental health space in Australia. 👏❤️

Fantastic!! 🙌🏾💛🌟 Keep moving forward.. #depressionhatesamovingtarget

What an amazing accomplishment! You should be so proud of yourself Travel safe and thanks for your contribution to a most important cause

Tanja Von Behrens

1770 gelato co.

What an inspiring thing to do! All the best on your journey 😎

Margo Mills

Wandering Minds are also walking in Japan atm, The locals love your T Shirts here too. So glad I got to do the Tuan Forest stretch with you and mum xx

Amanda Mcmahon

Yandaran hotel legends , caroline oates, australia expert - allard travels.

keep up the good work

So much courage. There is a strength of mind only those that have had the challenge of mental illness can achieve.

The Poole Group

Great Job Bailey, sorry we couldn't join the Walk on the Sunshine Coast, but we wear the shirts to promote your walk every chance we get.

Fantastic effort! Good on you for going the distance both mentally and physically!

Go Bailey!!! You are an inspiration and all round beauty human being. Mental illness like any illness is not a choice and can effect anyone at any time in their life. As someone with a recent diagnosis of Bipolar, your journey has helped me come to terms with my own illness. Hope to meet you one day. Just keep walking one step at a time 🚶‍♀️🌿💚

From another girl with bipolar - thank you <3

Karen Allan

Hi Bailey, what you are doing is amazing! Only yesterday a patron shared his tragic story of loosing his beautiful 23yo daughter to suicide. Absolutely heartbreaking. Thank you for the important messages you are promoting.

Harcourts Buderim

You are strong, you are brave, you are fierce!!

You’re amazing Bailey! What a good thing you are doing - I salute you. All the best in your endeavour and enjoy Yarun/Bribie Island!

I look forward to following your inspiring journey. Love Meg.

Inspirational...congratulations on your efforts so far 🙌💕🚶‍♀️🚶‍♀️🚶‍♀️

Michelle Pengelly

Victoria van der meer, brett friend.

Congratulations….. people like you are an inspiration.

Shannon And Amanda Wilson

Bailey, your massive wander & opening up about mental health will support so many people, I hope my contribution helps someone.

Tony Mcnabb

Keep going Gal doing a great job for a great cause.

Well done. You are awesome. Keep going strong 💪

Harry Macansh

Incredibly inspiring!

Kevin J Richard

Bailey Lovely to hear your "journey" this morning. Good Luck and "keep on truckin'"

Cherie Christie

On behalf of a someone who suffers mental illness THANK YOU ♥️

Oxley And Moss

You are doing an amazing job! We are stoked to see you walking through Caba, Casa and Kingy 🙌 you are making a difference!!

Bernard Robinson

Simply Inspirational.

Keep kicking goals!! You’re doing an amazing job

Grant Van Dongen

Great work Bailey!!! Fantastic Adventure!!!! Tremendous Cause!!!

I love your message how important it is to seek treatments and management to try prevent mental health escalating to crisis 👍

Mark & Hayley Cowan

Fantastic thing your doing … thanks Bailey ❤️ Mark & Hayley

So inspired by what you’re doing Bailey - treasure the small and the beautiful moments. Cheering you on from a distance ✨

Ray Wilkinson

Great job girl - keep going :)

Wooli Public School

Thank you so much for visiting our school. We wish you a safe journey and appreciate the wonderful work you are doing.

Gabriella Raimondi

You're an inspiration. If I didn't have to work, I would have joined you xxx

One step at a time , awesome work xo

Yuragir National Park Locals !

What an amazing woman!

Stuart Dart

Andrew connor.

Amazing effort so far... well done.

Heather Berry

Lesley light.

It was wonderful to meet you yesterday Bailey at Angourie and will share your website. What a wonderful thing you are doing. We will follow your journey with great interest . We wish you well and send love Patrick , Stephen & Lesley xo

Carli Friday

Keep up the amazing work! You’re amazing.

Geoff Jackson

What a wonderful thing you are doing. Thank you for your effort.

Well done Bailey. Amazing effort!

Liana Haslam

Congratulations, Bailey. What an amazing challenge you're taking on. I look forward to hearing about your progress and hope to walk with you when you reach Agnes Water. You are more than welcome to stay at my house.

Insurance Advisernet Australia

Justin bird.

So proud of you! I volunteer for Black Dog and it’s such a great organization and important.

