FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Getting Started

I'm not able to register. Can you help?

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If you are trying to register but having issues, you can email us to get some assistance. Please include your daytime phone number so that you can be contacted during business hours if needed. Alternatively, you can book a call-back with the team here.

Is there a registration fee?

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No, registration for Oceans to Outback is FREE! So even more reason to jump on board! Of course you can choose to make an optional self-donation when you sign up to kick-start your fundraising.

To take part in Oceans to Outback do I need to fundraise? 

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When you sign up to Oceans to Outback, a fundraising page will be automatically created for you. 

It's through the support of your fundraising that RFDS can continue to deliver vital healthcare across Australia. Click here to learn more about the impact the funds you raise can have for outback Australians. 

We're here to help you every step of the way and we will be sending you useful tips and tools via email over the coming weeks to support your fundraising. Please email us or reply to one of our emails if you have any other questions. 

Is there a cut-off date to sign up?

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The registration cut-off date will be just after the first week of October and participants can continue to fundraise until the end of November.

Is there a Facebook Group where I can connect with other people doing the challenge?

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There is! You can find our Oceans to Outback Facebook community group here. Our community would love to meet you and support your journey.

Can i register my family in the challenge?

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You can register your family in the challenge. Each family member must have their own email address to register and confirm that they meet the age requirements of the event here.


To create a Team
One person will have to create the ‘Team’ and either invite people to join or make it public so that team members will be able to search for the team when they register themselves. We have a 'how-to' on creating a team, here.

To create a team after registering yourself, head here.

Fundraising

Is there a minimum amount I have to raise? 

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Every dollar you raise will help to keep the Flying Doctor flying. How awesome would it be if you reached your target! If you're stuck on how to boost your fundraising total why not try posting in our Facebook group? Our community would love to meet you and support your journey.

What resources are available?

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We want to make fundraising easy, so we have some great resources to help you do that. Your best tool is your online fundraising page – easy to set up and easy to share. It is the best way to get donations and spread the word about your Oceans to Outback challenge this October. 

Visit the Resources tab of your Dashboard here, or the Resources Hub here to find posters, social media tiles, email signatures and more. 

If your fundraising at work, you can find more work-related resources here, which has posters, screensavers, Zoom and Teams backgrounds, Dollar Matching at work resources and more.

Can I change my fundraising target?

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If you would like to change your target at any point, you can do this by logging into your Dashboard here and then go to the tab 'Edit My Page'.

You will see under this section you can update the field 'Fundraising Target'. Then just scroll down and click 'Save Changes' 

How can I add cash donations?

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The best thing to do with cash donations is to collect the cash and the details of the donor, then jump directly onto your fundraising page (you can search for your fundraising page here, by searching for your name) and process the donation under their name using your card. Then a receipt will be emailed to them for tax purposes.

It's better to do this on the front-end of your fundraising page rather than in the back-end of your Dashboard.

How do I get a QR code for my page?

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You can get your QR code by logging into your Dashboard here and then go to the tab 'Share'.

You will see under this section there is a button, 'QR CODE', if you click this button, it will generate a QR code for your page.

Ther is also a personalised poster with a QR code on it under the tab 'Resources', here on your Dashbaord.

Do I need an Authority to Fundraise Letter?

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By creating a fundraising page, you are accepting the terms and conditions and once your fundraisng page as been created, this is your authority to fundraise.

When is the last day for donations?

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Participants can continue fundraising and using their fundraising pages until November 30.

Are donations tax deductible?

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A tax-deductible donation is any donation over $2 that was not given in exchange for good or services. 

Examples of payments that are not tax-deductible include:

  • Registration fees
  • Postage fees
  • Purchases of raffle tickets 
  • Any funds donated from outside of Australia

If you cannot find your donation receipt, please check your Spam/Junk email folders.

Facebook Fundraising

Why do you have a Facebook Fundraiser option?

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Setting up a Facebook fundraiser from your Oceans to Outback page is an easy way for you to share with your friends and family that you're doing the challenge. 

To set up your Facebook fundraiser, you can follow these simple steps:
  1. Login to your Dashboard;
  2. Select the blue 'Create a Facebook Fundraiser' button (it's just under your name)
  3. It should then open up in Facebook to connect to your profile.
  4. 4. Click 'Continue' to connect your Facebook account to your Oceans to Outback account.

