The Long Walk
The Long Walk is an Australian non-profit organization founded in 2004 by AFL legend Michael Long, operating three school-based Indigenous education programs (Walk The Talk, Ganbu Gulin, Little Long Walk) and funded through donations and AFL-licensed merchandise sales from its Melbourne base.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersMelbourne Airport, Australia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Long Walk does
The Long Walk is an Australian non-profit organization founded in 2004 by AFL legend Michael Long, inspired by his historic 650-kilometer walk from Melbourne to Parliament House in Canberra. The organization is dedicated to keeping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices on the national agenda through three education programs delivered in Australian schools: Walk The Talk (introducing Indigenous history and culture to primary and secondary students), Ganbu Gulin (a 6–8 week cultural workshop program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students), and Little Long Walk (an early-learning-centre adaptation featuring student-led walks and cultural activities).
The organization generates revenue through two primary streams: merchandise sales and donations. The merchandise portfolio, sold via a Shopify-powered direct-to-consumer e-commerce store, consists of AFL-licensed Sherrin footballs (including signed and limited edition collector variants priced between $70.95 and $716.62 USD), trucker caps ($17.92), and Michael Long enamel pins ($7.17). Donations are accepted in tiered amounts ranging from $7.17 to $10,000 USD, including dedicated campaigns such as the 20th anniversary Melbourne to Canberra walk. The organization is closely operationally integrated with the Essendon Football Club, with its School Programs Manager based at the club and primary contact email routed through the Essendon domain.
The Long Walk operates with a small team of 8 employees from Melbourne, Australia, and runs an annual flagship event, The Long Walk Naarm, hosted at Birrarung Marr with the support of the City of Melbourne. Key institutional partners include the AFL (official licensing), Essendon Football Club (operational), Sherrin (manufacturing), and Indigenous artists Merryn Apma Daley and Kevin Gold (creative collaborations). The Long Walk® is a registered trademark.
The Long Walk firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Long Walk
- Legal name
- The Long Walk
- Website
- https://thelongwalk.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Long Walk is an Australian non-profit organization founded in 2004 by AFL legend Michael Long, operating three school-based Indigenous education programs (Walk The Talk, Ganbu Gulin, Little Long Walk) and funded through donations and AFL-licensed merchandise sales from its Melbourne base.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Long Walk industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Indigenous Education and Advocacy
- NAICS
- Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Retailers (45942)
- SIC
- Retail-Misc General Merchandise Stores (5399), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Extended Learning Time Programs (After-School/Summer Intervention) (EDAJAGAK)
Keywords
Where The Long Walk is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Melbourne Airport
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Long Walk business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including AFL-licensed Sherrin footballs, trucker caps, and Michael Long pins. Products feature Indigenous artwork and support the Walk The Talk education program.
- Donations: Tax-deductible donations supporting the Walk The Talk program which introduces Indigenous culture and history in schools across Australia. Donation tiers range from $10 to $1000.
- Melbourne to Canberra 2023 Walk Donations: Specific fundraising campaign for the 20th anniversary Long Walk from Melbourne to Canberra to support the campaign for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Voice to Parliament.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Trucker Caps available in two styles |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Michael Long Pin |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Special Edition AFL Michael Long Sherrin Football |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Signed Official AFL Michael Long Sherrin Football in Limited Edition Box |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Special Edition Official AFL Michael Long Sherrin Football in Limited Edition Box |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | General Donations |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Melbourne to Canberra 2023 Walk Donations |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
The Long Walk product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Long Walk is a non-profit organization that delivers Indigenous cultural education programs (Walk The Talk, Little Long Walk, Ganbu Gulin) to Australian schools and sells commemorative merchandise — including AFL-licensed Sherrin footballs, trucker caps, and pins — through its Shopify e-commerce store. Proceeds from merchandise and tax-deductible donations fund the organization's school programs and reconciliation initiatives.
