Family and domestic violence is one of the biggest social challenges of our time. In Australia, one woman is killed every week by a current or former partner. Many more, especially children, live with the fear and trauma of violence every day.
These stories often go unheard. That’s why we run against violence. To empower people with lived experience to share their stories and inspire action. And to move toward a future free of family and domestic violence through education, investment, and grassroots initiatives.
In 2014, Kirrily Dear took part in the White Ribbon Ultra Marathon. The 860km solo run, completed over 12 days, brought together people from throughout regional NSW, raising awareness about intimate partner violence and its impact on the community. A documentary called ICEBERG was made about the experience.
Following its success, a group of passionate runners came together to create Run Against Violence, united
by a shared commitment to help prevent family and domestic violence.
In 2017, Kirrily ran 1,300km from Broken Hill to Sydney in just 19 days. Every step was a call to action, a way to break the silence surrounding family and domestic violence.
The route crossed more than 25 communities, from remote towns to urban cities, highlighting how this issue
impacts every corner of the country. The 1,300km Kirrily covered equates to 1.7 million steps, the estimated
number of Australians who experienced physical abuse before the age of 15.*
As Kirrily ran, thousands joined her in the first Broken Hill to Sydney Team Chase, with teams tracking their kilometres and racing her along the 1,300km virtual course.
After the 2017 event, 59% of participants reported having more conversations about family violence, and
58% shared stories, resources, and support.
Every step has helped break the silence, start conversations, spread awareness, and raise funds for primary prevention programs across Australia.
In 2020, Run Against Violence partnered with NAPCAN (the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect) to support Love Bites, a school-based program that equips teenagers across Australia with the knowledge and skills to build healthy, respectful relationships.
Funds raised through the Broken Hill to Sydney Team Chase go directly toward training local facilitators, developing program tools and resources, and expanding access to Love Bites in underfunded communities through a dedicated grants program. Together, we’re helping empower the next generation to recognise, prevent, and break the cycle of violence.
What began as a grassroots idea has evolved into the world’s largest and longest virtual team event, with
thousands of participants each year.
In a few short years, more than 16,000 people have stepped up to join the Broken Hill to Sydney Team Chase,
moving over 1.7 million kilometres in support of a safer Australia. Together, we’ve raised over $500,000 to fund respectful relationships education for young people across the country.
*Sourced from Appendix 9, Australian Human Rights Commission 2015, Children’s Rights Report 2015, based
on ABS Personal Safety Survey 2012 data.
Kirrily Dear ran 860km in the White Ribbon Ultra Marathon to raise awareness about intimate partner violence. This was the spark that ignited Run Against Violence.
Brad Smithers and Kirrily Dear officially founded Run Against Violence, creating a volunteer-led movement with a vision to end family and domestic violence.
The Iceberg documentary launched, capturing Kirrily’s ultramarathon and revealing the often unseen impact of intimate partner violence in Australia.
Planning began for the epic Broken Hill to Sydney ultramarathon, where Kirrily would run 1,300km to help break the silence surrounding family and domestic violence.
Kirrily ran 1,300km in 19 days. Thousands joined in the first Broken Hill to Sydney Team Chase, helping raise awareness and funds to prevent family violence.
The Steps Together Ultramarathon documentary was released, sharing stories from the Broken Hill to Sydney run to help shine a light on this important cause
The second Broken Hill to Sydney Team Chase brought more Australians together, growing the movement to help end family and domestic violence.
RAV partnered with NAPCAN to invest in respectful relationships education, funding social impact tools to strengthen community prevention efforts.
The first round of Love Bites facilitator training grants were distributed, expanding access to respectful relationships programs for young Australians.
Broekn Hill to Sydney participants reached one million kilometres, taking significant strides to raise awareness and inspire change.
500 facilitators trained to deliver Love Bites and Love Bites Junior programs to young people across Australia.
