An inspiring 82-year-old is preparing to walk almost the length of the Sunshine Coast in support of a cause close to her heart.
Margaret Landbeck is a strong supporter of the Yes campaign for the Voice to Parliament and will be walking 82km from Peregian Beach to Caloundra to promote her stance.
“As an 82-year-old non-Indigenous woman, I have decided to play my part in promoting the Yes vote by walking the 82km of the Coastal Pathway,” she said.
Her walk commences at 8am on Wednesday, July 5, with a small ceremony and well wishes at Peregian Beach, before being cheered home four days later at 1pm on Saturday, July 8, at Bells Creek, with a celebration and community barbecue led by State Member for Caloundra Jason Hunt.
Margaret will walk four sections of about 20km a day, including a loop to extend the trip to 82km – one kilometre for each year of her life.
To prepare, she regularly does a 10km early morning walk.
She will be supported along the way by various groups of walkers joining for a beach to beach walk or for a full day.
“The walk may be novel but it is an effective way to meet people who may be interested in developing their thoughts ahead of this important vote,” she said.
“I will also distribute supportive campaign brochures in the various beachside community centres.
“I hope to gather strong support from community groups and younger people to join me on some sections of the walk.
“I have arranged meet and greet points at beachside community parks for chats with supporters and locals as I pass through.”
Margaret says she was inspired by ultra-marathon runner Pat Farmer and his 15,000km Run for the Voice trek around Australia, which started in April and will end in October.
A resident of IRT Parklands at Meridan Plains, Margaret has not opted for a quiet retirement. She is active in many community causes, including refugee support in the Buddies network and community breakfasts with the Uniting Church Caloundra, and is active in publicising many social justice issues.
She grew up in a traditional family in England, undertaking a nursing career, but soon after marriage she and her husband went on a university posting to Lesotho, in southern Africa, for six years.
“We went with one son and came back with four,” she said.
Other postings included to Fiji and the United States.
She says her overseas experiences honed her sense of social justice.
“This developed quite strongly when I was living in Lesotho alongside South Africa during the apartheid regime and I became aware for the very first time the plight of marginalised people,” she said.
Margaret has a small but keen support group who are working on the practical arrangements for her walk, and she is hoping to attract more supporters.
“I would really appreciate the company of as many walkers as possible,” she said.
For more information click here.
Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. You must include your name and suburb.
