Joshua 'Thurston' Toole (Founder)

Where you’re from and where you live now?

My family are from the Coonamble throughout the Castlereagh catchment north west New South Wales (Gamilaraay country). I grew up from an early age in Bourke New South Wales (Barkjindi Country) but now I am living on Wiradjuri Country in Dubbo New South Wales.

Qualifications and work history:

I have completed my undergraduate degree in Health Science and am Currently completing my postgraduate degree to become a Physical Education Teacher (Secondary). I am also studying to become a Personal Trainer and a Diploma of Nutrition.

Why you are working with Blackfit:

BlackFit Fitness has been a dream of mine since 2015. This is my passion and everything that can be accomplished within BlackFit reflects the people involved and the lives they have lived. I work for BlackFit because I believe that we can assist in closing The Gap.

Your visions for Blackfit:

I vision that one day the impacts that BlackFit can have on the people it comes in contact with will be so powerful so that it won’t come down to being Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal, yes, it’s important to acknowledge who we are – but I want everyone to be equal and viewed as Australians in unity.  

My health journey and what is health to me:

Health for me is everything, at the end of the day it’s all we have – so why not invest and cherish that. Fitness and physical activity have helped me through some dark times that have shaped who I am as a person. I also hold tight to a healthy lifestyle as I have witnessed how devastating life can be when we walk away from it – especially in my family and communities growing up.