Why these carers walked 40 kilometres through South Gippsland

Eight carers recently stepped away from their usual caring responsibilities to take a four-day walk from Fish Creek to Port Welshpool as part of Interchange Gippsland’s 10th Carer Camino.

The walk gave the carers the chance to focus on their own wellbeing.

The retreat ran from October 20 to October 23, and participants averaged about 10km a day along the Great Southern Rail Trail before finishing at the Port Welshpool Long Jetty.

The journey is designed to offer those who spend much of their time caring for others the space to consider their own needs.

Organisers handled the practical details.

Carers could simply walk.

Interchange Gippsland hosted the retreat with Linda Rowley, from Linda Rowley Consulting, who facilitated the event’s wellbeing activities, while an Interchange staff member accompanied the group and a local volunteer drove the bus.

The eight carers came from a range of areas across Gippsland.

The group was blessed with some fine weather, allowing plenty of time outdoors across the four-day period, which included meditation and discussions.

Participants also shared meals and took part in wellbeing workshops, all while developing a personal wellbeing plan along the way.

Interchange Gippsland CEO Rebecca Massaro said the retreat helped carers maintain their wellbeing and caring relationships.

“As a leading Gippsland disability service, we are delighted to offer this retreat to carers, to assist them to maintain their wellbeing and caring relationships.”

Ms Rowley said walking and spending time in nature were very beneficial for the participants.

“Walking in natural environments can be restorative and replenish our psychological resources,” she said.

“Benefits can include positive emotions, clearer thinking, and increased sense of connection to self, others and the world around us”.

The event was originally inspired by the principles of the Camino de Santiago, aiming to offer a supported wellbeing experience that gives carers some time away from organising what needs to happen next.

In a LinkedIn article published ahead of the October retreat, Ms Rowley shared reflections from previous participants about the relief of having someone else take care of the details.

“It was like somebody picked you up and just looked after you,” one previous participant said.

“You didn’t have to think about anything.”

The experience also encourages carers to consider what might support them once they return to their usual responsibilities.

One earlier participant described becoming more willing to pause and take time away when needed, while another said the experience had taken away some of their stress and worry.

Interchange Gippsland runs two Carer Caminos each year, usually around March and October, for carers across Gippsland who support someone with a disability.

After its 10th Camino, Interchange plans to continue offering these carer wellbeing opportunities.