Honouring the Legacy of Adjunct Associate Professor Bill Bellew

Sometimes in life you meet people, and it’s just different.
Bill was that kind of person for me.

I only met Bill in 2022, and although I had read articles with “Bellew” as an author, I had no idea just how much of a giant he was in the physical activity world. He never carried that stature. He was humble, gentle, caring, and curious.

When I first started thinking about Western Sydney Moving, the idea was simply to host an online event, bring together a few speakers I knew, and run a three-hour seminar about physical activity and the opportunity for a collective approach across Western Sydney. I had a limited network, little track record, and no credibility.

But Bill believed in the concept. He agreed to be the headline presenter, speaking about Australia’s Systems Approach to Physical Activity (ASAPa) and Getting Australia Active III, which was one of the inspirations behind WSYD Moving.

Over the next few years, he became a friend and a mentor. When we met for coffees in Centennial Park, we talked about physical activity, movement, and our childhoods, discovering more similarities than either of us expected. I only knew Bill when his health was already declining, yet he remained generous with his time.

Bill agreed to become a founding Director of WSYD Moving. That was an extraordinary honour for us and gave us credibility and wisdom.

At last year’s Symposium, Bill stood in front of the auditorium and championed the work with everything he had, despite visibly struggling with his health. It’s a moment I’ll never forget — passion and purpose personified.

As a charity, we want to honour Bill’s legacy in a way that reflects who he was, a people person, a connector, a systems thinker, and a relentless champion for physical activity.

Therefore, the WSYD Moving Systems Leadership Course to be launched in 2026 will be dedicated to the legacy of Adj. A/Prof Bill Bellew — Founding Director of WSYD Moving.

Bill helped shape the foundations of WSYD Moving. His impact will continue to ripple across Western Sydney for many years to come.

We are deeply grateful for his belief in us, his leadership, and his friendship.

In the words of Bill, a “bias for action.”

By David Burns