Michelle Walker

Well Done Bailley you are always Welcome for a Coffee in Sawtell . Thank you for making a difference

Alison Berryman

Hi Bailey/team, love seeing your updates. Hope you’re going ok, Sue

Holly @ Reflections

Your a super star 🤩

The Beach Rooms - Nambucca Heads

Keep going! You are inspirational x The Beach Rooms Team

Rochelle And Julius Bonny Hill And Port Macquarie

Rochelle and Julius Bonny Hill and Port Macquarie

Cheryl Hartas

Going well Bailey. Hope to be able to catch up with you when you come through South West Rocks.

Martine ?????

Awesome work and thank you

Patricia Burling

Wishing you all the best in your trek and thank you for spreading the message of mental health.

25K BAYYYYBEEEEEEEE YEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAA

Kbi Design Kitchens Bathrooms

Good luck Bailey !

Amanda De George

Well done, Bailey. Kicking goals and helping more people than you know.

Amanda Whitelaw

Such a wonderful achievement Bailey. Keep up the great work. Enjoy the beautiful sunrises and sunsets everyday.

Ethan Quarello

Hey Bailey, it was a pleasure to take part for a small time on your journey and It’s amazing what your doing aswell as an inspiration.

Gregory John Walters

Mikayla atkins.

Big love to you bails, so proud of you xx

Caves Beach Public School

Donation from school fundraiser

Caves Beach Surf Club

We are proud of you and praying for safe travels and a successful journey.

What a great thing to do, for all the right reasons.

Zander Muir

Great cause and absolutely epic challenge Good luck

Amme Kenworthy

Truly inspiring!! Safe travels x Caves Beach

You’re an inspiration Bailey. So proud of you and what you are doing for this important cause ❤️

Taylah Tudehope-glachan

Keep being the voice

Todd Castledine

Well done Bailey . Keep up the good work . You have already achieved so much

Sharyn Glachan

Very inspirational Bails, keep on going darlin you are doing an amazing job. It was a great night on Friday night and I just sat there and watched through your video which was fantastic. Love the Brad n Shaz xx

Caves Beach Slsc

100s Board funds raised at the Caves community gathering. Thanks everyone for getting behind Bailey

Caves Beach Takeaway

Congrats Bailey from the crew at Caves Beach Takeaway

Matthew Hood

Paul drinkwater.

Great work Bailey!

Elisa Le Ray

Beyond proud of you Bailey, been blessed to watch you turn into the beautiful and inspiring young woman you are today. Love ya x

Tony Keevill

We’ll done Bails - keep up the great work !!

Gabbie Keevill

Super Proud!! X

Congratulations Bailey, I’m really enjoying following your progress. Xx

Go bails xx

Fiona Seamer

Proud of you Bailey

Murray Davies

Bailey what you are doing on this walk is so courageous and inspiring. Wishing you, your amazing family and support team all the best

Awesome work Bailey

Laurence Fox

Sally and I enjoyed the fundraising night and look forward to continuing to support Bailey on her epic journey

Wishing you all the best Bailey You are an inspiration to many!! Enjoy your travels & stay safe X

Donna Kleyn

Bailey you have come so far in so many ways, keep moving forward and your rewards will be enormous. I look forward to following your journey, you are inspiring many. With Love, Donna.xx

Taihlan Digges

Maddie keevill.

Go girl love you!!! Nick and Maddie ❤️

Jodie Harris

Bronwyn lindsay.

Great work Bailey

Jack Seamer

Proud of you Love jack and jill

Simone Robards

Super proud Bailey, x

Huw Kingston

Go well Bailey!

Isabella Harris

Such an inspiration!!!

Jess Farchione

So inspired by you Bailey!!!

Marshall Curtis

Absolute legend!

Sarah Clack

What a mammoth journey so far, and still remaining!!! The challenge you have set for yourself is incredible, but the message behind it is so inspiring. Such a wonderful advocate for mental health education.

Wishing you all the best as you make your way along the coastline. Hoping for fair weather and kind meetings along the journey.

Kim Tippett

Amanda ibbotson, elizabeth trainor.

I am very proud to hear what a Caves Beach girl is doing. Good luck. My son Andrew Rigg and your father are good friends

Cassidy Lovelace

Such an inspirational young person

Good on you Bailey. Awareness, talking and getting through that really bad day everytime is the key

Peter Fulko

Great initiative Bailey. I’ll watch for you in Gerringong as you pass through. Good luck

You're an inspiration!

