WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE BRISBANE TRAIL ULTRA WILL BE LIKE?

Kate Dzienis • May 2, 2019

By Kate Dzienis

If you’re looking for a new race to add to your calendar, the Brisbane Trail Ultra should be high up on your list.

Uniquely and personally designed by Shona Stephenson and David Eastman, BTU will take place amongst some of the most picturesque and challenging trails in the country through thousands of hectares of D’Aguilar National Park.

Convenient for travellers, the start of the race will sit at The Gap, an inner Brisbane suburb just eight kilometres from the city centre, but participants heading straight into the park when the horn blares will never even know how close they are to metropolitan life – with lookouts, lakes, forests, gorges, there is no better way to experience the woodlands of Queensland.

With this being the BTU’s inaugural year, Stephenson explains it was initially difficult to find a place on the race calendar.

“There were a number of factors we had to consider, one of them was making sure we picked a weekend when the Broncos or the Queensland Reds were not playing, and we found a golden weekend in the middle of the year,” she reveals.

“We also had to make sure we weren’t clashing with other trail events, but it actually happens that BTU is happening the same weekend as the Gold Coast Marathon.

“What we are finding though is that groups of runners are making the trip up here, and their plan is that half will run BTU while the other half cheer them on, and then the next day the cheering half runs in the marathon while the BTU participants do their part with support.”

With a variety of distances on offer, including a 30km, 60km, 110km and 100 miler, BTU is an attractive race for those wanting to fly in specifically for the event. With the start line just eight kilometres from the CBD, there’s an abundance of accommodation on offer as well as public transport options. Even the airport is just 20 minutes from the finish line, at South Bank.

From trail to road, the BTU features an abundance of varying race track, including cycle paths, single track, fire trails and management roads. Military grade GPS software was used to determine the final course, and pacers as well as support crews will have easy access.

“This is a dream event for support crews, with only one checkpoint for the 100 milers where we will have the Queensland 4WD Club volunteering to shuttle our pacers and crew two kilometres in to the checkpoint,” Stephenson says.

“In particular, our 110km ultra marathon will have about 5000-metres of vertical climb and descent through the hinterland’s surrounding trails; we are so lucky because there is heaps of single track and fire trail, and if you’re a classical trail runner, you want it to be as hard and technical as possible, but still do some lovely run sections to give your legs a bit of a rest.”

The Brisbane Trail Ultra will be held on July 6 and registrations are now open where $10 from every entry is donated to Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.

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AUTRA News Report 11-09-2025

By Kate Dzienis • September 11, 2025

Run The River Half, Qld Murphys Creek Challenge, Qld Lighthorse Ultra, WA Kunanyi Trail Series, Rialannah, Tas Upcoming Events WEEKLY NEWS REPORT FOR 12-09-2025 As always, we're continuously on the hunt for your stories and reports, so get those race reports and photographs in to ultramag@autra.asn.au with the following information: Word document, single spaced Include the name of the event, the date and the location anywhere in the report (just a bullet point at the top is great) Please attach photographs to the email – do not put images in the body of your Word doc. You’ll just get me emailing you back asking for the photos sent in the correct way! As many photos as possible. With our new website, it’s now easier than ever to include a nice gallery in each race report No PDFs please And remember, it doesn’t have to be about an AUTRA-listed event specifically! You just have to be an AUTRA member for the 2025 year. Also too, if you’ve run in a non-AUTRA listed event anywhere on home soil or internationally, we’d love to include your race results and experience in our Member Updates, so please do reach out to us via email to kate.dzienis@autra.asn.au If any corrections need to be made in any of the results listed below, please alert me via email.

Team Manager 2025 IAU Asian and Oceania 100K Championships

By Gary Mullins • September 8, 2025

Location : Bangkok, Thailand Dates : November 21 - 24 2025 Role Type : Volunteer Position Time Commitment : Pre event planning + Travel Application Deadline : 17th September 2025 Thank you for your interest in supporting the Australian team for the 2025 IAU Asian 100k Championships. This role goes far beyond logistics. It’s about leadership, inclusion, and creating a positive, empowering environment for athletes competing on the world stage. AUTRA is committed to opening doors for those outside traditional pathways. We strongly encourage applications from coaches, former athletes, club leaders, volunteers, and passionate community members. You don’t need to have served on a board or managed a team before as we’re looking for people who genuinely care, are highly organised, and can proudly represent our athletes and country. Role Overview As Team Manager, you’ll work closely with AUTRA President Gary Mullins and Vice President Geoff Russell to prepare and support the national team before and during the championship. Pre-Departure Australia Act as the main contact for selected athletes and crew Assist with final entry forms and travel planning Prepare a Championships Agenda in alliance with the Team Managers Agreement Document Coordinate flights, uniforms, and team communications Help identify and organise crew support Attend online team planning meetings On the Ground in Thailand Be present and ready as athletes arrive Ensure all athlete needs are met so they can focus fully on their race Attend all technical meetings and represent the team professionally Coordinate team attendance at the opening and closing ceremonies Ensure the team and crew are prepared, organised, and calm Address any issues that arise with efficiency and discretion Provide hands on leadership and moral support throughout the race Support Provided Accommodation in Bangkok for 3 - 4 nights will be provided by AUTRA An official team uniform will be supplied A volunteer allowance of $1500 will be provided to acknowledge your time and service during the championship period. What You’ll Need Excellent communication and interpersonal skills Strong organisational ability under pressure A calm, inclusive, and athlete first mindset Commitment to AUTRA’s Code of Conduct Member of AUTRA Applying To apply for the role of Team Manager please CLICK HERE and fill out the Application Form. Applications Close at 5pm 17th September 2025. Selection Process Following the application deadline, the AUTRA Committee will review all submissions and select the most suitable candidate. All applicants will be contacted by Gary Mullins within 7 days of applications closing. Gary Mullins AUTRA President