RAV reached $500,000 in Love Bites funding, supporting the training of facilitators and bringing respectful relationships education to more communities across the country.
Every kilometre, conversation, and contribution has helped raise awareness, fund prevention programs, and build safer communities.
The Broken Hill to Sydney Team Chase draws participants from 316 local government areas across Australia and globally.
That’s how far our community has moved together. Every kilometre has helped turn movement into meaningful impact.
The estimated number of conversations our participants have had about family violence prevention during the event.
We have funded the training of more than 1000 respectful relationship education facilitators in communities across Australia.
Every dollar donated is invested into our communities through trackable initiatives that are making genuine progress toward ending family violence.
Our programs support young Aussies in regional, rural and remote areas where local services are limited and facilitator funding is often hard to find.
In a few short years, 14,000 participants have joined the RAV Virtual Team Challenge, raising $500,000 for respectful relationships education programs in Australia.
Discover how everyday people are taking strides to prevent domestic and family violence.
Across Australia, everyday people are stepping up to raise awareness and funds to help prevent domestic and family violence. Discover how our participants and supporters are sparking conversations, inspiring action, and creating meaningful change in local communities.
Yes. Any kilometres you walk or run as part of other sporting events or physical activities can be included, as long as they are tracked and recorded.
This might include fun runs, organised races, sports events, gym sessions, walking groups or other active challenges you take part in during the event period.
If you’re moving, it counts toward your team total. Just make sure you track and upload your kilometres so they contribute to your journey from Broken Hill to Sydney.
Yes. Teams can nominate their own organisation provided it meets the eligibility requirements outlined in the Terms and Conditions and aligns with the values of Run Against Violence.
That’s okay. We can help identify suitable organisations working in domestic and family violence prevention in your community. Teams can also choose to direct their donation to NAPCAN’s LoveBites program.
To be eligible, the nominated organisation must:
• be a registered charity or recognised not-for-profit organisation
• undertake significant activities relating to domestic and family violence prevention, education, intervention or support
• align with the values and mission of Run Against Violence
• satisfy any eligibility checks required by RAV
All nominated organisations are subject to approval by Run Against Violence.
2026 prices are as follows. Team members pay on an individual basis. If you like to pick up the tab for your team members please contact us to arrange a bulk purchase.
1km+ Merry Movers
Do any distance, 1km or more, and receive a digital finisher’s certificate. A great option for first-timers or if you want to adjust your goals as you go. Enter on or before 16th August $50, after $60 (inc processing fees and GST).
130km+ Silver Stars
Challenge yourself to 7km a day or more. Cover 130km during the 19 days of the event to earn your silver medallion. Enter on or before 16th August $70, after $80 (inc processing fees and GST).
200km+ Gold Getters
Can you do 11km or more per day? Go for gold! Cover 200km during the 19 days of the event to earn your gold medallion. Enter on or before 16th August $70, after $80 (inc processing fees and GST).
Yes. The receiving organisation will need to show evidence that the donation was invested into a DFV prevention initiative. We will also ask for a short questionnaire to be completed, and where appropriate, videos or photos provided for sharing with the Run Against Violence community.
Donations will be paid following completion of the event and verification process, with payments expected to occur during September and October 2026.
No. Each winning team may nominate one eligible organisation only for each donation awarded.
No. The Chase It Forward Fund is designed to support communities and prevention initiatives. Winning teams direct where the donation goes, but funds are paid directly by Run Against Violence to the approved recipient organisation.
Winning teams have 14 days after notification to nominate an eligible Australian charity or not-for-profit organisation. If no organisation is nominated within that timeframe, the donation will be directed to NAPCAN’s LoveBites program.
CHASE IT FORWARD FUND Terms and Conditions
The Chase It Forward Fund promotion is conducted by Run Against Violence Inc (ABN 12 401 301 435) (“RAV”, “we”, “our” or “us”).
The promotion runs from 1 June 2026 and closes at 11:59pm AEST on 30 September 2026 (“Promotion Period”).
