Business Passport

The Indigenous Marathon Foundation (IMF) uses running as a springboard to promote health and wellbeing for First Nations peoples. Being smarter with travel unlocks even more opportunities, as founder Robert de Castella explains.

Marathon champion Robert de Castella won gold in consecutive Commonwealth Games in the 1980s. Even back then, he noticed a glaring gap in Australian sport. “We had wonderful Indigenous athletes in AFL, rugby league, boxing and sprinting,” he says, “but there was a lack of representation in long-distance running.”

Confident that he could help uncover future champions, de Castella founded the Indigenous Marathon Project (IMP) in 2009 and the following year, four runners became the first Indigenous Australians to complete the famous New York City Marathon. In the years since, more than 140 program graduates have crossed the finish line.

The Indigenous Marathon Foundation (IMF) was born from this success and has gone on to launch a series of school and community initiatives. “We fly all around Australia to deliver our programs,” says de Castella, adding that cost-effective travel is essential to the not-for-profit group. “I was incredibly proud to represent Australia but what we’re doing now is more important.”

AUSTRALIAN CITIES > NEW YORK “Travel can be a life-changing experience for our runners”

“Each year we select a squad of 12 First Nations people aged 18 to 30 to train for the New York City Marathon. Our runners also complete a Certificate in Indigenous Leadership and Health Promotion, attain qualifications for CPR, first aid and mental health first aid, as well as running coach accreditation. They earn every pair of shoes, every shirt and every flight through their commitment and dedication to the training and the education program. For some, it’s their first time on a plane

or even out of their community; when they come up from the subway in Times Square, the emotion on their faces is incredible. We had an evaluation done a few years ago, which found that every dollar invested into the marathon project has returned approximately $6.60 of social, cultural and economic value. Booking travel through Qantas Business Rewards is important for us as a not-for-profit as it helps us further maximise the value of our investment. We access flight discounts and earn Qantas Points for the foundation, which we can use for future trips, stretching our budget further.”

DOMESTIC CAPITALS > MACKAY/YUWI COUNTRY “Bringing communities together deepens our long-term impact”

“Across Australia, we now have about 3000 people in our community running and walking groups. During National Reconciliation Week, we bring hundreds of them together for our Running and Walking National Championships, which were held in Mackay last year. It’s a huge logistical challenge – multiple flights from all over the country and trying to accommodate everyone in the same hotel or close by. It’s a significant expense for the foundation and booking through Qantas Business Rewards helps us to reduce the costs by using points. We can then easily manage all the moving parts – flights, hotels and car hire – in one place, through our Business Account. The extensive Qantas regional network means our runners can get to the championships, even from remote parts of Australia.”

REGIONAL AUSTRALIA > CANBERRA/NGUNNAWAL “Qantas helps us reach children in all corners of Australia”

“Our Indigenous Communities for Activity and Nutrition program focuses on small, remote communities to encourage school attendance and educate kids about healthy lifestyles. In 2023, IMF was awarded a Qantas Regional Grant, which enabled us to fly 50 students and their teachers from Far North Queensland, the Northern Territory, remote Western Australia and the Torres Strait Islands to Canberra for our first-ever championships. We had a weekend of fitness-related games and activities, took the children to some of the local highlights in Canberra – including Government House and Questacon – and they took part in the Stromlo Running Festival. The opportunity was mind-blowing but for us, the work doesn’t end there. It’s important that we continue to get out into those communities and schools to have long-lasting impact.”