We protect what we love

FRIDAY . 17 . 12 . 21 .

Hi there, I’m Will and I’m hosting this week’s newsletter. I’ve joined For Wild Places as Project Lead and for the first time ever, I love answering the question: ‘What do you do?’. The answer: ‘I’m an activist runner!’

For Wild Places combines a few of the things I love: running, activism, and environmental and social justice.

Running in the 2021 Coastal Classic, from Otford to Bundeena, through the Royal National park.

I grew up in Bendigo, Victoria, but haven’t lived there for 25 years. I love going back to visit – partly to look at the stunning, gold rush inspired buildings but mostly to hang out and catch up with my lovely family. But then I need to escape the heat and get back home!

Home is in the Illawarra. It’s part of the Dharawal people’s lands and is just south of Sydney and the Royal National Park. It’s hemmed in on one side by the ocean, and on the other side by the escarpment, a beautiful mountain range with fantastic trails! I live in the suburb of Port Kembla – home to the steelworks – with my partner Jess and our two dogs Ren & Edie.

Despite developing from heavy industry, including coal mining and steel manufacturing, the Illawarra community has a long history of fighting to protect the environment and its wild places. This history has had a huge influence on me and I’ve spent most of my adult life working and volunteering in social justice, community and environmental organisations.

A stand out for me was being part of Stop CSG Illawarra, a community group that formed in response to coal seam gas (CSG) development approved in the Illawarra, in and around the drinking water catchment for Greater Sydney.

From 2011, the community informed itself and coordinated a massive campaign that saw all CSG licences and development approvals in the Illawarra cancelled or overturned and won a moratorium on CSG development in water catchment Special Areas. The relationships built during the campaign were so special and lasting. The major actions, which included mass human signs and a community walk across the iconic Sea Cliff Bridge, continue to be the most spectacular and inspiring events I’ve been a part of. The campaign proved there is nothing more powerful than an informed and mobilised community.

Stop CSG Illawarra mass human sign, Austinmer beach,

May 2011

I started running a lot during the COVID lockdowns. With my go to sport – basketball – cancelled, I caught the running bug big-time. Lockdowns are difficult but I was so lucky to be able to run along beaches, around lakes and up mountains. I came across an ad for the Pilliga Ultra, organised by For Wild Places, and was stoked to find an organisation that combined things I love so well. 

Sports can be such a powerful platform to reach people, help inform, educate and mobilise communities for just causes. I can’t wait to help For Wild Places do just this! 

WHAT I'VE BEEN WATCHING

Ted Lasso

This could be the best TV I’ve ever watched (other than The Wire of course).  Ted Lasso is an American football coach who’s recruited to manage a Premier League soccer team in London. It’s hilarious but also sad and incredibly moving at times. It’s themed around serious and important issues but does it in a way to remind us to find joy in our day to day and be kind to each other. Also, the characters are just the best.

WHAT I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO

Judith Lucy- Overwhelmed & Dying

After a traumatic break up and many other disappointments and worries, Judith Lucy is in a really dark place. She decides to solve all her problems (and ours) with an 8 episode podcast. I’ve learnt to not tune in to these episodes when I don’t want to laugh out loud in inappropriate places. This podcast is so funny, it’s a perfect example of using comedy to help deal when you’re really down and stressed about the world.  

WHAT I'VE BEEN READING

The Kaepernick Effect: Taking a Knee, Changing the World

This is the latest book from my favourite sports activist writer, Dave Zirin. It presents a range of stories about courageous people who have used their platform as elite athletes to fight against racism and injustice. When Colin Kaepernick ‘took a knee’ (kneeled) in 2016 during a pre-game national anthem to highlight police brutality, he would be a major inspiration 4 years later during the massive Black Lives Matter protests in the US and around the world. Check out Dave Zirin’s writings and podcast for more on the intersection of sports and politics and how sports can play a huge role in making change.

Thanks again for taking the time to follow along and join the community at For Wild Places.

🙏🏻 🙏🏼 🙏🏽 🙏🏾 🙏🏿

Will and the For Wild Places team.

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We acknowledge the the First Nations people who have been custodians of land, waters and culture for tens of thousands of years. We pay respects to First Nations Elders past, present and emerging.

This newsletter was written on the lands of the Dharawal people. To these people, we pay our respects.

Always was, always will be.

By For Wild Places

We're a group of adventurers who love to

protect wild places we run on