Port to Park is Gladstone Ports Corporation’s (GPC’s) community fun run, which promotes health and wellbeing in the region, while raising funds for charity and local schools.
The 2021 beneficiary was Act for Kids, which provides therapy and support services to children and families who have experienced or are at risk of harm. The not-for-profit organization was assisted with $20,000 in vital funding for their local ‘Safe Harbor Therapy Garden’ project in Gladstone. The garden will provide vulnerable children with an inclusive, safe, play-based, educational space to support their wellbeing.
All registration fees for school-aged participants are also donated back to their nominated school. In 2021, 27 local schools were supported with more than $18,760 to use for health, sport and recreation equipment and materials, such as sports gear or healthy breakfasts.
Previously, GPC ran the ‘Botanic to Bridge’ fun run for 10 years. Port to Park revitalized the event with a new course that started and finished at the site where the Port of Gladstone began – East Shores Stage 1B, formerly part of Auckland Point Terminal. The fun run also toured GPC’s Marina Parklands and Spinnaker Park, which were created from reclaimed land to give the community more green, open spaces to enjoy. The event coincided with both the first anniversary of the opening of East Shores Stage 1B and the 20th anniversary of Spinnaker Park opening.
The fun run event included the 9-kilometre Koongo Dash and the 3-kilometre Yallarm Family Run. Both race names recognize the language of the Traditional Owners of the land – the Bailai and Gooreng Gooreng Nations – with Koongo meaning place of water and Yallarm meaning place of shells.
Port to Park encompasses GPC’s commitment to empower and collaborate with local community groups, not-for-profits, schools and organizations to improve the region’s prosperity.