Janice Oliver

My walk is dedicated to the memory of my sister, Wendy Neville

Janice Oliver

A tribute for Wendy Neville

I’m walking for my sister Wendy who tragically could not go on. That was 17 December 2011. I am walking in soliditary for all full time carers of family members. You arr never alone and we can take one foot forward every day. You are all worth it.

Total Raised

$338

Total Distance

108km

Distance Goal

40km

Support My Walk for Mental Health Research

Did you know that 1 in 5 Australians experience a mental illness each year?

This October, I’m taking part in One Foot Forward to help Australians impacted by mental illness and suicide.

I'm walking to raise funds for Black Dog Institute to put ground-breaking new mental health treatment, education, and digital services into the hands of the people who need them most.

It would mean so much to me if you donated to support my walk.

Together, we can create better mental health for all Australians.

My Updates

Day 27: decluttering and e-back ups

Another day of household bliss. Amazing how you can make a few kms just walking in circles around the house decluttering and gifting through buy nothing. Followed by a cycle to deliver a couple of laptops to get backed up onto my portable hard drive before gifting on to others in need of computers... The pedals have found a new home along eith lots of art supplies... Life is good.

Day 26: hit my 100km mark

Very excited to reach my 100km mark. I did not expect to hit this. Just shows persistence pays. All effort in memory of my sister Wendy. Today was a ha g out with a dear friend chill kind of day before taking a bike ride under the full moon.

Day 25: headed to the hills and a big spin around the block

Another visit to the Mundaring Hills art studios today. This time to catch up with some emerging artists and my friends Betty and Craig. Then took the newly serviced bike out for a spin. Loving this cool spring weather. Enjoying it while it lasts!

Day 24: a day of rest

A little incidental.amble here and there in preparation for my knee surgery.

Day 23: gymming and arting

Another busy day filled with rekindling good habits. A workout at rhe gym. A fun social connection over a healthy lunch, with equally lovely conversation. The kindness of my friend dropping me off to my repaired car. Then lots of social arty wonderfulness at Belmont Art Awards with my coisin and artist friends existing and new. An airing of my piece, The elephant in the room!

Day 22: out n about

Carless means more active transport. The Silly Goose for morning tea with my dear friend Rose. Always good for a laugh and to solve the world's problems and promote world peace :) Then an afternoon and evening out once again in delightful Subi with new friends. Total of 5 bus and 6 train rides notched up. Saving the planet and fighting the cost of living one step and one ride at a time. Captured my fave local tree by moonlight on my way home.

Day 21: a record effort

Today was a very active day taking me to Canningvale, around Rivervale and to Subiaco for dinner and the Priscilla Queen of the Desert show. Inaugural outing of the JJJ 62 club! This involved singing, clapping and dancing!!! Between walks I rode 2 buses and 5 trains...a record in one day...

Day 20: more active travel adventures in the burbs

A fun day as my bike was finally fixed!!! New cranks and pedals. Then a mixed travel of Uber, walk, train, bus and walk around Vic Park - Burswood - Rivervale. All part of my quest this month to be more sustainable and connected to my community by being present and social. Bonus met a guy exercising a dog through the POOPs program. Pets of Older People. Volunteers take pets for walks when elders can no longer get out and about. I am thinking of signing up as I love pets and elders!

Day 19: incidentially retrieving data and shopping

Once again on the quest of more futness, incidential intentional exercise and utilising public transport. A trip to the local IT guy who has retieved my old data off an Aldi computer from 10 years ago with a password long forgotten. Then off to the shops to keep body and soul together and a walk home. Punctuated with a couole of short bus rides. A nice chill out day... Plus took delivery of my first ever soda stream to create some nice sparkling water to celebrate my walks...

