Attendees | Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Group ~ GVSAG

Join us for The Third Annual Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Walk

To commemorate World Suicide Prevention Day, Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Group will hold its Third Annual Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Walk, walking to raise awareness of, to support those affected by, and to remember those we’ve lost to suicide.

* REGISTRATION IS FREE!!! *

*** It seems there is a bit of confusion around the registration process. You are not required to purchase anything, but you DO need to complete the “purchase process” in order to receive your ticket. Please click on the “CHECKOUT” button in your cart, ensuring you create your user account. ***

Registration FAQ:

Do I have to register? ➡️ Yes. If you don’t register, you can’t participate. We are a small, grassroots, non-profit organisation, and we need to make sure that we have the participant information required in case of any emergency and for our insurance — to keep all our walkers and volunteers safe. Not abiding by these rules could shut us down.
How will you know if I register? ➡️ All Walkers and Volunteers are required to check-in with their proof of registration — their “ticket” 😉 — on the morning of the event from 8:30 am. Checking in gives you your participant benefits, like your memory rock, adding to the Honour Roll, etc.
Does registration cost anything? ➡️ No. Thanks to Our Sponsors, for our third year in a row, we’re able to put this event on at no cost to our Walkers! ✨✨✨ Please make sure you thank them for us!
How do I register? ➡️ Select the “tickets” required in the registration module to the right of this section (or under if you’re on mobile) and follow the steps to create your user account and “purchase” your ticket(s).
What do I do if I am having issues? ➡️ Send an email to webmagician@gvsag.org.au with your name, email, phone number, and Web Magician🧙 will manually create your registration for you.🪄 You can also register on Sunday morning, but we’d like to reduce that as much as possible for our Volunteers. 😉

* Crucial information for the day *

➡️ All volunteers and participants will need to register prior to the event. (See Registration FAQ above. 😉)
➡️ To register families or groups, simply “purchase” the appropriate tickets you need. The person who is filling out the registration form will be the primary contact for the event. *** PLEASE NOTE: For safety reasons, especially in the case of an emergency, we require all participants aged 16 and over to have their own unique email and phone number, so be prepared with that information when registering a group. (For children and pet attendees, please just paste in the details you are entering for yourself as the primary contact.)
➡️ Counsellors and support will be available throughout the event.
➡️ Please come prepared with wet weather clothing, footwear, and umbrellas, just in case! This is Victoria, after all!
➡️ For those who may not be able to walk, you are welcome to stay at the Station while others complete the Walk.

If you wish to help out (ie: volunteer or sponsor the walk) or have any other questions not answered on our FAQ page – please contact us on our contact form, email us on hello@gvsag.org.au, or ring/text Chairperson Jacky Gilbee on 0417 907 278.

* Do you have more questions? *

Scroll down to our main FAQ section to get all the answers.

Event Agenda

Sunday 10 September 2023

Yea Railway Station, and Great Victorian Rail Trail

8:30 am to 12:00 pm

8:30 am - 9:00 am Yea Railway Station

Check-in and Registration

Be sure to check-in with the volunteers at the entrance to the park. Enjoy live music and purchase a coffee or other merchandise available on the day. Collect your free support pack and memorial rock (write your message and take it with you on your journey).

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9:00 am - 9:30 am

Event Kick-off

Event kicks off with Acknowledgement of Country, and GVSAG Founder Jacky Gilbee. This year we have 2 guest speakers as well to share their stories about life after suicide.

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9:30 am -

Walkers Depart

9:30 am - 11:00 am Rail Trail Loop

The Main Event ~ The WALK!

Walkers depart from Yea Railway Station, cross Melba Highway, and walk along the Rail Trail to Two Bridges. (Approx 6km ~ 1.5 hour round trip.)

** Feel free to drop your memorial rock along the walk, at the Bridges, or take it home.

11:00 am -

Walkers Return

Walkers will start returning to Yea Railway Station.

