Trail News Round-Up: What’s Happening in Aussie & NZ Trail Running

Here’s a quick look at what’s been happening across the trails lately. We cover the big race wins, wild purposeful rainforest runs to trail access debates that might affect where we run in the future.

Ruth Croft Continues Domination of the Trail Scene

Kiwi ultrarunner Ruth Croft continues to prove she’s one of the world’s best. She recently claimed another win at the Tarawera by UTMB 102km, finishing in 8:41:11 despite the slippery muddy conditions. It marks yet another victory for her at the race and reinforces her dominance on the international ultra stage.

Croft has become one of the most influential trail runners to come out of the Southern Hemisphere, inspiring a new generation of runners across Australia and New Zealand.

Trail Running Meets Environmental Activism in Tasmania

More than 200 runners recently took part in the annual Takayna Trail Run in Tasmania’s ancient rainforest, raising over $350,000 for conservation efforts. The 62km event is more than a race, it’s a campaign to protect the Tarkine wilderness from logging and mining.

The event blends ultra running with environmental activism, highlighting how trail runners often become advocates for the landscapes they run through.

We’ll be taking a closer look at this unique event soon, including why the story behind Takayna matters well beyond the finish line.

Trail Access Debate: Mount Warning Closure Extended to July 2027

One of Australia’s most debated trail access stories may finally be shifting. The Wollumbin Mount Warning summit track in northern NSW is expected to reopen in 2027 after being closed since 2020 due to cultural and safety concerns.

The closure sparked heated debate among hikers, runners, and Indigenous groups about cultural respect, safety, and public access. If it reopens, it could once again become one of Australia’s most iconic summit runs.

We’ll be digging deeper into this story soon. For many trail runners and hikers, Wollumbin was once one of the most iconic summit climbs in Australia, and its closure sparked years of debate about access to public trails. If the track does reopen, it will raise important questions about how we identify and balance cultural respect with the public’s ability to experience these landscapes.

The Race Calendar Is Filling Fast

The trail calendar across Australia and New Zealand is stacked this year, with events ranging from short bush runs to huge mountain ultras. Major races like Ultra-Trail Australia in the Blue Mountains and the Ultra Series events continue to draw thousands of runners and are among the largest trail events in the world.

New events and formats are also popping up, including loop challenges and timed-lap races designed to push runners mentally as much as physically.

The Kosci Effect

Events like Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko are continuing to grow in popularity, helping cement Australia’s alpine regions as legitimate destinations for trail running. The race festival includes distances from shorter trail runs through to the 100-mile KosciMiler, attracting runners from around the world.

With alpine scenery, technical trails and a growing international reputation, the Snowy Mountains are increasingly becoming a bucket-list destination for trail runners.

The Trail Running Pulse

Trail running in Australia and New Zealand is evolving fast.

More runners are exploring wild places and more races are popping up in incredible landscapes enticing trail runners themselves to become increasingly involved in conversations about conservation and access.

Which means the future of trail running here will depend on how well we look after the places we love to run in. Let’s keep this conversation going.

Trail News Round-up will become a regular news feature on trailrunmag.com, so swing by again soon to catch what’s happening across the trails in Australia and New Zealand.