Australia attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the most number of people walking 1 kilometre simultaneously (multi-venue).

In 2006, Western Australia claimed ownership of the record, with an impressive 100,915 people walking at once at 570 venues across the state. The previous record holders, Canada, then challenged these walking efforts in October 2007, and managed to get 231,635 walkers participating throughout the country to walk and to claim the title.

With our national pride on the line, all Australians were asked to step up and participate in the walk on Monday 1st September, 2008 to claim the title for Australia.

On be active wa day, Monday 1st September 2008, 12 noon (Western Standard Time) or 2pm (Eastern Standard Time) or 1.30pm (Central Standard Time).

In 2006, WA's Giant walk was also held on be active wa day at 12 noon (Western Standard Time).

Various State Government Physical Activity authorities are coordinating The Giant Walk - Guinness World Record Challenge across Australia.

The lead agency is the Western Australian Premier's Physical Activity Taskforce, which is responsible for an overarching strategy to address physical activity in WA.

Initiatives such as The Giant Walk is one way to showcase one of our favourite forms of physical activity � walking!

Australians are not active enough! Almost half of all Australians are not active enough for their health. Physical activity is a key part of a healthy lifestyle. Walking is the easiest way for everyone, young or old to be active. Everyone can walk close to home, with friends or a dog, at the workplace, or to get from A to B. Walking doesn't cost any money and it is something that the whole family can do together. The Giant Walk is a chance to show how walking can be fun and to say to every Australian to get up and be active on this day and EVERY DAY!

Schools, Local Governments, community groups and workplaces, hosted walk events across 1038 venues across the nation.

Coordinators were encouraged to set up a walk event that everyone in the community could participate in.

• Walks were set up in 756 schools, some of these schools came together to co-host an event.
• 70 Local Governments coordinated walks with their local community.
• 132 Individual workplaces, and groups of workplaces came together to walk.
• Individuals and community groups attended walk events in their local community and 80 community groups coordinated their own walks.