How Di Westaway OAM is Inspiring Thousands, One Step at a Time
I n the world of high-stakes adventure, the name Di Westaway OAM is synonymous with grit, transformation, and the relentless pursuit of the horizon. But if you ask the founder of Coastrek – Australia’s iconic team hiking and fundraising challenge – she’ll tell you she isn’t just a mountaineer or a record-holder. She is a woman who found her power in the wild when the walls of domestic life felt like they were closing in.
Today, Di is the Chief Adventure Chick, a title that belies the profound impact she has had on women’s health across Australia. Through her social enterprise, Wild Women On Top, and the juggernaut that is Coastrek, she has mobilised over 90,000 people to lace up their boots, and raise a staggering $58 million for charity partners. More recently, her focus has pivoted toward mental health, fuelled by her unwavering belief – and supported by growing research – in the powerful role nature can play in the modern mental health crisis and supporting mental health and wellbeing.
To understand the powerhouse Di is today, you have to look back twenty years. Like many women, Di found herself in the thick of a “mid-wife” crisis. She was a mother of three, drowning in a bottomless laundry basket, juggling the demands of a young family as well as a career. She was going through the motions of life in a state of perpetual fatigue and disconnect.
“Is this all there is?” she found herself wondering.
The turning point came not from a gym or a self-help book, but from a “big, fat fail” on a mountain in South America. An impulsive decision to climb Mt Aconcagua- the highest peak in the Southern Hemisphere – saw her returning home without reaching the summit. But while she didn’t touch the peak, she touched something far more important: her own resilience. She realised that the wild didn’t care about her laundry; it cared about her spirit. Hiking didn’t just give her a hobby; it saved her life by giving her a sense of self that existed outside the roles of “mother” and “wife.”
Di returned to Sydney with a fire in her belly. She began training local women in the Sydney Harbour National Park, often under the cover of darkness after her children were tucked in. Armed with headtorches, veggie wraps, and homemade cookies, these women weren’t just walking; they were reclaiming their health, sense of self, connection and confidence.
This grassroots collective evolved into Coastrek. What started as a pilot event with 40 women carrying photocopied maps has grown into a national phenomenon. From the rugged cliffs of the Mornington Peninsula taking place on 22 May, to the turquoise waters of the Sunshine Coast on 17 July, Coastrek now sees thousands of women – and men! – hiking 20km, 30km, or 50km in teams.
Excitingly, the movement continues to expand its footprint in NSW. Fresh off the back of a successful event on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Coastrek heads to the NSW South Coast on 14 August for the very first time. Starting at Corrigans Beach, this inaugural event will take participants along the newly opened Munjip Trail, offering a spectacular opportunity to showcase both the beauty of the region and this premier new tourism asset. The 2026 adventure continues across the country, heading to the stunning Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia on 4 September, followed by the iconic Margaret River region on 30 October.
The beauty of the movement is its accessibility. While Di herself holds the world record for the highest handstand (performed at 6,982m on Mt Ama Dablam in Nepal), she is adamant that you don’t need to be an elite athlete to benefit from the trail.
“If you can walk, you can hike! The right walk, with the right women, in the right place, can truly change your life,” Di says. “Nature remains one of Australia’s most under-prescribed mental health tools.”
In 2026, the mission is more critical than ever with Coastrek currently partnering with Beyond Blue. With nearly half of all Australians experiencing a mental health condition in their lifetime, Di has seen firsthand how the combination of physical movement, social connection, and the “blue and green spaces” of nature can provide a lifeline.
A recent study by Griffith University confirms what Di has known for decades: participation in the Coastrek program leads to a measurable, lasting boost in mental wellbeing. By encouraging women to form teams and train together for twelve weeks before the event, Coastrek creates a “sisterhood of the trail” that combats the isolation so many women feel. While the millions raised for charity since Coastrek’s inception has supported various vital causes, the current focus is squarely on mental health. Funds raised through Coastrek’s current partnership with Beyond Blue go toward helping fund Beyond Blue’s 24/7 Support Service, ensuring every step taken contributes to making support available to Australians whenever they need it.
At sixty-plus, Di Westaway is showing no signs of slowing down. She is a living testament to the idea that life doesn’t shrink as we age; it expands if we enjoy good health, and have the courage to step outside. Her story is a reminder to every woman who feels stuck behind a desk or a kitchen bench that the wilderness is waiting.
For Di, every trekker who crosses the finish line represents a victory over the “shoulds” and “musts” of life. Whether you’re hiking to process grief, manage anxiety, or simply to find the version of yourself that got lost under the weight of responsibility, Di’s message is clear: “
“Grab your girlfriends, lace up your boots, and head into the wild. You’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.”
Join the Movement: Visit coastrek.com.au to find an event near you
