How I Got Here: Coastrek founder Di Westaway, OAM
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Admit it, we’ve all been there – stalking social media and LinkedIn profiles, trying desperately to figure out how the hell someone got their dream job.
It seems impossible, and yet there they are, living out your career fantasy (minus the itchy business suit). It might seem hard to believe, but once upon a time, they were also fantasising about their future career, and with some hard work, they made it.
Welcome to How I Got Here, HerCanberra’s series that reveals everything you want to know about the secrets of career success.
This week, we sit down with Coastrek founder Di Westaway, OAM. Since the first Coastrek event was held in 2009, over 90,000 trekkers have trained and completed a Coastrek challenge, improving their own health and wellbeing, raising over $58 million for charity in the process.
Known as Australia’s most iconic team hiking challenge, Coastrek has recently launched its first-ever South Coast event. With registrations now open (closing on Sunday July 5 unless sold out sooner), we spoke with Di to find out how Coastrek came to be and why it’s made such a significant impact on the people involved.
Existential crisis time: Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Di Westaway, Founder and Chief Adventure Chick at Wild Women On Top Coastrek. I get women off the couch and into the wild, not just for fitness, but for freedom. I believe getting outdoors, moving your body, and doing hard things with women is one of the most potent forms of preventative medicine we have – and yet it’s wildly under-prescribed. So I’ve made it my life’s work to change that.
Let’s go back to when you were a kid – have you always dreamed of working in this industry?
As a kid growing up in Canberra, I dreamed of being an Olympic gymnast. I didn’t quite stick the landing– I got kicked out of the YMCA gymnastics club for being “too bossy.” (Let’s call it leadership, shall we?) But I did go on to become Australian National Champion at 16, so that fire never really left.
Movement, discipline, pushing limits – that was always in my DNA. Looking back, it was never about gymnastics. It was about what it gave me: purpose, confidence, identity. Of course, I ended up here. This wasn’t a career choice. It was my passion.
Tell us about when you were first starting out – what lit the fire in your belly, and how did you do it?
Honestly? Failure lit the fire. A failed mountain climb for my 40th birthday cracked something open in me. I realised life doesn’t slow down at 40 – it speeds up. And if you’re not intentional, you miss it.
I also saw how many women were stuck. Stuck in guilt, stuck in overwhelm and stuck believing that putting their health first was selfish. Here’s the truth: it’s not selfish, it’s survival.
Women know getting outdoors is good for them – biologically, psychologically, and spiritually. We know it boosts mitochondrial health, reduces cortisol, and builds strength. But if it feels like “too much fun”? Cue the guilt spiral.
That’s where Coastrek comes in. We reduce the decision fatigue. We create an adventure where women can say yes – to themselves, to nature, to challenge – without apology. Walking, talking, laughing, sweating (and raising funds for Beyond Blue) it becomes not just allowed, but inspiring.
Recall a time when you wanted to chuck it all in; what did you tell yourself when it got too hard?
Oh, many times. Building anything meaningful is messy, especially when you’re a single mum trying to raise three kids on your own. There are moments you want to ‘get a real job”.
But I come back to this: I’m not just doing this for me. I’m doing it for my daughter – and every woman watching, wondering what’s possible for her.
Nature is the most powerful stress-management tool we have, and we’ve turned it into a “nice-to-have.” That’s not ok. I won’t accept that. So when it gets hard, I remind myself: this matters. Deeply.
What was your biggest break?
Partnering with Beyond Blue was a game-changer. It validated something I’d seen firsthand for years: walking and talking with friends in nature isn’t just “nice” – it’s transformational for mental health.
There’s science behind it – reduced rumination, improved mood, less anxiety and depression. But honestly? You don’t need another study. Stand at a Coastrek finish line and watch women cross it – wrecked and radiant. That’s the proof.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Thoughts become words. Words become actions. Actions become habits. Habits become character. Character becomes destiny.
So be selective with your thoughts. Because everything starts there.
What is it about your industry that you love – and what makes you want to pull your hair out?
I love the camaraderie that comes with participating in Coastrek. The shared mission. The magic that happens when women commit to something that scares them a little – and then show up for each other anyway.
What makes me crazy? An industry that still tries to sell women quick fixes, shrinking bodies, and perfection. We are not the weaker sex. Coastrek participants are powerful, adaptive, resilient humans who need challenge, connection, and purpose – not another “hack.”
Tell us how you stay ‘in the know’ – what media do you consume?
Her Canberra, obviously – I know my audience! But also, The Guardian, ABC News, and a steady stream of podcasts on health, longevity, behaviour change, and human performance.
I’m fascinated by the intersection of science and real life – how what we know about the body actually translates into daily habits. Because knowledge is useless if it doesn’t change behaviour.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Scaling impact, not just events. Reaching more women, earlier – before burnout, before overwhelm, before they forget who they are and what they’re capable of.
I want Coastrek to be more than a challenge. I want it to be a turning point. A line in the sand where women say, “No more waiting. No more shrinking. I’m in.”
Because the future of women’s health isn’t passive. It’s proactive. And it happens out there, not on the sidelines.
Why should people follow in your footsteps?
Don’t follow my footsteps – follow your own. Just make them bigger, bolder, and a bit muddier than feels comfortable.
But if there’s one thing I’ll stand by, it’s this: our bodies are built to move. Our minds are wired to connect. And nature is where the magic happens.
Ignore that, and things slowly unravel. Honour it, and everything transforms.
What advice would you give your past self?
Stop waiting for permission. You’re worth it.
Your energy, your health, your joy – these aren’t luxuries. They’re your responsibility. And the longer you put yourself last, the harder it is to find your way back.
So go now. Go outside. Go further than you think you can.
Because the life you want isn’t waiting for you to be ready. It’s waiting for you to be brave.
