Rockhampton's 10,000 STEPS program has come to the attention of one of Australia's keenest morning walkers - the Prime Minister.

The program, headquartered at CQU's School of Health and Human Performance and backed by Queensland Health, has been highlighted in a report prepared by an independent working group of the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council.

The report to the PMSEIC notes that 10,000 STEPS is a multi-strategy health promotion program which aims to increase levels of health-related physical activity.

The central coordinating theme of the project is the promotion of pedometer use to raise awareness and provide motivation for physical activity, through accumulation of steps throughout the day.

Preliminary results noted include that project awareness has reached 97 per cent in the Rockhampton community and that there has been a 10 per cent increase in the proportion of adults achieving activity levels sufficient for health benefit. (This improvement seen almost entirely among women) Details of the 10,000 STEPS coverage are available at Page 26 of the 'Promoting Healthy Ageing in Australia' section of the DEST website at: http://www.dest.gov.au/science/pmseic/meetings/10thmeeting.htm .

Meanwhile, 10,000 STEPS and the St Bees Island project of CQU's Koala Research Centre (involving a partnership with the Earthwatch international volunteers program) are both highlighted via a website promoting the Queensland Government's Smart State:Smart Stories project.

10,000 STEPS is profiled at: http://www.smartstate.qld.gov.au/ssproject_e1y.shtm while the Koala Research Centre profile is at http://www.smartstate.qld.gov.au/ssproject_e5m.shtm