What’s happening?
Mackay will host Australia’s largest women’s only functional fitness event for 2026, The Butterfly Effect Competition, on Saturday 9th May at Mackay Showgrounds.
Women of all ages and fitness levels will take part in a day of fitness challenges. The event is not centred on winning. Instead, it focuses on celebrating what women’s bodies can do.
Co-Founder Rowena Calderwood said the competition began in 2015 with a clear purpose.
“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,” she 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.”
Now in its tenth year, the event has grown into an international movement.
“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,” Ms Calderwood said.
This will be the second year the event has been held in Mackay after its strong debut in 2025.
“We are so excited to see the demand for the Butterfly Effect Competition in Mackay,” she said.
“We are partnering with Mackay Regional Council and expecting around 1200 people to come out and support the athletes. It’s going to be a fantastic event!”
Why it matters?
The event puts body appreciation ahead of body image. It also keeps public focus on eating disorders, which remain a serious issue across Australia.
For co-organiser Karly Kentwell, that message is deeply personal.
“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.”
She said the event aims to shift how women view themselves.
“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.”
Local Impact
The Butterfly Effect’s return gives Mackay another major participation event in 2026, while also linking sport with a strong social message.
Its partnership with Mackay Regional Council points to growing local support, and organisers expect a strong crowd at Mackay Showgrounds.
The event also gives Mackay a place in a wider movement that has grown well beyond its grassroots beginnings.
By the numbers
- The Mackay event will feature 300 competitors, showing the scale of the women’s only competition in the region.
- Organisers expect about 1,200 spectators, which points to strong local interest and broad community support.
- Across Australia, more than one million people are living with an eating disorder, and these illnesses claim more lives each year than the national road toll.
Zoom In
The cause behind the event is personal for both women leading it.
Ms Calderwood said her childhood was shaped by her mother’s struggle with anorexia.
“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, she became homeless and survived on scraps left on cafe plates. She said that period changed how she saw food, health and self-worth.
That experience led her to promise she would never take food or her health for granted again.
Zoom Out
What began in 2015 with only a small number of teams now runs across multiple countries. The competition now sells out events and attracts thousands of athletes.
Even as it grows, the message has stayed the same. The focus remains on body positivity, teamwork and self-worth, while supporting the Butterfly Foundation.
What To Look For Next?
The return to Mackay on Saturday, 9 May, will show how much local support has grown since the event’s 2025 debut, with 300 competitors and about 1,200 spectators expected at Mackay Showgrounds.