You can then share your Facebook Fundraiser with your family and friends, and the donations you receive through Facebook will be added to your Oceans to Outback page.

Did you know? People who set up a Facebook fundraiser rasie 80% more than the average!

Why doesn't my Facebook fundraiser and my Oceans to Outback fundriaing amount match?

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Due to Facebook privacy settings, any donation that has been made on your Oceans to Outback page, unfortunately, won't appear on your Facebook fundraiser.

Once your Facebook fundraiser has been correctly set up from the link in your Dashboard, any donations made on your Facebook fundraiser will appear on your Oceans to Outback fundraising page.

I donated via Facebook but didn't get a receipt.

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For all donations made via Facebook, a receipt is automatically generated by Facebook and is emailed to the primary email address linked to your Facebook account.

If you're having trouble accessing your receipt, click here for Facebook's Help Centre.

Can I change the name of the Facebook Donations on my Oceans to Outback page?

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Absolutely! 

We can update your Fundraising page for you. Please email us and let us know the details and we can have it updated for you.

Are Facebook donations tax deductible?

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A tax-deductible donation is any donation over $2 that was not given in exchange for good or services. 

Examples of payments that are not tax-deductible include:

  • Registration fees
  • Postage fees
  • Purchases of raffle tickets 
  • Any funds donated from outside of Australia

Facebook will send an email of your receipt to your primary email address on your Facebook account once you have donated. 

What's the difference between sharing my link on Facebook and creating a Facebook Fundriaser?

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Sharing your Oceans to Outback fundraising link directly on Facebook allows your Facebook friends to go to your fundraising page and donate directly through the Oceans to Outback website.

Creating a Facebook Fundraiser through your dashboard allows you to fundraise through Facebook as another fundraising channel, and share to your Facebook network, for them to directly donate towards your efforts through the Facebook platform. 

Can I use an Instagram Fudraiser?

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Unfortunately, Instagram doesn’t connect with the Oceans to Outback website.

It connects to the Oceans to Outback Facebook fundraiser (made through a participants Dashboard), however, Meta hasn’t allowed the connection to the Oceans to Outback website to get the information off Instagram, so any donations on Instagram won’t feed through.

If you would like to share your page on Instagram, you will need to copy and paste your fundraising page URL and then put that in your bio on Instagram.

Then, when you post on Instagram, direct people to go to the link in your bio to donate to your fundraising page.

The Cause

What will my fundraising support?

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Someone needs the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) every two minutes! RFDS delivers emergency medical and primary health services to regional, rural and remote communities, many of whom don't have any other healthcare access. You can read more about the programs and services your fundraising will support here.

RFDS has been saving lives in remote, rural and regional Australia for 97 years. Delivered by a dedicated team of professionals, using the latest in aviation, medical and communications technology, and supported by a vast number of volunteers and supporters, the RFDS provides a lifeline for those that live, work and travel in remote, rural and regional Australia. You can read more about the history of the RFDS here

The App

Is there an Oceans to Outback App?

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There is!

You can find more information on the App page here.

Can I connect my other fitness Apps to the Oceans to Outback App?

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You can connect your Oceans to Outback App with other Apps. Through the Oceans to Outback App, if you click on your profile picture in the top right-hand corner, this will open up with a menu. Scroll down until you see 'Apps and Devices' - this is where you can link your external Apps.

If you are having trouble linking your App, you can try and link your App through your Dasboard here.

The 'How to log your activity' PDF guide for the Oceans to Outback App, mobile and desktop is available here.

How can I log my activity without the app?

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You can log your activity through your Oceans to Outback Dashboard, via the 'Log my KMs' tab here, or by connecting another fitness app like Strava or Fitbit through your phone or wearable device.

The how to log your activity PDF guide for the Oceans to Outback App, mobile and desktop is here.

My Activity

How do I record my fitness activity?

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From your dashboard, you can go to the tab 'Log My KMs' here, in this section you can connect to a fitness app, such as FitBit, Strava or Gamin. Alternatively, you can also enter your fitness activity manually in this section.

You'll also be able to edit or remove any manually entered activity in this section.

If you have connected your FitBit, Strava or Gamin account to your O2O account, to sync the activity done, head to your 'Log My KMs' tab here, and then tap on the FitBit, Strava or Gamin icon. This should then pull through the recorded activities. 


There is a quick video showing how to log your activity on mobile here.

