Nedd Brockmann

Nedd Brockmann grew up on his family’s farm in Central West NSW before moving to Sydney to work as an electrician in 2019. Having only started running 2 years prior, at the age of 23 he became the fastest Australian to run across the country, and the second-fastest in the world, completing a journey of 3953 kilometres from Perth’s Cottesloe Beach to Sydney’s Bondi Beach in 46 days and 12 hours. Averaging an incredible 85 kilometres a day for the run, Nedd had to contend with numerous challenges along the way, from logistical nightmares of accommodation and food supplies out in the Australian outback, to countless injuries that threatened to derail him from finishing. With an unwavering determination to succeed and an aptitude to never die wondering, Nedd continued to show up each day with the resolution he would finish, and in doing so inspired thousands.

Throughout the run, he used his platform to call attention to the urgent crisis of homelessness, setting him- self the target of raising a million dollars for the charity We Are Mobilise, who provide functional care to the homeless and seek to create change through connection. In his regular posts on Instagram, Nedd high- lighted the highs and lows of the epic run and encouraged others to pursue their dreams; to trust in their ability to overcome adversity and have the courage to start on those lofty goals that otherwise might prove daunting. It’s no surprise that when he made his way to Bondi Beach, a crowd of more than 10,000 people gathered to welcome him home, all of them feeling a kinship to his laid-back humour and authentic self. It was a finish line that is now woven into the national fabric of Australia history.

Nedd Raised a final total of $2.6million for Mobilise. It’s a figure that has already seen change occur in real time, with Mobilise providing an Australia-first direct cash transfer program for the homeless aimed at offer- ing employment and ongoing support, including housing and financial counselling. Just eight months after completing his run across Australia, Mobilise reported their first participant had received a contract offer to start work. 34 people are now in the Direct Giving program.

Nedd’s run across Australia catapulted him forward into what he had already planned to do in this life; make the most of every day, do hard things and to give back, all in the hope to be able to push this out to a scale where everyone can get a glimpse of what that feels like. Post his trans-continent record run, Nedd has published a bestselling sports book, Showing Up, started Nedd’s Milk, a chocolate milk company that do- nates to Mobilise with every bottle purchased, and continues to push his limits daily. Though Nedd doesn’t call himself a runner, he is someone who see tests of physical endurance and suffering as a playground for the human spirit to thrive. He takes on such challenges with nothing but a desire to test himself and prove that anything is possible if you’re willing to work for it and make sacrifices. He believes that every day you should live as if it were your last and to never take a backward step.