Terence Seymour

Chris mckenna.

Well done to a good cause. Got to the tip myself (not as extreme as you lol) to spread my brother in laws ashes

Simon Kirchner

Keep on trekkin!

Katrina Castledine

Keep up the good work. So proud of you .

Inspiring mission !

Jeremy Geale

What an mazing and inspirational effort Bailey! Keep going :)

Sharron Neale

What an amazing feat - Good Luck

Paul Proctor

Thank you for such an amazing effort. Well on your journey so far and hopefully you have an amazing journey to the Cape. Funnily enough i wish i was going with you. Stay positive and thank you for your effort and fund raising.

Sam Stalley

Very inspirational what you are doing. Keep it up, will be following and hopefully able to join you for a section when you pass through Lake Macquarie/Newcastle

Chris Secomb

Deborah early.

Fantastic walk Bailey for a great cause. Thinking of you and will be praying for the rest of your journey.

Michelle Vass

Bailey, just heard about your trek. This is fantastic! All the best!!!

Best of luck on your journey, both physically and mentally Gaye (Nana On The Road)

Built By Cass

Keeping smashing it mate!

Good luck and have fun!

Good on you Bailey. May you continue to always walk forward and create change. Love from Hornsby Hieghts. 💓

Tuross Head Men's Shed

Great effort Bailey. The fella's at the Shed wish you well both with the journey you are now on and your life journey Go well

Keep trekking Bailey. Footprints for mental health. Footprints in our hearts ❤️

Rize Scaffold Pty Ltd

Towards building a better future for mental health treatments and resources

Amazing job! Good on you for making a difference

Hi Bailey - A massive effort and undertaking. Please keep doing what you do and have an impact on peoples lives.

An incredible feat! 🙌

Virginia Koffke

Best of luck on your walking adventure Bailey. My niece also suffers from bi-polar and I have seen over the years her struggles.

Mark Womersley

Well done Bailey, you're an inspiration! Keep positive and keep moving forward!

Neil Faggotter

Excellent idea! All the best.

Thanks for getting the message out and hope the walk continues to go well

Hi Bailey, we hope that you enjoyed your time in Tathra and wish you drier days for the rest of your trek north. Take care. X

Maggie Taylor

Great meeting you Bailey, all the best for your travels. Maggie

Welcome to Wollongong! Enjoy the journey for everything it is and keep trekking.

Andrew Jackson

We love what your doing and think your awsome! It was so nice to meet you and have a chat.

Stephen Page

Goodluck with your trek. Very admirable and a worthy cause.

Culburra Medical Centre

Zoya callala bay donation .

Happy Trails girlfriend 😘

Fiona Arter

I'm so happy I got the chance to meet you whilst driving home. Thank you for supporting such an important cause to me ,you and so many others. You are an Angel 😇🌻 wishing you good health and safety on your adventure ☺️🤗

Tegan Boyes

I am a trekker myself and love taking long walks because it helps me mentally and with anxiety. I support your cause which is great! Love what you are doing!

Alison Staal

What an inspiration you are ! May your journey be restorative and enlightening. You are helping so many others along the way as well just by doing what you are doing !

Donna Anderson

Wishing you a wonderful journey not only on this trek but for the rest of your life.

Mark Cutting

Excellent cause, good luck on the hike

Anita Doughty

So great to meet you and your beautiful Mum this weekend, Bailey. Thanks for putting in the hard kms for this cause. Many will benefit from your efforts. Continue to "brave your way on" (quote from Mark Nepo poem, "The Dive").

I heard you in the radio and have been waiting for you to get to Batemans Bay. Stay warm and safe.

Janet Hamer

Amazing job Bailey, welcome to Moruya

Jo Melville

Hi Bailey, I met you today with Flea and Shannon as you paddled across Tomaga River. You are an inspiration and I loved your "Tanti time" method. All the best on your journey and I look forward to following your adventures. ❤

Casey Greene

'May the long time sun shine upon you, All love surround you, and the pure light within you, guide your way on'

Bailey Seamer

Paul light to light walk Eden :) legend

Lachlan Beed

Safe travels . A wonderful cause

Vickii Wallace

Bailey after hearing you on ABC Bega I want to support you every step of the way. Hope you know how much I admire your achievement so far and know you will inspire more people on your journey.

