PRESS RELEASE: 51 Year Old Sydney Man Walks 915 Days Straight of 20km to Combat Youth Mental Health Crisis
51 Year Old Youth Mental Health Advocate Chris Barton Walks 915 Days Straight to Drive Preventative Mental Health & Fund Life Changing Scholarships
Endurance walker, public speaker, and founder of the Step Into Action Foundation achieves 22,000+ km milestone—championing movement, connection, and resilience.
KEY STATS:
915 Days Consecutive Walking (20km+)
22,000 km Total Distance (24km/day average)
30M+ Total Steps (33,000 steps/day average)
AUSTRALIA – In a remarkable demonstration of discipline and community leadership, 51 year old father, endurance walker, public advocate, and keynote speaker Chris Barton has reached a monumental milestone: 915 consecutive days of walking 20km or more. Averaging 24 kilometers and 33,000 steps every single day, Chris has covered over 22,000 kilometers—the equivalent of walking halfway around the globe to champion preventive mental health and personal resilience.
His 915 day journey includes numerous high profile endurance walk adventures, most recently completing an impressive 230km walk from Newcastle to Penrith. As an expert and prominent public advocate for proactive wellbeing, Chris is reframing the national conversation around mental health from reactive treatment to front line prevention. Through his daily walking commitments which he shares with a growing online audience, extreme endurance treks, and keynote speaking engagements, he demonstrates how physical movement builds essential life skills including emotional stamina, personal discipline, and deep human connection.
“We are facing an unprecedented youth mental health crisis, with 1 in 4 young people under the age of 24 significantly struggling with their mental health and suicide remaining the leading cause of death for Australians under 24. We cannot treat our way out of this; preventive mental health must be built through daily action, physical movement, and genuine human connection. Through the Step Into Action Foundation, we are taking direct action to equip young people with the tools, mentorship, and support they need before they reach a crisis point.”
— Chris Barton, Founder of Step Into Action Foundation & Preventive Mental Health Advocate
Step Into Action Foundation & Charlotte’s Wish Scholarships
Chris is the founder of the Step Into Action Foundation, through which he has personally created and funded the first life changing 20 Charlotte’s Wish Scholarships. Building on this momentum, Chris has actively partnered and worked alongside government entities to secure vital funding for additional scholarships, empowering young people through embedding movement and connection into their daily lives.
AVAILABLE FOR KEYNOTE SPEAKING
Chris Barton regularly speaks at corporate events, community conferences, and media panels. He shares actionable frameworks on preventive mental health, building personal resilience, leadership through action, and creating meaningful community connection.
MEDIA & BOOKING INQUIRIES
Contact: Chris Barton (Founder & Keynote Speaker)
Organisation: Step Into Action Foundation
Phone: 0432 763 241
Email: [email protected]
Website: stepintoaction.com.au/keynote-speakers/
Topics: Preventive Mental Health | Resilience | Movement
