At 76 years old, Wilf Chambers became the oldest person to take on our cape2cape CEO Trek.
Five days and 135 kilometres later, he wasn’t just crossing the finish line, he was leading the way!
The Perth business owner joined 15 other CEOs and business leaders for our 2026 CEO Trek, trekking from Augusta to Yallingup to raise funds for youth mental health.
And when the group reached the end of the trek, it was Wilf who led the team across the finish line.
It was a fitting end to a challenge that, for Wilf, had always been about much more than testing himself physically.
After 33 years running his own automotive business, leadership has been a big part of Wilf’s life. Taking on the Trek was another opportunity to lead by example.
“My staff are proud of me for taking this on, and they’ve been very supportive. I believe that if I can do it, I’m setting an example that they can do it too,” Wilf said.
158 people him
Wilf’s support extended well beyond the people walking beside him.
By the end of the Trek, 158 friends, colleagues, clients and people from his wider network had backed his journey, helping him personally raise more than $36,000 for youth mental health.
Together, this year’s group have raised an incredible $292,000 (and counting!)
For someone who has spent more than three decades in business, Wilf said seeing so many people get behind him was particularly meaningful.
“I’ve been in business a long time and you build a lot of relationships along the way, so to have so many people get behind me has been pretty special,” he said.
“People have been incredibly generous. To see friends, colleagues, customers and people I’ve known over the years all contribute to something that will support young people makes taking on the challenge even more worthwhile.”
Wilf is no stranger to giving back. Over the past 25 years, he has helped raise close to $1 million for charitable causes.
But this challenge also had a very personal motivation behind it: his three grandchildren.
“When you’ve got grandchildren, you think a lot about the kind of future you want for them,” Wilf said.
“I want them, and every young person, to grow up knowing that there are people who care about them and support them when they need it. They’re a big part of why doing something like this means so much to me.”
135km later… he’s ready to go again!
Walking 135km in just five days is no small feat, but Wilf had put in the work long before reaching the start line. For the 18 months leading up to the Trek, he trained with a personal trainer four times a week, adapting his program specifically to prepare for the challenge.
And true to Wilf’s enthusiasm and dedication, just two days after completing the Trek, the zero2hero team caught up with Wilf to see how he was recovering.
His answer?
He was ready to do it all over again!
At 76, Wilf may have set a new record as zero2hero’s oldest trekker, but his age was only one small part of his story.
From the 158 people who backed his fundraising to the 15 other trekkers he led across the finish line, Wilf showed exactly what the cape2cape CEO Trek is about- challenging yourself, bringing others along with you and doing something big for the next generation.
And knowing Wilf, 135km might not be the last challenge we see him take on!
