Lets Climb Mountains Side by Side in 2024....
About Tony’s Trek 2023
My volunteer role as ESF Chair is a profoundly personal one as I have been in the sector for almost forty years. In that time I’ve seen many of my colleagues suffer from trauma due to their role in emergency services/management. This trauma can often result in mental health injury and have lasting impacts throughout their career and retirement. In supporting ESF’s work in improving mental health outcomes for Victoria’s 139,000 emergency workers, both paid and volunteer, in frontline and support roles, I have decided to commit to a solo ultra-distance walk to raise awareness of the work we do. We need to acknowledge the urgency of supporting those who support us. On the 10th of March 2023, I will commence my journey in East Melbourne at the State Control Centre, and over the 50 days, I’ll cover 1500 kms. My route has been specifically chosen to cover much of the area where the Victorian Black Summer Bushfires occurred. I hope this will acknowledge the horrible mental health impacts those fires had and continue to have on emergency workers, along with the community members themselves of these areas. For me, it will be one step at a time to achieve this goal and personal physical feat. Recovery from mental health injury is also a personal journey that involves taking one step at a time.
Tony Pearce – Inspector-General for Emergency Management and ESF Chair
Tony's Trek Blog
ESF’s evidence informed prevention focused initiatives seek to benefit emergency workers whether they are at the frontline or in important support roles before, during or after emergencies. ESF is at the frontline of mental health, making sure we have the best possible strategies to help prevent people from our sector being harmed by the work they must do. With our focus on prevention and early intervention, ESF works collaboratively with agencies as it seeks to get ahead of the mental harm and injury threat that currently pervades the sector – so everyone benefits.
A lived experience program
Which could see ESF train mental health ambassadors from across the sector to safely share their stories of mental health injury and recovery. This would help to reduce the mental health stigma which pervades the sector and inhibits early help seeking when the chance of recovery is greatest.
To deliver such an initiative, the ESF would need $85,000 to establish the Lived Experience Program and document and professionally film 15 stories.
An ambitious research program
That seeks through evidence to identify appropriate initiatives and strategies that could be developed by ESF to assist in reducing the likelihood that those in the early stages of their mental health journey will progress to suffer a significant mental injury.
To deliver such an initiative, the ESF would need $100,000.
A pilot residential wellbeing program
Which could bring together emergency workers who are mentally struggling, to help them address work related concerns and develop resilience skills supported by experts who completely understand their experiences. This would help them effectively self-manage and reduce the risk of developing serious mental health injury.
To deliver such an initiative ESF would need $425,000 to complete a study that would include the conduct of six pilot groups, and a formal evaluation of the outcomes, to assess the benefits of implementing an ongoing program in Victoria.
Tony's Trek Ambassadors:
Daily finish Locations
Starting point – State Control Centre 8 Nicholson Street East Melbourne
10 March – Dandenong
11 March – Nar Nar Goon
12 March – Warragul
13 March – Moe
14 March – Traralgon
15 March – Rosedale
16 March – Sale
17 March – Sale
18 March – Providence Ponds rest area
19 March – Bairnsdale
20 March – Bruthen
21 March – Nowa Nowa
22 March – Orbost
23 March – Orbost
24 March – Cabbage Tree Creek
25 March – Bright Light Saddle rest area
26 March – Cann River
27 March – rest area near Upper Wingan Road
28 March – Genoa
29 March – Mallacoota
30 March – Mallacoota
31 March – Genoa
1 April – rest area near Upper Wingan Road
2 April – Cann River
3 April – Bright Light Saddle rest area
4 April – Cabbage Tree Creek
5 April – Orbost
6 April – Orbost
7 April – Nowa Nowa
8 April – Bruthen
9 April – Tambo River campsite
10 April – Ensay
11 April – Swifts Creek
12 April – Omeo
13 April – Omeo
14 April – Cobungra
15 April – Hotham Heights
16 April – St Bernard Hospice Chain Bay parking area
17 April – Smoko campground
18 April – Porepunkah
19 April – Myrtleford
20 April – Yackandandah
21 April – Wodonga
22 April – Wodonga
23 April – Chiltern
24 April – Wangaratta
25 April – Glenrowan
26 April – Benalla
27 April – Violet Town
28 April – Euroa
29 April – Euroa
30 April – Avenel
1 May – Seymour
2 May – Broadford
3 May – Wallan
4 May – Craigieburn
5 May – 8 Nicholson Street East Melbourne
10 May – MCG @ ESF’s Better Together Luncheon
Major Supporters:
Accommodation donated by...
Elmsford Cottage Warragul | Lyrebird Cottage Mallacoota | Altura Bright | City Gardens Motel Traralgon | Harvest Home Avenel | Lyrebird Lakehouse Nowa Nowa | Ain Garth Accommodation Violet Town | Lake Anderson Caravan Park Chiltern | Marlo Hotel Marlo | Mansi on Raymond Sale | Cabbage Tree Creek Community Hall | Marouka Lodge Hotham Heights | Bairnsdale Main Motel | The Yack Air BnB | Glenrowan Tourist Park
Meals dontated by...
Other supporters
Lakes Window Tinting | Moira Ruff Remedial Massage | Essie Maojo – Myotherapist | Rhonda Clarke – Bowen Therapy | Lauren Burridge – Osteopath | Marlo Angling Club | Mallacoota District Health | Massugo | Broadford Bits & Bargains
