Queensland 2026 Festival of Climbing
For the first time, 2026 gave us what felt like a ‘Festival of Climbing’ in Queensland, with three fantastic stair-climbing events taking place over four days.
River to Rooftop, Rhapsody and Sea to Sky Q1 are all independently organised events. SCA’s role is to promote and support them, and to encourage our members to get involved.
What made those four days feel like a festival was the way the stair-climbing community embraced them. Our SCA community was certainly part of that, with members travelling from interstate and overseas, catching up at the events and finding plenty of opportunities to meet for brunches, drinks, dinners, coffees and hotel catch-ups in between.
By the end of the four days, it felt like one big stair-climbing get-together, with people from different states, countries and backgrounds coming together over our shared love of climbing stairs.
Three events, one community: the stairs gave us a reason to turn up, but the people made the four days unforgettable.
River to Rooftop 🏢
Date — Thursday 20 August 2026
Venue — ONE ONE ONE Eagle Street, Brisbane
Challenge — 55 floors, 1,040 stairs and approximately 400 participants
$110,959.64 raised for Women’s Legal Service Queensland
Women’s Legal Service Queensland provides free legal and support services to women and children experiencing domestic and family violence. It was wonderful to see the stair-climbing community get behind such an important cause.
We arrived in Brisbane to unexpectedly chilly weather. The night before the event, an impromptu dinner with some of the SCA crew meant a bite to eat and a few drinks before the big day.
Nothing says serious athlete quite like pre-race food and a little nervous hydration!
Bib collection and bag drop were indoors, giving everyone a chance to stay warm and get organised before making their way to the start line. Music was pumping, people were encouraging and revving up the participants, and the numerous sponsor stands added to the atmosphere.
Gradually, the start area filled and, one by one, we were waved off.
I had completely forgotten just how steep that stairwell is.
By around floor 10, the bustling city outside had faded away, replaced by the rhythmic thud-thud of running shoes and the shared determination of everyone around me. It is an incredible, focused environment.
Without windows or changing scenery to distract you, you quickly tune into your own rhythm. The air gets warmer, the muscles start complaining surprisingly early, and that is when the mental game really kicks in.
The stairwell spirals continuously, and every corner requires just a little more focus and effort. Those seemingly ordinary stairs suddenly feel like a much bigger mountain than they actually are.
It becomes a deeply personal challenge: pacing yourself, counting down the floor numbers painted on the doors, matching your breathing to your steps and relying on pure willpower to keep moving upwards.
And then, suddenly, you’re there.
I crossed the finish line, headed down one flight to collect my medal and get some water, and that was when the reality of the multi-climb hit me.
Honestly, my head was already playing games with me.
You can’t do that again. You’ve just climbed 55 floors. Surely that’s enough.
But then I watched SCA members racing for the lift to get back down and squeeze in as many climbs as possible during the 90 minute window.
They weren’t hanging around!
I gave myself a virtual kick and headed back down for climb number two and I’m so glad I did.
One of the things I absolutely love about stair climbing is watching people achieve what they have set out to do. As I stood there taking photos ... click, click, clicking and watching SCA members power past me, there was almost always a smile.
These people are athletes! They are machines!
For some of us, simply participating, getting to the top and perhaps completing a couple of climbs is achievement enough. But there are others who are hungry for more. They want another climb, another lap, another challenge. Watching them push themselves is incredibly inspiring.
A proud moment for inclusion 🏆
Another thing that made River to Rooftop particularly special was the inclusion of the Gender Diverse category.
We are incredibly proud to see greater inclusivity within stair climbing and to see people being given the opportunity to compete in a category that recognises them.
SCA’s own Jorja OHara was the fastest gender-diverse climber on the day, finishing in an impressive 10 minutes and 16 seconds.
It is difficult to put into words what the inclusion of this category means. Sometimes a moment says far more than words ever could.
The look on Jorja’s face when she held her trophy said everything. There was pride, achievement and pure joy.
And it wasn’t only on Jorja’s part. The delight from the SCA step sibs when we saw her approach us proudly holding that trophy was a moment words cannot describe.
Those are the moments that make events like this so much more than a race.
