The winter chill is definitely here but the trail calendar isn’t slowing down at all. In fact, over the next couple of weeks there’s more ‘have to do’ events than we’ve seen in a very long time. If you’re up for some adventure or some inspiration for future adventures, here’s what’s happening across Australia and New Zealand over the next few weekends.
Australia
Cape2Cape Ultra Marathon
Date: 6–7 June 2026
Location: Augusta to Yallingup, Western Australia
Distances: 100 Mile, 50 Mile
Website: cape2capeultra.com.au
This is one of Australia’s newest ultras that also ticks the box of being one of the most spectacular. Cape2Cape takes runners along the iconic Cape to Cape Track through some of Western Australia’s most photogenic trails. The 100 Miler will start at Augusta Marina, head West to Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, before joining the Cape2Cape track and then head North to Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse and back to the finish line at Yallingup. The 50 Miler (Half Cape) starts at Riflebutts Reserve in Prevelly and finishes in Yallingup. Expect big scenery and a serious challenge.
Registrations are closed now – it’s time to just watch legends.
Simpson Desert Ultra
Date: 5–7 June 2026
Location: Birdsville, Queensland
Distances: 25km, 50km, 75km, 100km, 160km
Website: simpsondesertultra.com
Most ultras promise a challenge. The Simpson Desert Ultra delivers that plus a little extra: sand dunes, horizons for days, remote Aussie landscapes and one of the most unique running environments in the country. It all happens west of Birdsville (yes, that Birdsville!) in the heart of the Australian outback. The course combines soft sand, gibber plains and a whole lot of logistical demands that come with racing in one of Australia’s most remote regions. It’s as much an adventure as it is a race.
The Unbreakable
Date: 5-7 June 2026
Location: Somewhere in Victoria (known to registrants!)
Distances: 5 laps of 20 miles
Website: trailsplus.com.au
Inspired by the infamous Barkley Marathons, The Unbreakable is part trail run, part treasure hunt and part experiment in how much discomfort, confusion and self-inflicted suffering a person can willingly endure. Competitors head into a mystery Victorian location to tackle 5 brutal laps while searching for hidden checkpoints and trying to stay one step ahead of exhaustion and self-doubt. Since launching in 2021, only one runner has managed to complete the challenge. That probably tells you everything you need to know.
Coffs Backyard Ultra
Date: 6 June 2026
Location: Coffs Harbour, New South Wales
Distances: Backyard Ultra format (6.7km hourly loop)
Website: coffstrailrunners.com
We’re all loving backyard ultras right now and Coffs Backyard Ultra arrives at an interesting time for the format. With world records being challenged overseas and Australian runners remaining at the forefront of the discipline, interest has never been more sizzling. This event is hosted by the Coffs Trail Runners community and it doesn’t stray from what you’d expect from a backyard ultra: one loop, every hour, for as long as you can keep going.
Serra Terror
Date: 6–7 June 2026
Location: Dunkeld, Victoria
Website: serraterror.com
Don’t let the name put you off. You can share the terror in this two-day team challenge at the Grampians (Gariwerd) over a long weekend. Just round up a team of three to eight runners and navigate a course that’s a mix of singletrack, four-wheel-drive tracks, steep climbs and the occasional crazy scramble with some spectacular scenery thrown in to ease the pain of suffering. Nothing scary to see here.
Enter as an Endurance Team and complete the entire course together as a team, or a Relay Team, where runners and hikers swap in and out at designated checkpoints. So think teamwork, problem-solving and shared suffering. That’s the Serra Terror experience.
Pub to Pelican Marathon
Date: 7 June 2026
Location: Koetong, Victoria
Distances: Marathon and shorter options
Website: pubtopelican.com.au
Pub to Pelican is the kind of event that reminds you why point-to-point races are so appealing. It starts at the Bethanga Pub and finishes on the shores of Lake Hume, taking in rolling farmland, lakeside trails and a whole lot of Snowy Hydro and railway history. It follows sections of the historic High Country Rail Trail, bringing good old fashioned country hospitality, big views and plenty of reasons to slow down and take it all in—if your legs allow it.
Rosebud Running Festival
Date: 7 June 2026
Location: Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
Website: runthepen.com.au
If you like your running with a large side of ocean views, Rosebud Running Festival delivers. The courses follow sections of the Bay Trail along the Mornington Peninsula foreshore, with Port Phillip Bay providing a constant backdrop as runners head towards McCrae, Capel Sound and beyond. Depending on your distance, you’ll either enjoy a quick out-and-back along the coast or spend a little longer soaking up the peninsula scenery.
