LONG WALK HOME 2019
Friday 6 December - 1pm
Walk 30 km from Wellington city to Silverstream. The walk starts at 1 pm and finishes around 7 pm (5-6 hours)
Are you ready for the challenge of your long walk home?
In the event of a large earthquake, road and rail links out of Wellington City could cut off for many days, possibly longer. Many of the 80,000 people who commute into the city will have no choice but to walk home.
The Long Walk Home is a great opportunity to be more prepared by practising a long-distance walk alongside your fellow commuters.
By taking part in the event you can also help raise awareness and encourage others to be prepared for their walk home.
Event details
Note: Registrations for this event are now closed. The 'Rotary Clubs of Hutt Valley - Long Walk Home' takes place on Friday 6 December 2019 from 1pm until 7pm (most participants take between 5 and 6 hours to complete the walk). There is a $20 registration fee per person.
The route begins at the southern end of the Fran Wilde Walkway, Westpac Stadium, in Wellington City, continuing along State Highway 2, the Petone Esplanade and up the Hutt River / Te Awakairangi to the finish point at County Lane, Silverstream, a total of 30 km.
You don't have to walk the full route - there are plenty of checkpoints along the walk where you can finish. At the end of the walk, there will be a celebratory BBQ courtesy of the Upper Hutt Rotary Club.
If you need to get back to Wellington city, the Hutt Valley Line (HVL) train service runs from the nearby Silverstream Station.
The Long Walk Home is run by the Rotary Clubs of Hutt Valley, in association with the Wellington Region Emergency Management Office (WREMO).
The event is supported by the Wellington Region's emergency services, Wellington City Council, Porirua City Council, Kāpiti Coast District Council, Hutt City Council, Upper Hutt City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council.
What’s involved?
The Walk is not a race, it is a shared challenge where participants are encouraged to get to know one another, support each other and have fun. If possible, you can use the opportunity to test the items in your Grab’n’Go bags.
Participants can walk as far as they are comfortable, with multiple checkpoints along the route where people can decide to stop if they are close to home or have had enough. Please wear comfortable walking shoes and clothes suitable for the weather. Remember your hat and sunscreen.
View the terms and conditions of entry for the Long Walk Home 2019.
Long Walk Home 2019 - Terms and conditions of entry (PDF, 487 KB)
How it started
In 2013 the Seddon Earthquake caused our public transport network to close just before the end of a busy workday. Large numbers of people were left stranded in Wellington.
This real-life situation inspired the Kāpiti Lions Club to organise the first Long Walk Home – a walking event to give commuters a taste of what it would be like to walk home following an emergency.
The Long Walk Home helps raise awareness that many people will have no choice but to walk home after a large earthquake in the region. Practising a long walk now helps people to understand how to be more prepared, mentally and physically.
Last year we had people walking both to Kāpiti and the Hutt Valley. Going forward, the walks will be run on alternate years. This year’s 2019 event will be run by the Rotary Clubs of Hutt Valley to Silverstream and in 2020 the Kāpiti Lions Club will organise the walk to Kāpiti.
Do any of your colleagues or employees commute into the city?
Taking part as an organisation supports staff health and well being, as well as helping to build confidence and prompt discussions about how to be more prepared. It is also an opportunity to strengthen relationships with colleagues and other commuters and contributes to your organisation’s overall business continuity. Well-prepared staff who can get home safely are in a much stronger position to return to work once they have checked on their families.
This year we would like to put a specific challenge out to government agencies, businesses and other organisations in the Wellington city area to lead the way in inspiring their employees to be more prepared by supporting a team registration. You are encouraged to wear corporate colours, funny hats, face paint or anything else to represent your organisation.
Route information for participants in the Long Walk Home from Wellington to Silverstream on 6 December 2019.
Long Walk Home 2019 Walker's Notes (PDF, 1.2 MB)
Event participants will be able to track their progress and stay in touch with event officials via the Blerter app. To download the app before the event follow the steps on the attached poster.Blerter App Instructions (PDF, 594 KB)
Get in touch to discuss how you can support the event
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
At 1pm on Friday 6 December 2019, Wellington commuters will put on their comfy shoes and take part in the ‘Long Walk Home’ - an organised walking event from Wellington City to Silverstream, a total distance of 30 kilometres. The Long Walk Home is an opportunity to raise awareness of the possibility of major disruption to our transport network and for commuters to practise walking a long distance. It's still a great opportunity to practise walking with fellow commuters straight from work. You can get the train back into the city when the walk finishes. If you need to get back to Wellington city, the Hutt Valley Line (HVL) train service runs from the nearby Silverstream Station. See directions from the end of the walk to Silverstream Railway Station Plan your route on the Metlink website or view the HVL timetable. Long Walk Home 2020 - next year's Long Walk Home will be to Kāpiti, via Porirua. Meet at the Westpac Stadium concourse from 12 noon. Walkers will leave at 1 pm Participants will walk from Westpac Stadium in Wellington City to Silverstream You can walk as far as you are comfortable. There are multiple checkpoints along the route where you can decide to stop if you are close to home or have had enough. Bring along clothing suitable for the weather on the day, shoes suitable for a long walk, water, snacks, sun hat, and sunscreen. Registrations for the 2019 event are now closed. Keep an eye out for the Long Walk Home 2020.
View the terms and conditions of entry for the Long Walk Home 2019.Long Walk Home 2019 - Terms and Conditions of Entry (PDF, 44 KB)