$1 million East Coast record bid began on 1 August
Four runners started an East Coast record attempt on Saturday 1 August, leaving Cape York for a 6,000 kilometre run to Wilsons Promontory. The East Coast record bid also aims to raise $1 million for Destiny Rescue.
Griffin Hughes, Flinders Cobley, Chelsea Dyer and Nathan Maufe hope to reach Victoria in about 80 days. Wilsons Promontory is the southernmost point of the Australian mainland.
All four plan to run the full route together. Their target is 75 kilometres a day, which is close to two marathons daily.
If they finish on schedule, the group will claim a world record for the fastest crossing of Australia’s east coast on foot.
Mr Hughes tied the challenge to Destiny Rescue’s work against child trafficking and sexual exploitation. “This was never about us,” he said.
He said 476 children are enduring abuse and waiting to be rescued. Because of that figure, the team wants to raise money and public awareness.
Destiny Rescue founded in 2001
Destiny Rescue began in Australia in 2001. The non-profit works internationally to rescue children from trafficking and sexual exploitation and equip them to stay free.
Since 2001, Destiny Rescue says it has helped more than 27,000 people to freedom across five regions. The group has also assisted in the arrest of many perpetrators.
After a rescue, support depends on each survivor’s needs. That can include family reunification, care by government agencies, or enrolment in Destiny Rescue care.
The organisation says those steps aim to reduce the risks that led to exploitation. They also aim to support a life of freedom.
Fundraising manager Gavin McCulloch said the run would carry the cause the length of Australia. He said strangers who stop, share the story online, or donate help build wider support for children.
Supporters can track the runners and donate at runaustralia.org. Additional information about Destiny Rescue’s work, regions and rescue stories is available on its website.
The team set off from the tip of Cape York and plans to finish in Victoria.
