Karin Traeger, from The Yarra Riverkeeper Association is set to run 280kms to Celebrate World River’s Day and raise money to promote a Healthy, Protected and Loved Yarra, Birrarung River.

Karin is a Chilean ultrarunner and adventure fan who has been running for the past five years for "good". From activating her local running community to clean the trails to becoming a plogging ambassador, Karin has been educating others on how to protect the environment while playing in the outdoors. Karin is also the CEO of the Yarra Riverkeeper Association.

The run will launch on World Rivers Day (25 September). It's an opportunity to raise awareness about the Yarra, Birrarung River and its importance as a living entity for all Melburnians.

"Running is my way to connect with nature and challenge myself. I love running along the Yarra River because it's beautiful and peaceful. This run is my way to celebrate this incredible waterway while giving back to it through one of my passions. It's awesome to see how many people are getting involved sharing their stories on the work they do and their relationships with the Birrarung" - Karin Traeger, CEO of Yarra Riverkeeper Association.

Map of the run

Run the Riverkeeper is an epic 280km journey along the Yarra River, from source to mouth. The run will take place over six days, connecting natural wonders with local communities and sharing stories of the catchment. A run like this has never been done before. 

"To support our vision of a healthy, protected and loved Yarra, Birrarung we humbly ask you to donate to our campaign. We're aiming to raise $100,000 which is a big ask but we know that Melburnians love a challenge and have huge hearts. The money raised will support our advocacy and stewardship activities in the catchment, enabling us to better protect our precious waterways." - Charlotte Sterrett, Yarra Riverkeeper.

The Yarra, Birrarung River is one of Victoria's most iconic rivers. It flows through Melbourne's inner city suburbs. It is home to some of Australia's most beloved icons like Federation Square, Flinders Street Station and Princes Bridge. The River also supports thousands of people who live around it.

It's also home to many threatened species such as Platypus, Swift Parrots and Growling Grass Frogs that rely on healthy water for survival. But despite all these benefits, the Yarra, Birrarung has suffered from decades of pollution from industry, agriculture and stormwater run-off. This pollution has caused significant habitat loss along the river banks.

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For Wild Places is a new way of community-building designed to turn the energy of movement into protection for the places we depend on. Through life-changing outdoor events that raise awareness, drive sustainability, and support environmental causes, they allow people to action their desires for a better future for all.
Founded by a small and driven group of outdoor enthusiasts, For Wild Places is a collective of runners, hikers, mountain bikers and surfers with a common goal of transforming a shared passion for outdoor sports into collective environmental activism. Together, they set off on a journey to turn passionate outdoor people into wild place advocates. Welcome to the world of Sports Activism and the first day on the rest of our journey.

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Their passion for outdoor sports, new technologies and craftsmanship has driven them - and still does - to create progressive gear to enable you to freely enjoy and challenge yourself in the great outdoors. In a society where speed and stress have taken over, people take less and less time to play and connect with nature. Play is their essence.

Since its inception, the name of Paddy Pallin became synonymous with the Australian bush, and the company he founded has grown to become Australia’s leading supplier of specialist outdoor and travel gear. The company has 13 stores throughout Australia.

Still owned by the Pallin family, the company continues its tradition of designing and sourcing technical adventure clothing and equipment for the Australian market. This has enabled the combining of cutting edge technology with the wisdom gleaned from many years of experience.

Melbourne Water manages and protects our city's major water resources, which in turn makes our city a fantastic place to live.  On any given day they manage water supply catchments, supplying affordable and high-quality water. Melbourne Water is owned by the Victorian Government. They manage the major water, sewerage and drainage networks across Greater Melbourne, together with your local water company and council. They also care for 25,000km of rivers and creeks that sustain healthy communities and the environment – making our region a great place to live.

Federation Square (Fed Square) was established to actively support and reflect Melbourne’s pre-eminent civic and cultural strengths.  It is Melbourne’s premier public space, filling a gap that had previously existed in the city’s civic and cultural landscape. In a typical year Fed Square hosts around 2,300 community, cultural and other activities, and events.  It also supports a diverse mix of businesses that service residents, CBD workers, local and international visitors.