we are currently in Iluka having walked over 200 km in two weeks. We are now calling ourselves the Footsore Feisty Five - all nursing a blister or two and each night rubbing tender parts of feet, ankles and legs. Today and yesterday we walked through Bandjalang National Park. It starts just south of Evans Head and goes all the way to Iluka.

Lost count of the days but  I know we are somewhere in northern NSW

We left Byron this morning after a breakfast provided for the homeless. (We figured we fit into that category for at least these three months.) Our local guide Gabi walked us along the coast road out of Byron.

Apparently the enthusiastic support for the FootPrints for Peace walkers has been so energising that Joyce Morley of Tweed Heads returned to walk yet another day. Well done Joyce! Manjani also walked from Kingscliff to Cabarita making her our 77th walk participant.

At Hastings Point we noticed gorgeous purple decorations and were invited to Wendy’s 50th birthday party. The offers of softdrink and water were much appreciated: thanks Wendy!

Brown kurrajong is presently in full flower along the walking tracks and road verges. Some of us preferred the beach, but in the heat of the day the hind dune path provided some welcome shade. We ended our ninth walking day with a delightful dip in the estuary at Pottsville.

J

Hi everyone,

Well today we passed the milestone of crossing the boarder from Queensland to N.S.W, with photos to prove it but have not yet managed to download photos to the blog. Nine adults and three children began walking with us from Currumbin Surf Life Saving Club It was great being lead by the three children carrying the banner. The numbers dwindled to to 5 (plus us) as we reached the border. The day was not too hot with a little cloud cover so we were able to make good time until we decided to have a quick coffee, that took almost an hour to get. The public showed lots of interest, especially a group of lifesavers (young and good looking of course) who kept saying “wow! No way, you're great” we lapped up the praise with big grins.We arrived in Kingscliff with Anna and Joyce who were very pleased with themselves walking all the way, but I think they were glad to be going home to their own beds,thanks Anna and Joyce for your wonderful company .

June Norman

After saying farewell to our host Sally under her magnificent Fig tree, we set off for our day of walking. I was dreading a section of this route as when I cycled it with Cycle Against the Nuclear Cycle (CANC) a few years ago, I recalled a section of the journey riding up and down these big dippers. Anna from GECKO assured me that there were only 3 such hills, whereas I remember 15. Di kept on asking me “is this the big hills?” and I kept on saying “nah, this is just a rise”. We got to Nerang and those dreaded hills didn’t seem to have appeared. So I’ve concluded that walking the hills is easier than riding those dippers.

Hello everyone and welcome to Di's first blog for the walk. This is actually the second blog I have done for this day, because my computer skills assisted me in the losing the first one. Now I might tell you that the first blog was superb and I am unsure if I will be able to repeat such excellence! But I will give it a go.

Walking to Canberra from Brisbane was an option I entertained a few months ago when a friend told me she was organising a planet awareness walk. I told her then i was impressed with her spirit and wished her well. After many promptings from various sources I have found myself on the road walking beside my friend June and learning heaps about the world in which we live.

Once upon a time the clock struck 6am and June opened the bedroom door and shouted "WAKE UP!!" (This seems to be a pattern.) I staggered out into the kitchen to find Dawn recycling the compost from the garbage bin. Hence Dawn has become Dumpster Diver Dawn, shortened to DIVA DAWN.  By 8am we were out the door and walking after a circle of welcome to the walkers for the day. Cassie - the only one capable of reading a map is now known as Compass Cassie. She stopped us from walking in circles and saved a few kilometres by finding the correct roads on which to walk. Di was kept busy being the taxi driver while POCKET ROCKET June talks at a hundred miles an hour - educating the unsuspecting public. 16 or was it 19.7 km later we arrived at a private home greeted by wonderful people. We immersed ourselves in the cool swimming pool and enjoyed dinner complete with background music and we are now ready for a deep sleep on real beds ( camp mats are not as good as the advertising says they are!)

13 March, Day 1 – Written by Dawn

We are at St Agnes school hall at Holland Park. After an 8 km walk from Musgrave Park at South Brisbane. Over fifty enthusiastic supporters walked out of Jagera Arts Centre, led by Aunty Valda Coolwell shortly after 10 am. Our lunch stop was at Stones Corner and the wonderful people from Food Not Bombs have brought us a delicious dinner. Thank you for all the generous donations for the hefty public liability insurance, but now we have peace of mind. Thank you to Quakers for funding our launch morning tea and to Ecumenical Social Justice Group – Western Suburbs for funds towards our support vehicle.

The feisty five: June, Cassie, Di, Sue and Dawn

Wow what wonderful energies at the Jagera Arts Centre at the launch of the Footprints for Peace Walk to Canberra on Saturday. So much happened on that morning; so many informed, creative and concerned persons joining together with hope and passion I reckon that we can make a difference in the world by attending to the preservation and sacredness of Mother Earth and all inhabitants , along with the dreadful awareness of what damage has already been done and the ongoing consequences of that.