Hundreds of women are limbering up, ready to participate in Australia’s largest women’s only functional fitness event for 2026, The Butterfly Effect Competition. 

On Sunday 22nd March, women of all ages and fitness levels will gather at Wodfit Hervey Bay to compete in fitness challenges. 

But the goal isn’t about ‘winning’. It’s about celebrating the strength of women’s bodies.

“The Butterfly Effect started in 2015 as a grassroots initiative to create a safe and empowering competition space for women in fitness — at a time when body image and inclusivity weren’t often part of the conversation in mainstream events,” Co-Founder Rowena Calderwood said. 

“We launched with a handful of teams and a strong purpose: to support the Butterfly Foundation, raise awareness for eating disorders, and challenge narrow beauty ideals in the fitness space.” 

Ten years later, The Butterfly Effect Competition is running across multiple countries, boasting sold-out events with thousands of athletes, and continuing to build a movement rooted in body positivity, teamwork, and self-worth. 

“We’re more than a comp- we’re a movement. Athletes don’t just enter for fitness. They join for the values, for the vibe, and for the emotional impact,” she said. 

This year the event is being hosted on the Fraser Coast for the first time, with competitor tickets selling out within hours.  

“We are so excited to see the demand for the Butterfly Effect Competition on the Fraser Coast,” Rowena said. 

“We are partnering with Fraser Coast Regional Council and expecting around 700 people to come out and support the athletes. It’s going to be a fantastic event!” 

Raising awareness for eating disorders and negative body image is a cause close to home for both Rowena and Karly Kentwell, who run The Butterfly Effect Competition. 

Growing up, Rowena’s mother suffered from anorexia, and as a result, Rowena believed that her self-worth was found in her appearance. 

“I spent most of my childhood worried about food and ironically my teens not really caring about food at all. I believed ‘fat’ was what separates you from being a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ person,” she said. 

In her twenties, Rowena became homeless and lived off scraps from people’s plates at cafes. 

This was the turning point, and the experience that taught her the value of food and nourishing her body. 

She promised herself that she would never take food or her health for granted. 

For Karly Kentwell, body image has always been something that she’s found challenging. 

“Growing up in Asia, where my peers’ builds were typically quite slight, I found myself constantly comparing. Even though I was athletic and “skinny” and never struggled with my weight, just being a little taller than my peers was enough to make me feel like I was “fat”,” Ms Kentwell said. 

“What I saw in the mirror never quite matched how others saw me. This has carried on to my adult life.  I still struggle to not critique every part of my body. It will always be a work in progress.” 

More than a million people across Australia are living with an eating disorder. 

More people die each year due to eating disorders than the annual national road toll. 

“The aim is to shift the focus from appearance to appreciation for what our bodies can do. Everyone’s journey is different, and I want to help create a space where women feel empowered by their strength, not defined by their looks,” Ms Kentwell said. 

“When I see a woman achieve something she didn’t think she could do, when I see kids/dads/friends in the crowd watching and cheering the athletes on and most importantly when I see women come together and celebrate each other- that’s what I love the most.” 

The event proudly supports the Butterfly Foundation. 

EVENT DETAILS: 

DATE:  Sunday 22nd March 2026 

LOCATION: Wodfit Hervey Bay 126 Beach Rd, Urraween QLD 4655 

COMPETITORS: 220 

SPECTATORS: 700