🏆 River to Rooftop results
Men
🥇 John Bourne — 5:51
🥈 Matthew Turk — 6:51
🥉 Lucas Margan — 7:23
Women
🥇 Josie Riseley — 6:45
🥈 Kasia Sobczak — 7:32
🥉 Liah Morley — 8:43
Gender Diverse
🥇 Jorja O’Hara — 10:16
🥈 Cat Wilkinson — 13:16
🥉 Robyn Avaient — 14:24
Multi Climbers
John Du Boulay — 8 climbs
Josie Riseley — 8 climbs
Marcus Burgess — 7 climbs
Liah Morley — 7 climbs
Jorja O’Hara — 5 climbs
Erin Kuhl — 3 climbs
Ruby Rhodes — 3 climbs
Lyndell Murray — 3 climbs
Steve Bentley — 2 climbs
Maria Pia Piemontese — 2 climbs
Zivadin Zivkovic — 2 climbs
Rhapsody Firefighters Stair Climb 🚒
Date — Saturday 22 August 2026
Venue — Rhapsody Resort, Gold Coast
Challenge — 41 floors, approximately 700 stairs and around 130 climbers
Just under $60,000 raised
The fundraiser supports the Firefighter Cancer Foundation Australia and its work supporting firefighters affected by occupational cancer.
Rhapsody is a very different kind of stair climb. It is deliberately small and focused, with places for 100 first responders and 50 members of the general public. The 2026 event sold out.
Saturday morning came around far too quickly. After climbing 55 floors at River to Rooftop just two days earlier, I was back on the Gold Coast with another 41 floors and around 700 stairs waiting for me.
I arrived around 6.30am to a brisk Gold Coast morning and one of my favourite sights at a stair climb: firefighters getting ready.
They were pulling on their gear, piece by piece, preparing to head into the stairwell carrying around 25kg of kit.
How the hell do they climb in that? Seriously.
I was already thinking about my own climb and wondering how my legs were going to cope with another 41 floors after everything they had done two days earlier.
But those nerves didn’t last long, because the SCA contingent started arriving. Suddenly, it felt like a reunion.
There was chatting, laughing, catching up and, of course, photos.
That is one of the things I love most about our stair-climbing community. We might be fiercely competitive once we hit that stairwell, but before and after the climb, there is friendship, laughter, encouragement and plenty of fun.
Rhapsody is perfect for that. It is a smaller event, which means there is even more opportunity to stop, chat and actually spend time with people.
Of course, the conversation soon turned to the new SCA jackets. People were trying them on, admiring them and telling me they wanted one. It was pretty special seeing them being worn with such pride. They really do complete the SCA look.
Then suddenly, it was time.
Steve Corrie was in full countdown mode and the atmosphere changed. Kevin Thompson became the first SCA climber into the stairwell, with the rest of us following in organised fashion.
And then it was just us, the stairs and the climb.
The Rhapsody stairwell has no nasty surprises. Just 41 floors. Around 700 stairs. Simple, right?
Well… not exactly!
There were volunteers throughout the climb, cheering us on and giving us that extra boost when our legs started complaining. You could hear the cheers before you even reached the finish, and there is something incredibly motivating about knowing someone is waiting around the corner, encouraging you to keep going.
And then suddenly, you’re there. Finished. Another stairwell conquered. Another medal around your neck. And what a beautiful medal it was.
But then came the unexpected part: a second climb 🤪
This time there was no pressure, no racing and no clock. Just a bunch of stair tragics heading back into the stairwell with cameras, laughter and a healthy amount of SCA stairwell nonsense.
We stopped for photos, encouraged each other, laughed, mucked around and simply enjoyed being in the stairwell together. Sometimes those are the climbs you remember most.
🏆 Rhapsody results
The racing was seriously quick, with some very impressive times.
Women
🥇 Rebecca Gawthorne — 4:08
🥈 Mikaela Bentley — 4:16
🥉 Josie Riseley — 4:27
Men
🥇 Jackson Bentley — 3:42
🥈 Scott Pearson — 3:47
🥉 Steve Bentley — 4:23
Emergency Services
Ruby Rhodes was the fastest Emergency Services Female 💪
And then it was time to come back together, swap stories and enjoy the rooftop sausage sizzle and presentations.
Everyone received a participation certificate and free race photos. They might seem like little things, but they are the touches that make an event feel special and show just how much the organisers value the people who turn up and take part.
And that is what makes Rhapsody special. It isn’t just about climbing 41 floors. It is about being welcomed into a community.
