Send us a textStart with the hard truth: children’s physical activity is lagging across parts of NSW while screen time climbs. From that wake-up call, we pivot into a powerful briefing on how culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women experience the outdoors—why it matters for public health and community cohesion, and what actually works to bring more women and families into nature with confidence.With researcher Ancy unpacking a new RMIT–Sport & Recreation Victoria study, we explore the surprising breadth of benefits: stress relief without pressure to perform, family bonding, social connection for older women, and transformative learning through encounters with local wildlife and place. We share stories of confidence turning into leadership, including a grassroots cycling club born from one woman’s empowered experience. Then we unpack the real barriers. Gender roles and caregiving reduce time for self-care; modesty needs and cultural clothing can conflict with standard gear; colourism and body image complicate sun exposure; and safety concerns, from dogs off-leash to remote travel, deter participation. Language gaps and a lack of diverse staff and marketing compound the problem—when people don’t see themselves represented, they don’t see themselves there.The road forward is concrete and doable. We walk through a three-level framework: micro actions like co-designing family-first and women-only programs with cultural and spiritual elements; meso strategies such as gear-lending libraries, translated materials, trusted community champions, and small pilot programs; and macro shifts that include better transport to parks, safe urban nature close to bus routes, inclusive marketing, and a more diverse outdoor workforce from guides to boards. Schools emerge as powerful gateways—when outdoor education is equitable, kids become ambassadors and families follow. Along the way, we connect these insights to live industry priorities: VET qualification reviews, child-safe standards for overnight camps, and a full slate of training, events, and awards that can hard-wire inclusion into practice.If you care about healthier communities, stronger participation, and an outdoor industry that reflects the people it serves, this conversation offers a roadmap—practical steps you can use tomorrow, and policy shifts we can push for together. Listen, share it with a colleague, and tell us the one change that would make the outdoors more accessible in your area. And if this resonates, subscribe and leave a review to help more people find the show.Support the showTo stay connected to Outdoors NSW & ACT, Subscribe to our podcasts, or our YouTube ChannelOur members get access to a whole range of additional information and support - you can join here and start receiving the benefits today.

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