Ten of Mapleton’s most dedicated walkers will soon be sporting matching red T-shirts, after the Mapleton Movers walking group was named a successful applicant in the Heart Foundation’s new Walk Organiser Support Fund. The announcement comes as the group also celebrates seven years of bringing locals together for regular walks around the hinterland village, and as Heart Foundation Walking marks three decades as one of Australia’s largest free walking networks.
A National Fund, A Local Win
Group organiser Donna Klease applied on behalf of the Mapleton Movers earlier this year, requesting ten Heart Foundation Walking branded T-shirts to help promote the group and support its regular participants. The application was one of 151 submitted nationally, and every single one was successful.
“I’m happy to report that I was successful with ten of my most regular walkers, now will be receiving Red Unisex T-Shirts,” Klease said. “Congratulations to all my walkers.”
The fund, drawn from a national pool of approximately $10,000, allowed walk organisers to apply for one of six support items, ranging from tear drop banners and promotional postcards to an Officeworks gift card or a tablet for recording attendance. Eligibility was straightforward: any walk organiser could apply, though only one item could be requested per organiser, and only one funded item awarded per group.
A Heart Foundation spokesperson confirmed this was the first year the fund had run, with plans to continue offering it annually, although the specific items on offer may change from year to year depending on what the organisation is able to provide.
The shirts awarded to the Mapleton Movers carry the general Heart Foundation Walking logo, distinct from the milestone Walker Rewards red polo shirts reserved for participants who reach specific walking targets, such as membership in the 1000 Walk Club. According to the Heart Foundation, the T-shirts are intended to help with group visibility and recruitment, giving walkers a recognisable uniform when out on the paths and trails around Mapleton.
Seven Years on the Track
The Mapleton Movers were formed in July 2019, when friends Beth Wilkins and Donna Klease discovered there was no local walking group after a conversation at a community fundraising morning tea. The pair found the Heart Foundation Walking program and decided to start a group of their own, giving Mapleton residents a free, structured way to stay active together. Wilkins stepped down as organiser in 2024, handing the running of the group to Klease, who has continued the tradition since.
The group meets three mornings a week, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from the Lilyponds Park carpark at 7am. Walks alternate between routes through the village, trips to Flaxton for coastal views of the Sunshine Coast, and outings through Mapleton National Park. A coffee catch-up follows the Wednesday walk, a tradition that has helped cement the social side of the group alongside its health benefits.
Earlier this year, the Mapleton Movers also received a certificate marking seven years of continuous operation, an acknowledgement the Heart Foundation extends to every walking group reaching an anniversary milestone, rather than a competitive award.
Three Decades of Heart Foundation Walking
The T-shirt announcement lands in a significant year for the wider program, with Heart Foundation Walking celebrating its 30th anniversary nationally in 2025. The Sunshine Coast has been part of that story for 24 years, since the first local group began in Golden Beach in 2002. Today the region is home to ten active walking groups and 1,098 registered walkers, part of a Queensland total of 183 groups and more than 15,000 participants.
Anita Cromb, Queensland Walking Program Officer at the Heart Foundation, said groups like the Mapleton Movers represented the heart of what the program had achieved over three decades.
“Long-running groups like Mapleton Movers are part of the living history of Heart Foundation Walking,” Cromb said. “They show how a simple idea, brought to life by dedicated local volunteer Walk Organisers, can grow into something truly special, with lasting friendships, improved health, and a strong sense of community that stands the test of time. In a close-knit hinterland community like Mapleton, groups like this become more than just a walk, they’re a regular part of local life, helping people stay connected, active, and supported.”
The Heart Foundation says more than 90 per cent of walkers report a positive impact on their mental wellbeing from taking part, alongside the physical benefits of regular exercise. Nationally, the program now supports more than 800 active walking groups, led by over 1,200 volunteer organisers.
Joining the Movers
Community members interested in joining the Mapleton Movers, or starting a walking group of their own elsewhere in the region, can find details through the Heart Foundation Walking website, or contact Donna Klease directly on 0417 476 768. New walkers, including those with prams, wheelchairs or dogs on leads, are welcome to turn up at Lilyponds Park ahead of the next scheduled walk.
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