How to log your activity PDF guide for the Oceans to Outback App, mobile and desktop is here.

All activity recorded will be reset to zero at midnight on September 30.

Can I only walk, run or ride for Oceans to Outback?

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We have chosen hero distances that suit these activities but you can choose to do any activity for your distance.

In order to start your virtual journey around Australia and unlock the seven RFDS locations (and secret 8th location!) you must enter your kilometres as you go. 

All activity recorded will be reset to zero at midnight on September 30.

What if I don't want to choose one of the suggested distances? 

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If you don't want to choose one of the suggested distances, you can nominate your own during registration. Oceans to Outback is a month-long adventure. Choose a distance that can be done in short bursts daily, or on a weekly or fortnightly basis. The minimum distance to participate is set to 20km. 

Can I change my activity target?

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If you would like to change your target at any point, you can do this by logging into your dashboard here and then go to the tab 'Log My KMs' here.

You will see under this section you can update the field 'Set you target distance'. Then just scroll down and click 'Save Changes'.

Can I change my activity type?

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If you would like to change your activity type at any point, you can do this by logging into your dashboard here and then go to the tab 'Log My KMs' here.

You will see under this section you can update the field 'Update Your Activity Type'. Choose your activity and then just scroll down and click 'Save Changes'.

How do I connect my smart watch to track my activity?

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The website connects with Fitbit, Garmin and Strava. You can search for these apps in the app store and then add them to your smart watch, to connect this to your fundraising activity.

You can go to the 'Log My KMs' tab here, in this section you can connect to a listed fitness App, such as FitBit, Strava or Gamin. Alternatively, you can also enter your fitness activity manually in this section.

Can I record steps for my activity?

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Oceans to Outback currently tracks kilometres. If you would like to track you steps rather than distance, you can simply convert your steps using the method below, and then you can log your activity through the 'Log My KMs' tab here.

Use a step converter

Enter your steps into this online converter to find a rough estimate of KM's walked. 

Steps to KM Calculator

Can I start logging my activity before October?

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Absolutley!

You can start your training as soon as your page is all set up.

All activity recorded before October will be reset to zero at midnight on September 30.

Why is my activity not appearing on my fundraising page?

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If you are logging your activity manually, it could take up to 20 minutes for this to appear on your fundraising page. Please ensure you 'save' your activity each time you log it, by hitting the 'save changes' button, otherwise it will not show up.

If you are logging your activity via a sync with FitBit, Strava or Garmin, it could take up to 24 hours for this to appear on your fundraising page. 

If your activity is still not appearing after the above time periods have passed, please get in touch with us at supporters@oceanstooutback.org.au and we will look into it for you.

Is there an Oceans to Outback App?

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There is!
Search 'Oceans to Outback' on your App store.

You can find more information on the App page here.

Workplaces & Teams

What is the difference between registering as a Team or Workplace?

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If you set up a worplace, there can be multiple teams set up under the workplace, whereas if you set up a team, it can only be one team.


Team

One person will have to create the ‘Team’ and either invite people to join or make it public so that team members will be able to search for the team when they register themselves. We have a 'how-to' on creating a team, here.

To create a team, head here.

Workplace
Someone within your workplace will have to set up the ‘Workplace’ page and then they can set up ‘Teams’ under your workplace so that team members can join. Members can also join the workplace and fundraise as individuals if they don't want to join a team under the workplace.

For example, a workplace may set up a workplace page called ‘Example Gym’ and have different departments as the ‘Teams’, such as Trainers, Marketing, HR, IT, Legal, executives etc.

To create a workplace, head here.

Can I speak to someone about starting a workplace registration?

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Of course! You can email us to get some assistance. Please include your daytime phone number so that you can be contacted during business hours if needed. Alternatively, you can book a call-back with us here.

How do we add someone to our team?

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On mobile:
If you would like to add someone to your team, you can do this by logging into your dashboard here and then in the top right corner, you'll find your profile image. If you scroll down this dropdown list, you'll see "My Team" listed there, click on this.

From there, head to 'Dashboard' section under the "Teams' tab, you'll then see a link that you can share with people to join your team.

On desktop:
If you would like to add someone to your team, you can do this by logging into your dashboard here and then go to the 'My Team' tab.

From here, you'll then see a link that you can share with people to join your team. Share this link with others and they will then join your team.

How do we update our fundraising goal?