Day 18: telethon sunday

Another milestone today. A bit of active travel walking between bus rides to RAC Arena to go to the live Telethon event. Lovely to meet some angels from Mandurah who support women living with breast cancer and did a 2 hour session in the phone room. Saw the firies in full rescue gear on the treadmill, the guy on the stair climber and the rebounders who were on their tramps for 24 hours. Fantastic entertainment by The 60 four. Lovely ro see Jess Mauboy. Lots of sports stars, the Chase crew, Home and Away, seven TV presenters and more... Plus the thank you very much cinga line. It still lives...59 years and still going strong!

Day 17: hills arts trail

Wendy and I headed for the Hills and saw about 8 artist studios today from Mahogany Creek, Darlington, Green Mount and all the places between. Such a lovely vibe and always great to visit and chat to artist's and check out their tidied studios! Next weekend will be a further foray! Plus spotted some lovely Carnaby Cockatoos along the way!

Day 16: delivery day

Another incidential day. Dropped off my artwork to the City of Belmont for our annual art awards. Always lovely to meet other artists and get a sneak peak at the art work! A little wander and a light shop and home again. We are blessed by lovely gardens in our community. in anticipation of more arty action tomorrow.

Day 15: still on foot

An interesting day. Visit #3 from my friendly mobile bicycle mechanic. Such a personable chat. However the 2nd wrong cranks arrived for my bike. Here is hoping set #3 will fit. All booked now for next Monday given the parts come from Sydney by airfreight. So the challenge continues on foot. This time traversing the local hill and around on a 3km circuit. In between times reading The Angery Women's Choir by Meg Bignell set in Hobart. A laugh out loud kind of novel. Whilst walking its fun what we find, including the rare 'Vale species Bootus climbus....

Day 14: nonagenerian time

A not so random act of kindness today. A haircut 3 weeks in the making. Its taken that long to get the Professor out the door and to the barbers. What a result though. The smiles and rhe barber announced the Professor looked 10 years younger! Nevertheless the combo of 3.5 hr quest for a round trip of less than 5kmand rain stopping play meant just a few snatched minutes of incidential exercise in my chauffering capacity. I hold hopes for a better sleep tonight and my bike being back on the road after the mobile mechsnic trapped his tool in my cranks and then ordered the wrong part from Sydney. 3rd time lucky scheduled for tomorrow!

Day 13: an artsy day

Today was an arty moves day. A trip to the framer to pick up my work for the City of Belmont, twontrips to different libraries to drop off or extend books. Then a bonus artist talk by Lisa Ellery, an Esperance girl, turned Kalgoorlie local and resident lawyer who decided to take up writing crime novels. She tried fantasy but her employee at the law firm rejected those and suggested she take up crime fiction. The rest is history. I always said I had a book in me so maybe that is the next project to team with the art? i always writing and dreaming as a kid and even into my 20s!

Day 12: r&r day

A slow day padding around the garden, home and neighbourhood gently after the busy weekend. Gearing up with some online training for my next short term gig. The lovely boabs from yesterday at Kings Park

Day 11: kings park sojourn

After a pop into visit the sick and offer flowers it was off to beautiful Kings Park for a late afternoon stroll to catch the last of the wildflowers and enjoy the flowering shrubs. Popped by Pioneer Women's Pool where my sister Wendy took my bro Pete and I when we were about 8 and 10 for a visit when she hosted us for a mini Perth holiday. it also memmoralised pioneering women, including our own forebear Mary Jane Mead who rode horeseback around the York district delivering babies in the 1800s. The walking was topped off at the local super bringing in a few provisions!

Day 10: out n about in my burb and a jaunt around the toodyay show

A lovely social day meeting with the local Councillors at our pocket park. A lovely shared stroll to our local cafe for morning tea and then a road trip to wander around the Toodyay Show. Supporting our floral artist friend Bruce who scooped the pool and was awarded best in show!