Product overview
The Long Walk operates as a non-profit organization offering merchandise (branded apparel and commemorative AFL Sherrin footballs) and education programs. The merchandise portfolio includes trucker caps, Michael Long commemorative footballs (standard, signed, and limited edition variants), and enamel pins. The organization also facilitates donations through its e-commerce platform. The education arm comprises three programs: Walk the Talk (school-based Indigenous history and culture program), The Little Long Walk (student ambassador-led school walks with cultural activities), and Ganbu Gulin (cultural workshops for Indigenous students). The football products are created in collaboration with Kangaroo Jack, the AFL, Sherrin, and Essendon Football Club, with proceeds supporting the Walk The Talk education program.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Walk The Talk: A primary and secondary schools program that encourages and introduces Indigenous history and culture in schools, telling the story of Michael Long's walk to Canberra and promoting leadership, Reconciliation and positive change.
- Ganbu Gulin
- Little Long Walk
Products and services
- Trucker Caps Branded trucker caps featuring The Long Walk logo, available in TLW Logo and TLW Black, Yellow & Red variants; sold to individual supporters and AFL fans.
- Special Edition - Official AFL Michael Long Sherrin Football Official AFL-licensed Size 5 Sherrin Australian Rules Football featuring authentic Indigenous artwork by Western Arrernte artist Merryn Apma Daley and Michael Long mural art by Kevin Gold; proceeds support the Walk The Talk program.
- Signed Official AFL Michael Long Sherrin Football in Limited Edition Box Limited edition signed AFL Sherrin football in a collectors box, featuring Indigenous artwork and Michael Long career highlights portrait artwork; targeted at collectors.
- Special Edition - Official AFL Michael Long Sherrin Football in Limited Edition Box Limited edition AFL Sherrin football in a collectors box (unsigned), featuring authentic Indigenous artwork by Merryn Apma Daley; for collectors and AFL fans.
- Michael Long Pin Enamel pin featuring Michael Long branding; sold to individual supporters as a low-cost collectible.
- General Donations Tax-deductible donations supporting The Long Walk's Indigenous education programs, with preset tiers ranging from $10 to $1000.
- Donations - The Long Walk Melbourne to Canberra Specific fundraising campaign donations supporting the 20th anniversary Long Walk from Melbourne to Canberra and the campaign for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Voice to Parliament, with tiers up to $10000.
- Walk The Talk Program Primary and secondary schools program that introduces Indigenous history and culture to students, tells the story of Michael Long's walk to Canberra, and promotes leadership, reconciliation, and positive change; delivered free to Australian schools.
- The Little Long Walk Program School-based program where Long Walk Ambassadors deliver information sessions and students create banners with Aboriginal symbols, followed by a school community walk to celebrate and educate about First Nations peoples and cultures.
- Ganbu Gulin Program Cultural program (One Mob in Woi Wurrung language) bringing together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students for 6–8 weeks of workshops including art, dance, bush tucker, and sport, building voice, pride, and cultural connection.
Companies that use The Long Walk
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Long Walk technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Long Walk partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.
- Australian Football League (AFL)coreThe Long Walk has an official licensing partnership with the AFL to produce AFL-licensed Sherrin footballs featuring Michael Long's image and Indigenous artwork. Proceeds support the Walk The Talk education program.
- Essendon Football ClubcoreMichael Long's home club and The Long Walk Foundation operate in close partnership. The Essendon Football Club provides administrative support including email ([email protected]) and the School Programs Manager is based at the club.
- SherrinminorOfficial Australian Rules Football manufacturer collaborating on the Michael Long Sherrin Football products.
- Kangaroo JackminorSmall business that collaborated with The Long Walk to design the Michael Long Sherrin Football, contributing Indigenous artwork from their face mask production initiative during COVID-19. The collaboration was formed during the pandemic in 2020.
- Merryn Apma DaleyminorWestern Arrernte Dessert artist from Alice Springs, Northern Territory, who created the authentic Indigenous Australian artwork featured on the Michael Long Sherrin Football.