SCA climbers are welcomed into the emergency-services community and never made to feel like outsiders. We are welcomed. We are included. We are made to feel part of the Emergency Services family.
And for me, that is what stair climbing is all about. The stairs bring us together. The friendships keep us coming back. The memories we make along the way are worth every single step.
Thank you, Rhapsody 🙏
We loved every step 💛💚
Sea to Sky Q1 Stair Challenge 🌊
Date — Sunday 23 August 2026
Venue — Q1, Gold Coast
Challenge — 77 floors, approximately 1,331 stairs and approximately 650 participants
$66,500 raised for LIVIN
LIVIN is a not-for-profit mental health awareness and education organisation dedicated to breaking stigma and encouraging people to speak up. Funds from the event support LIVINWell, which delivers mental health education to young people in schools and communities.
Sunday came around way too fast.
Saturday night had been another impromptu dinner with the SCA crew, with plenty of laughs and an even stronger bond between us.
Sunday morning on the Gold Coast was beautiful. There was a cool breeze in the air, but we all knew that wouldn’t last long. Once we started climbing, we would be warm pretty quickly!
As I approached Q1 to set up the SCA stand, I looked up at the tower and thought: “I think someone has injected Q1 with steroids!!!”
It looked so much bigger than it had the day before! And this time, there were 77 floors and 1,310 stairs waiting for us.
As we started setting up, SCA members began arriving. Before long, we were chatting to people who were unfamiliar with Stair Climbing Australia and enthusiastically spruiking the benefits of membership: the friendships, the camaraderie, the support, the fun and everything that comes with being part of this incredible community.
Then the bibs were organised and, suddenly, it was time to climb.
Teams huddled together for photos, laughed, encouraged each other and pumped themselves up. It was one of those moments where you stop for a second and realise just how special this stair-climbing community really is.
Then the elites were off. They disappeared up the stairwell in what seemed like a flash, followed by the multi-climbers.
And then… it was my turn.
One foot in front of the other. My quads were already letting me know they had not forgotten the previous climbs, but there were plenty of distractions along the way.
I took photos and videos inside the stairwell, which are often some of the funniest, most candid moments of the day. There is something about being trapped in a stairwell with a bunch of slightly crazy people that brings out the best in everyone!
Around the 50th floor, I started questioning some of my life choices.
Bad luck! There was no turning back now.
Take a few photos. Encourage someone who is struggling. Have a chat. Remind yourself how lucky you are to be able to do this. Those things keep me going.
The volunteers were fantastic, encouraging us all the way to the top.
Then came the cheers, the medal, the water and the fruit. Almost immediately, I spotted SCA members. You can’t miss us!
There were photos, debriefs, plenty of laughs and the usual post-climb discussions before heading back down in the lift.
Because, of course, we were going to do it all again.
Four kids, two dads and one very good idea 👨👩👧👦
The second climb was made even more special when I saw Brian Wilson with two of his four children.
Brian had started with all four kids, but navigating the stairs with four children was proving a little challenging. My husband, Frank — otherwise known as SCA’s First Gentleman 😆 — offered to take Nicola and Lachlan up while Brian continued with the twins, Maddie and Elliot.
At one point, Frank put Lachlan on his shoulders because he was tired.
Nicola looked up at Lachlan and said, “You can walk up, you know!”
Lachlan replied, “No… I like it up here!!”
Too cute!
Elliot seemed to have much the same idea, with Brian carrying him on his shoulders too!
Great effort, Brian and Frank.
Having that distraction made the second climb not too bad, but once I reached the top, I talked myself out of doing another. Not sure why. I just did!
Then I saw the stair siblings again. They knocked me into shape and convinced me to have another go.
So… back to the start line.
The next generation 🌟
The third climb was made even more special by the arrival of the next generation.
Nine-year-old Benji Burgess, our effervescent junior “veteran”, was there with his school team. And what a team!
The team grew from four in 2025 to six this year as Archer, Adrielle, Easton, Cora and Austin joined Benji.
Together, these junior stair champs raised $1,289 for LIVIN.
And they weren’t finished there. The kids were already enthusiastically talking about getting even more people involved next year.
Gotta love that enthusiasm!
I absolutely love seeing a new generation discovering stair climbing. The benefits go well beyond fitness: there is the mental challenge, the community, the philanthropy, the camaraderie and, of course, the friendships and fun that come along with it.