Day 9: active transport

Today another of my long put off tasks was completed. Its taken almost 3 years to get a second key for my car progrsmmed after its predecessor took a swin in the washing machine. Rather sad as ususlly I check my pockets! So I had a bus-bus-train-bus sequence to get home from car drop off and a bus-bus sequence to fetch the car. This involved loads of incidental walking, often at fast pace to sometimes successfully and other times unsuccessfullt to catch said transport. There was an entertaining meme on 40 years of the Transport network, probably in hindsight an AI prompt generated poem. A hairy 2 minute ride with a trainre bus driver which ensued extra steps when I switched to an alternate train and bus ride to ensure body and soul remained intact. The evening brought stair climbing whilst out with the girls to a rather scary thriller. unfortunately my ebike was rendered unrideable after mobile mechanic got his tool stuck in the bike crank he'd removed. Stay tuned for next Tuesday when bike should be back on the road! The joy of WA living where said part is not stocked anywhere!

Day 8: city of south perth emerging artist awards and more errands

A wonderful day kicking more health goals and doing my presentation at the City of South Perth Emerging Artist Prize 2026. It was a real honour as last year's awards winner to share some insights with the beautiful village that is this epic awards. It was lovely to share the moment with my dear friend Margaret who roped me in to entering the awards back in 2020 which started my artist journey! Here we are pictured with the 2026 winner!

Containers for change

Continuing to make the world a better place. This time off to the recycle centre. A tad frustrating with the level of automation. Old bottles not accepted for refund as don't fit conveyer belt. Cashless so got to jump through 10 hurdles and download an app or get a barcoded paper and drive to the nearest Coles to get paid in cash. Ever the dtermined glass full person I parked a long way off and did an incidental exercise walk to collect my $1.80! Bonus another walk completed to befiend the Black Dog and remember my dear sister Wendy!!!

Spring clean

Amazing how many steps and distance can be clocked up in your own space. Loce a good declutrer and donating through Buy Nothing. love my local community.

Day 5: ikea walk about

Nothing like a bit of incidental walking. Ikea is an interesting way to clock up some ks. Added bonus seeing a young couole doing an Ikea fit out of their van outside the Click and Cillect department. They built a bed bade and underdrawers whilst I waited for my goods. Rather entertaining!

Day 4 the watch quest and stopping to smell the roses

My smart watch was no longer even a dumb watch. Could not even tell the time! So today's stroll focussed on trawling the shops to get a replacement and to find flowers for a dear friend who literally was knocked off her feet by a wayward wheelie bin colliding with a car whilst gardening her front verge. Nothing like stopping to smell the roses and bringing some good cheer.plus walking in memory of my dear sister Wendy who was very partial to a wildflower walk at this time of year!

Day 3 becoming a bikie again

Its been a hectic frw days. Today a day of rest and friendship. Come late arvo.the bike pump was dusted off. Not to be deterred I headed off before sunset and rralised bad light was to stop play as alas I did not recall how to turn on the bike lights. Nevertheless I managed to notch up 3km on the streets of Rivervale. Time to check the manual to see how to use said bike lights...Shaun for entertainment. He always makes me smile. Making Wendy proud by getting out moving again. Please donate to the cause. Black Dog Institute does great work!

Day 2 new norcia and come alive!

A busy day in the sunshine and printing at Abbey Press New Norcia before attending Come Alive! in the Big Top at Burswood!

Day one over the hills and far away

So the challenge begins. a sluggish start today. However as I followed the golden light out into the countryside my taste for adventure was rekindled. Following great company and sumptious dinner and eine what could be better than walking out on a dark star studded night...taking in the silence...the history...the sorrow...the healing...that is Nee Norcia...stay tuned for a morning walk report tomorrow!

My Achievements

Thank you to my Sponsors

$112.09

Peter Oliver

$66.73

Mark Cameron-smith

Best wishes meeting your goal.

$55.95

Wendy Bellis

$45.30

Janice Oliver

$34.40

Kaye Wheeler

$23.81

Anonymous

Well done Jan. An awesome effort and an awesome outcome. 🌺⭐️

Thank you to my supporters

$45.30

Janice Oliver

$34.40

Kaye Wheeler

$23.81

Anonymous

Well done Jan. An awesome effort and an awesome outcome. 🌺⭐️