Runners usually flock to this region in the summertime but there’s something special about the quieter winter months. Cooler temperatures and long stretches of foreshore trail make Rosebud a good excuse to swap the couch for a run along the bay.
Yandina Five ‘O’ Trail Run
Date: 13 June 2026
Location: Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Distances: 12km, 21km, 36km and 50km
Website: runqld.com.au
The Yandina Five ‘0’ Trail Run happens on the beautiful Sunshine Coast hinterland in Queensland and it’s developed a loyal following of Queensland trail runners over the years. Expect runnable trails, a stack of community spirit and a relaxed atmosphere that’s accessible for newer runners and still challenging to put seasoned trail runners through their paces.
Wildboar Trail Run
Date: 14 June 2026
Location: Balliang, Victoria
Distances: 10km, 21km, 42km and 50km
Website: trailsplus.com.au
Some races try to impress you with big promises. Wildboar simply hands you a race bib and points you towards the trails. Set in Victoria’s Brisbane Ranges National Park, the event delivers the sort of honest trail running Trailsplus has built its reputation on—singletrack, rolling terrain, time on your feet and the quiet satisfaction of getting the job done.
Kununurra Half Marathon
Date: 14 June 2026
Location: Kununurra, Western Australia
Website: knxrun.com.au
There aren’t many opportunities to race in Australia’s far north-west, which makes the Kununurra Half Marathon a little different. Choose to run a solo 21km or join a team of 2 or 4 other people. You’ll be surrounded by dramatic landscapes with a chance to experience running in a region known for its gorges, waterfalls and pure outdoorsy adventures.
Ultra Perth
Date: 20 June 2026
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Website: ultraperth.com.au
Trail runners spend a lot of time talking about vert, technical terrain and remote adventures. Ultra Perth goes in the opposite direction. Built around one of the fastest certified 50K courses in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s an event designed for runners who want to find a rhythm and see what happens when nothing gets in the way. No major climbs. No technical trail. No excuses. Just 50 kilometres of riverfront running past some of Perth’s most recognisable landmarks and a finish line with the city skyline as your reward.
Surf Coast Trail Marathon
Date: 20 June 2026
Location: Torquay, Victoria
Website: surfcoasttrailmarathon.com
One of Victoria’s best-known trail events, the Surf Coast Trail Marathon combines stunning but rugged coastline, flowing trails and ocean views. The scenery is outstanding, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s easy. The undulating terrain has a habit of catching runners out, especially when the coastal winds decide to join the party.
Kowen Winter Trails
Date: 21 June 2026
Location: Wamboin, New South Wales
Website: kowen-trail-run.com
Winter trail running is the star of the show at Kowen Winter Trails. Set among the forests and trails of the Kowen region near Canberra, the event offers runners a chance to embrace crisp conditions, flowing singletrack and the kind of terrain that keeps trail runners coming back year after year.
Winter Solstice Fun Run
Date: 21 June 2026
Location: Portland, Victoria
Website: portlandrunnersclub.com.au
The shortest day of the year is as good an excuse as any to get outside. The Winter Solstice Fun Run brings runners together to celebrate the season with a community-focused event that’s more about participation and enjoyment than chasing results.
New Zealand
Mount Difficulty Ascent
Date: 13 June 2026
Location: Cromwell, New Zealand
Website: highlandevents.co.nz
If climbing hills is your idea of a good time, Mount Difficulty Ascent should be on your radar. The event takes runners high above Cromwell for sweeping views across Central Otago. The reward for the climbing comes in the form of some of the best scenery the South Island has to offer.
Rustic Run and Walk
Date: 13 June 2026
Location: Cromwell, New Zealand
Website: highlandevents.co.nz
Held alongside the Mount Difficulty Ascent weekend, the Rustic Run and Walk offers a more relaxed way to experience the landscapes around Cromwell. With options for runners and walkers alike, it’s a chance to soak up Central Otago’s winter beauty at your own pace.
Mount Vernon Grand Traverse
Date: 14 June 2026
Location: Blenheim, New Zealand
Website: harriers.net.nz
The Mount Vernon Grand Traverse doesn’t ease you into things. Starting from Blenheim, runners climb Mt Vernon before tracing the ridgelines and boundaries of Wither Hills Farm Park on a challenging 18km course that packs in around 950 metres of climbing. Organised by the Marlborough Harriers, the event has the feel of a traditional club hill run rather than a polished commercial race—big climbs, open country and the kind of views that only arrive after you’ve earned them.
Looking across this list, one thing becomes pretty clear: trail runners are a strange bunch. One weekend they’re crossing deserts. The next they’re racing on beaches, climbing ridgelines or voluntarily running the same loop until they can barely remember their own name. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