Three climbs was my limit. I was incredibly impressed, although not at all surprised, to see the multi-climbers continuing to lap me. What commitment. What endurance!
While I was celebrating climb number three, they were already heading back into the stairwell for another.
That is what makes stair climbing so special. Everyone has their own challenge, their own reason for being there and their own finish line.
For me, three climbs was enough, and I was very happy to call it a day!
Results
Men
🥇 Jackson Bentley — 8:49
🥈 Josh Freer — 9:14
🥉 Steve Bentley — 10:00
Women
🥇 Mikaela Bentley — 9:09
🥈 Josie Riseley — 9:35
🥉 Rebecca Stewart — 9:45
Multi Climbers
Josie Riseley — 11 climbs
Marcus Burgess — 9 climbs
Liah Morley — 9 climbs
Trevor Porter — 9 climbs
Erin Kuhl — 8 climbs
Jorja O’Hara — 8 climbs
Janet Goodwin — 7 climbs
Lyndell Murray — 6 climbs
Hanna Davies — 6 climbs
Steve Downey — 6 climbs
Margaret Butera — 5 climbs
Zivadin Zivkovic — 5 climbs
Kevin Thompson — 4 climbs
John Du Boulay — 3 climbs
Maria Pia Piemontese — 3 climbs
Emma Richardson — 3 climbs
Ruby Rhodes — 3 climbs
Peter Moore — 2 climbs
Benji Burgess — 2 climbs
Marina Whittle — 2 climbs
Elizabeth Johnson — 2 climbs
Frank Cervi — 1 climb
Kye Weis — 1 climb
Renee Burgess — 1 climb
Bert Eldredge — 1 climb
Jackson Bentley — 1 climb
Mikaela Bentley — 1 climb
Steve Bentley — 1 climb
Lee Rose — 1 climb
Josh Freer — 1 climb
Rod Unsworth — 1 climb
Stair climbers from around the world 🌏
One of the wonderful things about stair climbing is how small the world can feel.
We had international climbers joining us across the Queensland events, including:
🇺🇸 Zivadin Zivkovic - USA
🇸🇬 Chin Bok Ong - Singapore
🇸🇬 Melissa Ong - Singapore
🇳🇿 Aaron Kirk - New Zealand
🇳🇿 Tony Scott - New Zealand
It was fantastic to welcome climbers from overseas and share the stairwells, the laughs and the experience with them.
More than just stairs 💛
By Sunday afternoon, my legs were definitely telling me they had had enough.
Three events. Thousands of stairs. A few sore muscles and plenty of very happy memories.
As I looked around at everyone packing up, saying goodbye and making plans for the next event, I realised the stairs themselves were only part of what made those four days so memorable.
There were the little moments: the unexpected dinners, the laughs over breakfast, the quick coffees between events and the photos that started out as serious event photos and somehow ended up being anything but serious.
There were the people who encouraged you when your legs were screaming, and the people who convinced you to do one more climb when you had already decided you were finished.
There were the friendships that seem to grow a little stronger every time we meet.
That is the magic of stair climbing for me.
You can arrive knowing nobody and leave feeling like you have been part of something much bigger.
You can race someone up 55 floors in the morning, share a laugh with them afterwards and then sit down for dinner together that night.
You can travel hundreds or thousands of kilometres for an event and somehow feel completely at home when you walk into the crowd and see those familiar green and gold shirts.
Four days later, I was tired, my legs were done and I was already looking forward to the next time we would all do it again.
That is when you know it is about much more than climbing stairs.
It is about the people you meet, the memories you make, the challenges you take on and the feeling of being part of something that keeps growing.
And perhaps that is the best part of all.
The stairs give us a reason to turn up. The people give us a reason to come back.
Thank you 🙏
A huge thank you to Steve Corrie and the teams behind River to Rooftop and Q1, and to the Firefighter Cancer Foundation Australia and everyone involved in Rhapsody, for creating such fantastic opportunities for the stair-climbing community to take part, challenge ourselves and support important causes.
A very special thank you also goes to all the volunteers: the people at registration, the start and finish lines, in the stairwells, handing out water and medals, taking photos, cheering, encouraging and helping things run smoothly.
Without event organisers and volunteers, we simply could not have these events.
SCA is proud to promote these events and encourage our members to get involved, but it is the organisers, their teams and their volunteers who make them happen.
Thank you for giving us four very memorable days of stairs, smiles, challenges and community.