Walk for Hope 2026: Everything you need to know about Karinya House’s Canberra fundraiser

Posted on 25 August, 2026

Lace up, round up the family and walk for a good cause – here’s everything you need to know about the Karinya House Walk for Hope 2026.

There are plenty of ways to clock up a few kilometres around Lake Burley Griffin, but on Sunday 13 September, you can make every step count.

Karinya House’s Walk for Hope is back for 2026, bringing the Canberra community together for a 4.5km or 9km walk or run to raise funds for women who are pregnant or parenting and experiencing crisis in the ACT.

It’s inclusive, family-friendly and open to everyone – so whether you’re a keen runner, a leisurely stroller or simply looking for a reason to get the family out of the house on a Sunday morning, you’re invited.

Here’s everything you need to know.

What is the Walk for Hope?

The Walk for Hope is an annual fundraiser for Karinya House, a local not-for-profit providing 24/7 safe accommodation, wraparound support and care to women who are pregnant or parenting and experiencing crisis in the ACT.

The organisation supports women with practical assistance and opportunities to build confidence and independence, helping them work towards a safer future for themselves and their children.

The Walk for Hope is about more than raising money, too. Karinya House says the event aims to raise awareness of the vulnerabilities faced by women and their babies and children before and after pregnancy, while building a more informed, caring and involved community around them.

When and where is the Walk for Hope?

Walk for Hope is on Sunday 13 September 2026.

The walk starts and finishes at the Canberra Southern Cross Club, Yacht Club in Yarralumla, following a scenic route along the shores of Lake Burley Griffin.

On the day registration opens at 7:45 am, with the first walk/run getting underway at 9 am.

How far do you have to walk?

There are two distances to choose from:

4.5km – representing the one in four women who experience domestic or family violence.

9km – reflecting the nine months of pregnancy.

Both options can be walked or run, so there’s no need to be particularly speedy.

Know your route

Photography: Ben Calvert

The 4.5km course heads from the Yacht Club along the Lake Burley Griffin foreshore towards the National Library of Australia before looping back to the start/finish line.

Taking on the 9km? You’ll complete the 4.5km course and then continue towards Yarralumla Bay before looping back to the Yacht Club to finish.

The event map also marks public water refill stations along the route – handy information if you’re planning to walk the longer distance.

Who can take part?

Pretty much everyone.

The Walk for Hope is family-friendly and open to all, with children and dogs welcome.

The route is pram and wheelchair friendly, too.

The important bit for families: every participant needs to be registered for insurance purposes, including children.

How much does it cost?

Adult registration is $40, while under-18s can participate for free.

You can take part on your own, with family and friends, or as part of a team.

And if you’re reading this on the morning of the event and thinking, Actually, why not? – good news. You can register on the day, with registration and check-in opening from 7:45am.

Do I have to fundraise?

You don’t need to hit a particular fundraising target.

Once you register, you’ll have a fundraising page you can share with friends, family, colleagues and anyone else who might be persuaded to part with a few dollars for a good cause.

There’s no minimum target for general participants – raise whatever you can.

And you’ve got some extra time to chase those last few donations: fundraising pages remain open until 30 September 2026.

There are also some nice fundraising rewards along the way. Raise $100 and you’ll receive a Walk for Hope T-shirt; raise $200 and you’ll also receive a pair of Walk for Hope socks. Hats and bandanas are available to purchase.

As an added incentive, anyone who individually raises $150 or more goes in a draw to win a one night’s accommodation in a Hotel Realm Suite with complimentary breakfast thanks to Major Sponsor, DOMA Group.

What happens on the day?

Here’s your Sunday morning sorted:

• 7:45 am – Arrival, registration, check-in and merchandise collection
• 8:30 am – Welcome formalities and warm-up
• 9 am – Walk for Hope begins
• 9:45–11:15 am – Participants finish and morning tea
• 10:45–11:15 am – Prizes, closing remarks and entertainment.

When you arrive, head to the registration desk to check in and collect your wristband, which acts as your ticket to the event.

Then make your way to the grassed area between the Yacht Club and Lake Burley Griffin, where you can grab a coffee, relax and get ready for the welcome and warm-up.

The morning kicks off with an introduction to Karinya House and an explanation of the impact of fundraising before everyone heads to the start line.

Along the course, volunteers will be cheering participants on, while signposted facts about pregnancy and parenting provide a little more context about what you’re walking for.

Once you cross the finish line, stick around for morning tea and the chance to celebrate the fundraising leaderboard winners on the Yacht Club lawns.

And yes, there’s Zumba

Photography: Ben Calvert

Because apparently walking 4.5km isn’t enough of a warm-up.

Thanks to Ritmo Collective, there’ll be a pre-walk Zumba warm-up to get everyone moving before the starting gun.

Post-walk entertainment includes local musician Inez Hargaden and special activities for the kids.

What is the “Baby, this is hard” challenge?

Feeling ambitious? You can also choose to carry the weight of a baby during your walk.

The optional challenge involves carrying 10–16 kg, representing the weight of a full-term pregnancy and helping to highlight the physical and emotional load women can carry during and after childbirth.

How you carry it is entirely up to you – and your imagination. There’s a prize for the most creative approach.

Walking as a team? You can share the weight between you, reflecting the idea of a village surrounding and supporting a mother during pregnancy and beyond.

Of course, this is entirely optional. Your regular water bottle is perfectly acceptable.

Where do I park?

There is free onsite parking at the Canberra Southern Cross Club, Yacht Club, with entry via Mariner Place in Yarralumla.

There is a catch: spaces are limited and parking isn’t guaranteed.

There are also several public car parks along Alexandrina Drive. If you’re using those, make sure you allow enough time to park and walk to the Yacht Club.

Karinya House’s official advice is that this will make a great warm-up.

Where does the money go?

Photography: Ben Calvert

This is the bit that turns a Sunday morning walk into something much bigger.

Karinya House is aiming to raise $120,000 through this year’s Walk for Hope.

The money helps keep its services running 24/7, 365 days a year, supporting women with safe accommodation, healthcare and advice, parenting support, casework coordination, baby goods, clothing, food, legal services and more.

Karinya House says it costs an average of $20,000 to provide one woman and her children with wraparound care, with the average support period lasting 169 days.

And the organisation has broken down what different donations could help provide:

• $50 could support a woman to purchase pharmacy supplies for her newborn.
• $120 could provide a woman with groceries for a week.
• $295 could provide access to essential perinatal health and medical services for a pregnant woman.
• $500 could support a woman with the costs of moving into a new safe home for herself and her children.
• $896 could provide driving lessons to a woman, assisting her on her path to independence.

So whether you raise $50 or $5,000, it all contributes to a much bigger community effort.

What should I bring?

The basics will do: comfortable shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, a water bottle and anything you need for the kids, dog or pram if you’re bringing the whole crew.

There are public water refill stations along the course, and morning tea will be provided after the walk.

And if you’re planning to take on the optional baby-weight challenge, well… start thinking creatively.

Can I still register if I haven’t planned ahead?

Absolutely.

Last-minute organisers, this one’s for you.

Registration opens at 7:45 am on Sunday 13 September, and the event team can assist with last-minute registrations and donations when you arrive.

Of course, registering beforehand means you can start fundraising and rally your friends before the big day.

Can’t make it?

You can still support the cause by donating to the Walk for Hope.

And if you can make it, well, there’s something rather lovely about spending a spring Sunday morning walking beside your Canberra community – with a lake view, a little Zumba and a good reason to keep putting one foot in front of the other.