11:00 am - 12:00 pm Yea Railway Station

Walk Celebration

Celebrate our walking accomplishment and enjoy a free sausage sizzle courtesy of the Rotary Club of Yea. Yummy food and more music, creating new memories about those we love and miss.

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12:00 pm -

Event Ends

End of GVSAW 2023

Speakers

Michelle Graeber

CEO ~ ARCVic

Nic Healey

ABC Radio Presenter

Event FAQs

What is the Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Group?

Formed in March 2021, GVSAG or the Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Group is a group of community members in the Goulburn Valley Region whose lives have been affected by suicide. The Association’s chairperson and founder, Jacky Gilbee, lost her son to suicide in 2018, and she needed to divert her grief in a positive direction, so GVSAG was born.

What is the Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Walk?

GVSAW or the Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Walk is a community event that is being organised by GVSAG (the Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Group) to shine a light on the startling figures around suicide in Australia. Fixing the problem starts with awareness that we have a problem in the first place. We need to work on destigmatising showing emotion, talking about mental health issues, and allowing all people a safe environment to ask for help.

In addition, we will take the time to pause and reflect on our loved ones that we have lost to suicide, and honour not only their lives, but their memory and the legacies they have left for us to carry on.

Do I have to register in order to participate in the Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Walk?

Yes, you do. Due to multiple reasons, registration is required for each individual wanting to participate in GVSAW. Those reasons are primarily for insurance and safety purposes.

What date is the Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Walk for 2023?

GVSAW23 is scheduled for Sunday 10 September.

What time is the Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Walk?

We will start the event from 8:30am, Sunday 10 September 2022. The event will conclude around noon.

Where does the Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Walk start?

GVSAW23 will start at the Yea Railway Station: 12 Station Street, Yea 3717.

How long is GVSAW23?

The route we are following for the Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Walk 2023 is about 6km long. The trail is an all-gravel path, relatively flat, and will take the average adult approximately 1.5 hours to complete.

Can I bring my dog or other pet to GVSAW23?

Yes, you may bring your dog or other pet to the Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Walk. However, please respect that we may have participants that are fearful of animals, and we aim to create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone. In addition, our event may be very busy, and possibly loud, so please take extra care with anxious or skittish pets, or consider leaving them at home. Our fur-, feather-, and scaly-babies are family, and we do not want them under stress either. Please ensure that all pets are ALWAYS on a lead, and 100% controlled.

Can I register a group of people to walk the GVSAW23?

Yes! This year, if you would like to register a group, simply “purchase” the appropriate tickets for your group, and ensure you have the contact details for each participant. Please follow the instructions and ensure you are providing all details for all registrations, including those under the age of 16.

Will there be any merchandise or mementos available to commemorate the event?

Yes! We will have various merchandise items that can be purchased on the day, or in advance, just contact us through our contact form.
In addition, a pebble will be gifted to each participant to write the name(s) of the person(s) they are walking for. This pebble may be dropped along the trail, at the bridge, or simply taken home.

How can I volunteer or help out for the Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Walk?

Please contact us on our website here, email us on hello@gvsag.org.au, or in the message box in the registration form to let us know if you can volunteer or help in any way.

Can I get support or speak to someone on the day?

Counselling services will be available on the day if you feel you need support.

What amenities will be available for GVSAW23?

Car parking, picnic and toilet facilities will be available at the Yea Railway Station

What additional services are available?

First aid and transportation along the trail will be available on the day. When registering please indicate any mobility and additional support you need in advance for planning purposes.

What are the terms & conditions of the Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Walk?

You can read our full terms and conditions at https://gvsag.org.au/terms/

Where can I see the photos from previous years’ Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Walks?

You can see the photos taken in our photo galleries here: https://gvsag.org.au/gvsaw21-photo-gallery/ and here: https://gvsag.org.au/gvsaw22-photo-gallery/

Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Walk 2023

Join us for The Third Annual Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Walk

* REGISTRATION IS FREE!!! *

Registration FAQ:

* Crucial information for the day *

* Do you have more questions? *