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On mobile:
If you would like to change your fundraising goal at any point, you can do this by logging into your dashboard here and then in the top right corner, you'll find your profile image. If you scroll down this dropdown list, you'll see "My Team" listed there, click on this.

From there, head to 'Team Page Settings', scroll down and then you'll be able to make any changes. Then just scroll down and click the 'Save Changes' button.

On desktop:

If you would like to change your fundraising goal at any point, you can do this by logging into your dashboard here and then go to the 'My Team' tab.

From here, head to 'Team Page Settings', and then you'll be able to make any changes. Then just scroll down and click the 'Save Changes' button.


How do we update our distance goal?

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On mobile:
If you would like to change your fundraising goal at any point, you can do this by logging into your dashboard here and then in the top right corner, you'll find your profile image. If you scroll down this dropdown list, you'll see "My Team" listed there, click on this.

From there, head to 'Team Page Settings', scroll down and then you'll be able to make any changes. Then just scroll down and click the 'Save Changes' button.

On desktop:

If you would like to change your fundraising goal at any point, you can do this by logging into your dashboard here and then go to the 'My Team' tab.

From here, head to 'Team Page Settings', and then you'll be able to make any changes. Then just scroll down and click the 'Save Changes' button.

Can we get the funds matched?

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Many employers offer matched giving for their employees' fundraising efforts. Even if your employer won’t match dollar for dollar raised, they may be willing to support your efforts!

You can also find resources that may assist you under the Resources Hub.

How to Guides

Dashboard guide

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Visual guide on how to navigate your Dashboard on mobile and on desktop is here.

In this guide, you will find;
  • How to change your profile image
  • Where to set up a Facebook fundraiser 
  • How to ask for donations
  • Your fundraising page and link
  • Where to claim your fundraising tier rewards
  • Leaderboards
  • Personalised resources
  • Where to log your activity, change your activity type and change your activity goal
  • Where to create a team 
  • Where to update your personal details

How to create a team

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You can find a video on how to create a team on mobile here.

How to create a team PDF guide for mobile and desktop is here.

How to claim your t-shirt

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How to claim your t-shirt PDF guide for mobile and desktop is here.

How to join a team

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How to join a team or workplace PDF guide for mobile and desktop is here.

How to log your activity, change activity type and update actvity goal.

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How to log your activity, change activity type or update KM goal PDF guide for the Oceans to Outback App, mobile and desktop is here.

General

What is Oceans to Outback?

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Oceans to Outback is a free virtual month-long fitness and fundraising challenge where you can walk, run or ride to raise funds to help the Royal Flying Doctor Service deliver life-saving care across Australia.

Is there a physical event?

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Oceans to Outback is a fully virtual event. You can choose to do your activity whenever and wherever it suits you.

You can also connect with thousands of Oceans to Outback participants online through our Facebook community group.

How do I contact the Oceans to Outback team?

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We're here to help!

Please contact us via supporters@oceanstooutback.org.au and we will get back to you within 24-48 hours.

You can also arrange a callback here. 

I've fogotten my username and/or password, what should I do?

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If you're trying to log in but can't remember your password, click the "Forgot Password?" link on the login screen, here. Enter your email address and we'll send you a link to reset your password.

If this doesn't work for you, please contact us at supporters@oceanstooutback.org.au and we will get back to you within 24-48 hours.

I was a donor and need to access my tax receipts, how can i get them?

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If you have made a donation in the past or have sposored someone taking part in Oceans to Outback, you can enter your email address and access your tax receipts here.

If you cannot find your donation receipt, please check your Spam/Junk email folders.

Can I use PayPal as a payment method?

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You can use PayPal as a payment method through a participants Oceans to Outback Facebook Fundraiser. 

Details on how to set up a Facebook Fundraiser is just under the section 'Facebook Fundraiser' here in the FAQ's and it's under the first question there.

Are donations tax deductable?

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A tax-deductible donation is any donation over $2 that was not given in exchange for good or services. 

Examples of payments that are not tax-deductible include:

  • Registration fees
  • Postage fees
  • Purchases of raffle tickets 
  • Any funds donated from outside of Australia

If you cannot find your donation receipt, please check your Spam/Junk email folders.

Need to contact us?

Please use one of the buttons below to get in contact with us, and we'll be in touch!

Go further! Register for Oceans to Outback today and run, walk or ride this October.