- Kevin GoldminorAustralian Non-Indigenous street artist from Melbourne, Victoria, who created the Michael Long mural artwork depicting VFL/AFL career highlights.
- City of MelbournemajorThe City of Melbourne is a key event partner for The Long Walk Naarm, providing official support and hosting the event at Birrarung Marr. Lord Mayor Nick Reece has publicly endorsed the organization.
- What's On MelbourneminorOfficial event promotion partner for The Long Walk Naarm 2026.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Long Walk competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- The Smith Family: Large Australian children's education non-profit running school-based learning and sponsorship programmes. Comparable as a school-focused education charity with a donation-driven funding model and national reach, though not Indigenous-specific.
- Reconciliation Australia: National peak body promoting reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians. Comparable as a broader Indigenous advocacy organisation with government, corporate, and event-based engagement, though not specifically school-delivered.
Others
- AFL Players' Association: Player body for AFL athletes, including Indigenous player programmes and community initiatives. Comparable as an AFL ecosystem organisation with Indigenous community focus, though it represents players rather than delivering school education.
- Australian Sports Foundation: Deductible gift recipient for sport-related fundraising in Australia. Comparable as an infrastructure peer that enables tax-deductible sport and community donations, the same mechanism The Long Walk uses for its donation tiers.
- Starlight Children's Foundation Australia: Australian children's charity with merchandise, donation, and event-based fundraising. Comparable as a similarly sized Australian non-profit with a donation-plus-merchandise revenue mix and event-driven supporter engagement.
Direct peers
- Clontarf Foundation: Australian non-profit using sport (predominantly AFL) to improve education and life outcomes for Indigenous youth. Closest comparable because it shares the AFL-sport-meets-Indigenous-education model and operates school- and community-based programmes across Australia.
- Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF): Non-profit providing scholarships and educational support to Indigenous students across Australia. Comparable because it addresses the same core problem of Indigenous educational disadvantage through a national programme delivery model.
- Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF): Australian non-profit delivering literacy programmes to Indigenous and disadvantaged communities, including school-based delivery. Comparable as a school-focused Indigenous education charity running structured national programmes through donor funding.
- Indigenous Literacy Foundation: Australian non-profit focused on literacy and educational outcomes for Indigenous children, operating national school-based programmes. Comparable mission (Indigenous education in schools) and similar donation- and merchandise-supported funding model.
- National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE): Indigenous-led organisation delivering cultural, educational, and sport programmes for Indigenous youth in Australia. Comparable as a multi-programme Indigenous non-profit with cultural workshop and community-based delivery similar to Ganbu Gulin.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Long Walk social profiles
Digital presenceThe Long Walk financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Long Walk leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
The Long Walk funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Long Walk M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Long Walk
What does The Long Walk do?
The Long Walk is a non-profit organization that delivers Indigenous cultural education programs (Walk The Talk, Little Long Walk, Ganbu Gulin) to Australian schools and sells commemorative merchandise — including AFL-licensed Sherrin footballs, trucker caps, and pins — through its Shopify e-commerce store. Proceeds from merchandise and tax-deductible donations fund the organization's school programs and reconciliation initiatives.
Is The Long Walk a public or private company?
The Long Walk is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Long Walk founded?
The Long Walk was founded in 2004. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Long Walk based?
The Long Walk is headquartered in Melbourne Airport, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does The Long Walk make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Merchandise Sales are the primary driver. The others are donations and melbourne to Canberra 2023 Walk Donations.
Who are The Long Walk's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are The Smith Family and Reconciliation Australia. Others are AFL Players' Association, Australian Sports Foundation and Starlight Children's Foundation Australia. Direct peers are Clontarf Foundation, Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF), Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF), Indigenous Literacy Foundation and National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE).
Does The Long Walk have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Long Walk.
What industry is The Long Walk in?
The Long Walk's product category is Indigenous Education and Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAGAK, Extended Learning Time Programs (After-School/Summer Intervention). Its NAICS code is 45942 and its SIC code is 5399.