Entry is open only to registered participants in the 2026 Broken Hill to Sydney Team Chase.
Participation in the Chase It Forward Fund is linked to event registration and participants must meet the requirements of the event registration process.
Participants may be located anywhere in the world. However, where a winning participant or team is based outside Australia, any donation awarded through this promotion must be directed to an eligible Australian charity or not-for-profit organisation.
Entry into the Chase It Forward Fund is automatic upon registration for the 2026 Broken Hill to Sydney Team Chase. No separate entry process or additional payment is required.
Entries into Team Draw prizes are based on the number of registered participants within a team at the applicable draw date.
The more eligible registered members a team has, the more entries that team receives into the relevant draw.
The total donation pool available through the Chase It Forward Fund is AUD $5,000.
The available donations are:
Community Impact Draws (3) $500
Line Honours (2) $500
Fundraising Awards:
Prizes are not paid directly to individuals or teams and are not transferable, exchangeable or redeemable for cash.
Winning teams earn the right to direct the donation to an approved recipient organisation in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.
Winning teams may nominate a charity or not-for-profit organisation to receive the donation.
To be eligible, the nominated organisation must:
RAV retains the right to review and approve all nominated recipient organisations and has final discretion regarding eligibility.
Community Impact Draw winners will be selected by electronic random draw.
Line Honours winners will be determined by official event results and leaderboard outcomes.
Fundraising winners will be determined based on official fundraising totals at the close of the event.
All decisions relating to winner selection and eligibility are final and no correspondence will be entered into.
Winning participants and/or team representatives will be notified by email following determination of results.
Winners may also be published on the Run Against Violence website and through RAV social media channels.
Donation handover to the approved recipient organisation will occur following completion of the event and completion of any required verification or approval process.
Winning teams must nominate an eligible Australian charity or not-for-profit organisation within 14 days of notification.
If a recipient organisation is not nominated within that period, or if the nominated organisation does not satisfy these Terms and Conditions, the donation amount will instead be directed to NAPCAN’s LoveBites program.
For the purposes of administering this promotion, RAV may use participant registration information, including a participant’s registration ID and contact details.
Registration IDs may be used during winner selection processes and participants may be contacted via email regarding prize administration.
Information collected will be used only for the purposes of administering the promotion and related event activities in accordance with RAV’s privacy practices.
RAV reserves the right to verify eligibility and disqualify any participant or team that does not comply with these Terms and Conditions or the event rules.
If the promotion is unable to proceed as planned due to circumstances beyond RAV’s reasonable control, RAV reserves the right to modify, suspend or cancel the promotion where required.
RAV’s decisions regarding all aspects of the Chase It Forward Fund are final.
A team needs at least 2 people and can have up to 20 participants.
You can start small with just a couple of people and build your team over time. Many Team Captains begin with friends or colleagues and then grow their team as others hear about the event.
There’s no pressure to fill your team straight away, start with whoever you can, then invite more people as you go. The focus is on participation, connection and building momentum together.
Yes, your team stays open for new members after you’ve registered.
Once your team is created, you can continue inviting people right up until the cut-off date of 6 September. New members simply join your team during their own registration by searching for your Team Name and entering your Team Code.
If you’re still building your team, you can nominate to use the Team Finder tool on our website during registration to help connect with people who are looking for a team to join.
This makes it easy to grow your team over time. Many Team Captains start with a small group and gradually add more people as friends, colleagues or community members hear about the event and get involved.
There’s no need to finalise your team upfront, you can build it as you go.
No. Some teams organise walks, runs or catch-ups, while others simply participate individually and stay connected online.
Yes, you’re not expected to figure this out on your own.
We provide practical, hands-on support to make being a Team Captain as easy as possible, including step-by-step guides, ready-to-use content and regular updates you can share with your team.