One state down Boubba!!!! The way you got up and brushed yourself off after your recent SOS experience represents your grit, determination and resilience on your trek and in life. Mum x

I have Bipolar Disorder too, and what you are doing is incredibly inspiring! Thank you.

Good on you Bailey and your supporters! Eden 23 June 2022

Nowa Nowa Legends + Inkas Pocket Money !

Mingling waters, nowa nowa.

Love your work Bailey. Thanks for stopping in, the chat and for being an inspiration.

This is some incredible stuff. All the best for your journey

Loch Sport, Local Legend Donations !

Loch Sport Legends donation 120 !

Enjoy every day Bailey

Sally Walters

You are so awesome! See you up here! I’ll have a beer waiting ❤️

Chris Ellis

Good luck & enjoy !!

Lana Delaney

Stay safe Bailey, love the Delaneys xxxx

Elise & Khai Tucker

What you’re doing is incredible! Best wishes xx

Margaret Mayall

I think your a legend Bailey.

Michael Seamer

Dianne greenwood, hannah drew, clare seamer.

So proud of you beautiful girl - all the best on this epic life changing adventure- enjoy and we will catch up on the home run. Xx

Louise Seal

Good Luck Bailey hope you achieve your goal. I would love to see photos of your journey. Thank you for contributing to such an important institute.

Go girlfriend xxxx

Ryan Southall

Great cause!!! Wishing all the best🤠

Elke Wallace-smith

Yeah gurllll ❤

You bloody ripper

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© 2023 Black Dog Institute

East coast walker raises depression awareness

by Brian Warren | Jul 23, 2022

Bailey Seamer will be visiting the Kiama area in the next few days as part of her fundraising walk along the entire east coast of Australia.

The journey commenced on May 16 at the tip of Wilson’s Promontory. Bailey has already walked 850 kilometres and will finish on the most northern tip of Cape York peninsula.

The goal is to raise awareness of resources to assist with depression.

Her website is  wandering-minds.org  with all donations to support the Black Dog Institute.  

Wandering Minds Walk

24-year-old Caves Beach local Bailey Seamer has been walking more than 5,000 kms to ignite conversations about mental health and to prove to herself that a bipolar diagnosis does not define her.

At the age of 13, a time when most of us are forming hopes and dreams for the future, Bailey’s came tumbling down. She was misdiagnosed with depression and spent a lot of her teenage years heavily medicated.

Then, at 19, while studying nursing overseas, she had her first manic episode and suddenly her life felt very much out of control.

“None of my family or friends had any idea what bipolar really was. What did it mean? Could I still achieve all the things that I originally set out to do?” Bailey tells me over a scratchy WhatsApp call from the Daintree.

“So many things in my life were uncertain. So I said to myself, I’m going to do this massive thing to show myself that I can achieve whatever I put my mind to, and perhaps create a positive effect with other people that may be suffering from mental illness too.”

In May 2022, with determination and a little stubbornness driving her on, Bailey set out on her “Wandering Minds Walk” from Wilsons Promontory, the southernmost point of Australia, to Cape York Peninsula, the northernmost tip.

A massive thing indeed

She has walked endless sandy beaches, including the Stockton Sand Dunes which she says were stunning, but a killer for the calves, through small towns and big towns, in the wet, the dry and the humid. Through Victoria and NSW Bailey walked mostly on her own, sleeping in a tent with all she needed in her back pack, except when she needed a food drop or water supplies.

Once she made it to Queensland, her partner Sean, who drives the support vehicle, joined her and when we chatted they were spending the night at a beautiful AirBnB, gifted by a local. “It’s been absolutely wonderful to be in a good bed and dry because it rains so much here! We’re mostly sleeping in the back of a support vehicle or wherever anyone will take us. It’s kind of like being a couple of strays,” Bailey laughed.

She has raised $88,000 for mental health research through the Black Dog Institute, and organisations and individuals have kindly donated clothing, shoes and equipment to support Bailey’s cause.

Read more about Bailey in our Spring Edition of Hunter & Coastal Lifestyle Magazine or  subscribe here.

Story by Megan Hazlett, photography courtesy of Bailey Seamer

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• Bailey Seamer’s MONSTER trek..

Bailey Seamer’s MONSTER trek and mental health initiative

Fresh from completing a trek over 5000km long across the east coast of Australia, Bailey Seamer stops by to chat with Ben about her ‘Wandering Minds Walk’ initiative and her support for the Black Dog Institute.

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