This includes:
You’ll also have access to real people on our support team who you can contact by email or phone. They’re experienced in helping Team Captains with both technical setup and any questions that come up along the way, so you’ll always have someone to turn to.
Most of the heavy lifting is already done for you, your role is simply to bring people together, and we’ll support you with the rest.
Yes! Two or more people can register using the same email address and take part together. This is a popular option for families, particularly when children or young people are participating with an adult.
How it works:
How results are displayed
If multiple people are registered under the same email address, their distances are combined into a single result on the event website. For example, if four family members register using the same email address, their distances will be added together and displayed as one result.
If you’d prefer each person to have their own individual result on the event website, each participant must register using a different email address.
If you would like to change anything about your registration, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
When you sign up for the challenge in these two categories, you are committing to cover a certain number of kms during the challenge;
For the Silver Stars category you commit to running or walking 130km, and
For the Gold Getters category you commit to running or walking 200km.
If you don’t reach your distance, then you don’t receive the medallion.
If the team completes the Challenge before a participant reaches their distance, the participant can keep running up until the finish of the Challenge at midnight 17th September.
If the team fails to reach the distance of 1300km in 19 days but the individual achieves their target of 130/200km then the individual is still awarded their medallion.
Participants within a team can be any mix of Merry Movers, Silver Stars and Gold Getters entries.
All your data must be uploaded to your Race Roster account prior to midnight on 19th September. (which is two days after the event finishes)
Providing there a still places available, you can change your entry prior to midnight 29th August.
Login to your account in Race Roster and go to the event home page and click the transfer button.
Medallions are typically posted out to you within 3 weeks of completing the Challenge.
Due to the public nature of Run Against Violence, we have developed a code of conduct that we will require you to comply with if you wish to engage in our event or any of our social media platforms.
Our code of conduct is based on the principles of fairness, respect, integrity and responsibility.
Guiding principle – Treat everyone fairly and with sensitivity;
We reserve the right to remove any person/s who do not comply with this code of conduct from any of our social media platforms or events.
You will be asked to set a fundraising target during the registration process. We would love you to type $100 into that box. Here’s why:
We must take action to end family violence, and central to the action is respectful relationship education. Your $100 will go directly to the Love Bites program and invested into supporting facilitator training, program adaptations and delivery systems.
Love Bites is a respectful relationship education program in high schools across Australia, and your investment will help ensure that every teenager in the country can learn about building healthy relationships.
In the last six years, over $565,000 has been donated to NAPCAN for this purpose – making RAV the largest Australian non-government entity investor in the program’s history.
Donations over $2 are 100% tax deductible.
Fundraising is not mandatory for this event. If you prefer not to, set the fundraising field to $0.
Only the Team Captain can see the details of their team members and this is accessed from the Team Captains personal dashboard.
All participants can view the Team names from the Event page.
Each team must have a dedicated Team Captain for the purposes of registration.
That’s because within the Race Roster software one person can only register one team. If you are responsible for coordinating multiple teams, this is the approach we recommend:
If allocating a Team Captain to each team is difficult for you then please contact us. We have a manual workaround for this, but it is more complex and time-consuming.
This is done on the Results page.
This can be reached via two methods:
Once you are on the results page, above the map, select “All Teams” or “All Participants”.
Note – Only team members who have uploaded an activity will appear in this list.
There are two categories of teams:
Participants must be a least 8 years old ( over 14 for Silver Stars or over 16 for Gold Getters) and able to walk or run.
Team members in a wheelchair can roll the distance.
As this is a virtual event, your team members can be located anywhere in the world.
Dogs, cats or the family goat can run with you but their steps don’t count toward the total.
As part of your registration process;
Only you can edit your Personal Fundraising page and only the Team Captain can edit your Team’s Fundraising page. We have videos that outline this process below, as well as a step-by-step guide.
Transferring between teams is completed by the individual who wants to move.
The Merry Movers, Silver Stars and Gold Getters participation categories are referred to as “sub-events” within Race Roster.
Transferring between sub-events is done by the individual and not the Team Captain.
There are no sub-event transfers once the event starts. That means you can’t transfer between Merry Movers, Silver Stars and Gold Getters after 11:59 pm on 29th August.
Click on the Transfer tab on your personal dashboard or to the transfer button on our event page.
Then follow the prompts.
If you are changing up categories, then you will be charged the difference in cost between the two categories.
You will not be credited if you are changing down categories.
The transfer process is completed in two steps.
We have videos that highlight this as well as a step by step to help you do this.
1 – Transfer request
2 – New Participant
The new participant will receive an email advising them of the Transfer.
The form will direct them to complete a registration with all their relevant details.
Once they have completed their registration the transfer will be completed.
You can invite people to join your team by sharing your Team Name and Team Code, along with the registration link so they can sign up directly and select your team.
You can also use the “Invite Friends” button in your Race Roster dashboard, which generates and shares your team’s unique registration link. Make sure you include your Team Code as well so they can easily find and join your team during registration.
You can continue to grow your team at any time before registrations close on 6 September. To attract new members, make sure your team is listed in the Team Finder during your registration setup so it can be discovered by people looking for a team.
If you missed enabling Team Finder during registration, you can still be added by contacting us via the Contact Us page, and our support team will enable it for your team. You can also continue promoting your team through your own networks to recruit new members.
Your fundraising page is automatically created for you when you register through Race Roster, so you don’t need to set anything up from scratch.
Once logged in, you can edit and personalise your page at any time. This might include adding a profile photo, updating your story, setting a fundraising goal, or sharing why you’re taking part in the Broken Hill to Sydney Team Chase.
To access your page, simply log in to your Race Roster account, click on the menu in the top right corner and scroll down to the fundraising page option.
A few tips to help you get started:
If you’re managing a team page, encourage team members to personalise their individual pages as well, this can significantly increase overall fundraising success.
Most importantly, you don’t need to be a fundraising expert. A simple, genuine message and a few shares can make a big difference.
When device syncing opens on 1 August, all registered participants will receive a login to the event platform. Anyone who registers after that date will be issued login details automatically.
From there, participants have two ways to track their activity:
If you’re using a GPS watch or a tracking app, you’ll follow simple prompts to connect your device. Once connected, your distance will automatically upload during the event period.
If you’re tracking manually, you’ll be able to log your activity by click All Activities then the “add activity” button.
Behind the scenes, the platform brings all team members’ activity together, calculates the combined team total, and updates progress in real time. Each hour, your team’s position is updated as your dot moves across the map.
The videos below help guide you through the Race Roster system.
Desktop Version
Mobile Verison
The BH2S Team Chase is a 19-day event where teams of up to 20 people move together to collectively cover 1,300km on a virtual course from Broken Hill to Sydney.
Each participant tracks their daily kilometres using a fitness device or app and uploads their progress to our event platform. You can move your way around your neighbourhood, on a treadmill, or from anywhere in the world.
This event is about moving feet, moving minds, and moving society. Every step raises awareness, starts conversations, and helps fund respectful relationships education, key to preventing family and domestic violence.
Whether you’re aiming for one kilometre a day or chasing a personal best, every kilometre counts.
Less than you might think.
The 1,300km goal is shared across your whole team over 19 days, so the commitment is spread out and flexible.
There’s no requirement to walk or run every day. Most people simply aim to contribute what they can across the event.
As a guide a team of 10 averages around 130km per person across the event (about 48km per week), team of 20 averages around 65km per person across the event (about 24km per week).
That might be a short walk during the day, a longer weekend effort, a treadmill session, or kilometres already covered in other activities. It all counts.
The key is consistency over time, not daily targets or strict routines. You move at your own pace, in your own way, and everything adds up toward your team total.
There are four steps for a Team Captain. Those are:
#1 Invent Team Name and Team Code
The Team Name can be up to 30 characters long. Make it unique and distinctive.
The Team Code must be at least 4 characters long and can be a mix of letters and numbers
#2 Register yourself and your team at the same time
During your personal event registration you will reach a section about Teams. Here are the options to select:
When you complete your registration, your team will automatically be created.
#3 Invite team members
#4 Send important information to team members
Many Team Captains choose to set up group chats (e.g. in Facebook) or emailing lists and motivate their teams in various ways.
During the Broken Hill to Sydney Team Chase you walk, jog or run in your local area and upload your distances to our event platform. The upload can be done manually or automatically from your GPS watch or phone app.
The following instructions are for setting up the auto-syncing. You only need to do this once before commencing the event.
Instructions for manual uploading are here
Instructions for managing a family group here
Sometimes the tech can get tricky, so if you have any issues at all please don’t hesitate to contact us and we will gladly assist.
Check that the device or phone app you intend to use syncs with our platform. Below are the options available.
*Apple Watch can only connect via one of the listed phone apps. We suggest Runkeeper as it is free, and integrates easily. Install Runkeeper on your watch and connect your watch to Runkeeper. Then complete the step-by-step below.
GPS Watches:
Phone Apps:
If you see a “Privacy Error” when connecting your device, it’s usually because of the privacy settings in your fitness app. Make sure the app is allowed to share your activity with approved followers or groups, then try connecting again.
Registered as a family group? One login will be sent to the registration email. All devices are then connected within that account or use manual upload. You can then put a name in the Nickname field to represent your family.
These images show you the screen display at each stage:
Yes we will. Every year we have teams across Australia keen to have more members and we have a system in place to find a team that matches the level of challenge you would like to experience. Visit our Team Finder page or Join our newsletter to stay in the loop for teams looking for members.
Not at all. You can walk, jog, run or use a wheelchair.
The event is designed for people of all fitness levels. Some participants aim for just a few kilometres a day, while others take on bigger distances.
Because it’s a team event, the 1,300 km is shared across the whole team. That means the more people you have in your team, the less distance each person needs to complete.
The goal isn’t speed, it’s getting people moving and talking about family violence prevention while working together toward a shared goal.
Yes, you can take part from anywhere in Australia or around the world.
This is a virtual event, so there is no single location or organised in-person gathering. You complete your walks or runs wherever suits you best, around your neighbourhood, on a treadmill, at the gym, or on your usual route.
While everyone moves in their own local area, you’re still very much connected. Most teams stay in touch through group chats to share updates, encouragement and milestones, and our official Facebook community brings together participants from across Australia and around the world.
If you’re looking to join a team, there may be groups in your area or aligned to your workplace, sport or community. You can explore available teams through our Team Finder and join one that suits you.
As you track your kilometres each day, your progress is added to your team total and you move together along the virtual course from Broken Hill to Sydney.
It’s a shared experience, just without needing to be in the same place.
During the Broken Hill to Sydney Team Chase you walk, jog or run in your local area and upload your distances to our event platform. The upload can be done manually or automatically from your GPS watch or phone app.
The following instructions are for doing manual uploads. Read about auto-syncing here.
Sometimes the tech can get tricky, so if you have any issues at all please don’t hesitate to contact us and we will gladly assist.
Any activity where you are walking, jogging or running (or equivalent for wheelchair users) can be included but you will need some method of confirming the distance covered. Some recommended methods:
These images show you the screen display at each stage:
No problem. BH2S is a team event, but you don’t need to start your own team.
Simply use our Team Finder page to find an existing team that is welcoming new members. You can then join that team during registration and be part of the journey from day one.
The Broken Hill to Sydney Team Chase runs for 19 days each year, starting on 30 August and finishing on 17 September.
During that time, teams log their daily kilometres and track their progress along the virtual route between Broken Hill and Sydney.
Registrations usually open in early June and remain open into September, so you can still join after the challenge begins and contribute kilometres to your team.