Tag: South Australia

It’s a Y parkrun in South Australia but Yeldulknie Weir Trail parkrun has more going for it than that.

The parkrun is in the small town of Cleve on the Central Eyre Peninsula in between the two main highways. It’s a trek to get there, but worth it, event director Tina Traeger says,.

“Our entire community is extremely welcoming. We have fabulous views of the countryside from hills to the north to the ocean down south, the scenery changes every week and we have amazing coffee after.”

When parkrun was getting started in Cleve Tina says there were only half a dozen people who knew what it was.

“We had to explain and win the whole community over. and now they are all as proud of it as we are.”

Yeldulknie Weir parkrun launched on April 27, 2019 with 72 finishers and eight volunteers. That remains its highest attendance, it averages 25 finishers.

How it got started

Tina is the founding event director. 

“I was going through a fitness phase and had signed up to several running events, only they were a six hour drive away. 

“One weekend we travelled to Port Lincoln for a wedding and heard about parkrun.

“My sister, a friend and I decided that we would sign up and see what it was all about. 

“Before we even finished the 5km we decided this was something we could do. It didn’t seem too hard to organise and it would give us the chance to track our running closer to home. 

“The District Council of Cleve had also just finished the Yeldulknie Weir Trail so we figured that would be perfect for such an event. 

“We emailed parkrun and got the ball rolling.

“The council were keen to get on board and funded the defib. Later they gave a grant for the remaining of the funds. Here we are today, more than 100 events later.

About the run

The event takes place on the Yeldulknie Weir and Reservoir Walking Trail. 

The Yeldulknie Scheme was the first large water conservation and distribution network on the Eyre Peninsula.

The scheme comprised three small gravity reservoirs – Yeldulknie, Ullabidinie and Ulbana, formed by weirs constructed on three intermittently flowing streams of the same names.

The Yeldulknie Weir was completed in 1912.

While the reservoir remains, the Engineering and Water Supply Department relinquished its interest in the scheme when the water supply proved to be unreliable.

Tina says their parkrun is “sneaky”.

“A lot of tourists travel into town on the road right next to the track and it is pretty flat so they start their run thinking it won’t be so bad.

“But we have lots of little steep hills, then a deep creek just before the turn around point. 

“On the way back in there is also one extra sneaky hill that you do not notice until you hit it! 

“It’s also beautiful, the scenery changes weekly, there is so much open space and you get to watch the landscape change throughout the seasons.

“Visitors love it. We have low numbers so there’s no crowding at the start line.

“Then they aren’t so in love when they find the sneaky hill on the way back to the finish line. 

“A lot comment on how great it is and wouldn’t have visited our town if it wasn’t for parkrun. 

“Local first timers, they already know all about the hills on the track, but they love the way parkrun includes everyone and they normally come back.”

After parkrun they head to The Pink Door Co, where Tina says visitors should try the caramel slice.

While in Cleve

There are so many hidden gems in our district. 

The Yeldulknie weir is a great spot for bush walking, local history and even camping. There is also a waterfall walk back into the water reserve which is pretty impressive in a wet season or after a big rain. 

Within our town, we have some amazing little shops which are a must.

Then we have two horse sculptures made of old farm machinery, one in the main street, and one on Golf Drive. They’re made by a local farmer and are amazing. 

We also have the Darke Peak area which hosts the Darke Peak Range and Carrappee hill, both amazing locations.

Or in the other direction we have Arno Bay which has some fantastic beaches. If you are lucky you may be the only one there!

What’s in a name?

We are named after the walking trail which goes from town out to the old weir, which is a beautiful spot for a picnic or camping. 

We have been trying to find out what the meaning of Yeldulknie is but now one seems to know unfortunately. 

Run briefings are similar worldwide, but at Jubilee Way koala sightings are included.

Koala spotting is one of the jobs for the volunteer who chalks and cones the course.

As you run you might also spot ibis and even Tawny Frogmouths.

Jubilee Way parkrun, known to locals as JWay, is a great community meeting point, co-Event Director Phil Blake says.

“Everyone is very friendly and being a new-ish area, there is a fantastic mix of families with young children, couples – young and mature, keen runners, run/walkers and others that walk the whole course. And a few friendly dogs as well. 

“People gather on the beautiful lawn area beside the red gum lined Dry Creek.” 

The course

The course is a “generously wide” concrete path for about half the distance and the other half is a smooth gravel trail. 

“Some participants love the challenge of the hill towards the end of the first kilometre, and others tolerate it!

“After climbing the hill the course goes around the Wynn Vale Lake past an island that is an Ibis (or Bin Chicken) rookery and a horse agistment. 

“JWay is a great place for volunteers as the course is out and back. It’s shaped a bit like an elongated horseshoe and the turnaround is just on the other side of the creek from the start/finish line. 

“So from around 10 minutes we see all the parkrunners heading towards the turnaround and coming back to the finish.”

How it began

Jubilee Way is in the Wynn Vale suburb on Adelaide’s east.

It launched on May 19, 2018 with  350 finishers and 10 volunteers. It has an average of 170 finishers a week and an average finish time of 37:01.

“parkrun has boomed in South Australia in the last few years. 

“New parkruns were popping up all across Adelaide and the state. Three started in a year in northern Adelaide: Mawson Lakes, Carisbrooke and in May 2018 Jubilee Way. 

“Co-ED Debbie Allen and, now Event Ambassador, Cherie Rothery got things going with great support from the City of Tea Tree Gully. 

“With the other two neighbouring parkruns up and running, the idea of one in the Tea Tree Gully Council area became possible when council formed up the gravel trail on the eastern side of Dry Creek in late 2017. 

“This made the 5km course viable without crossing a road or using an underpass that occasionally floods. 

“The council has provided publicity in its newsletters, signs at the start, finish and turnaround, and kilometre posts.

Beauty

“When visitors and first timers come to Jubilee Way they leave having experienced the beauty of the parklands, the creek valley with its multitude of river red gums, the lake, the koalas, birds, and of course the friendly regulars.”

The parkrun was almost named Wynn Vale parkrun, but as there was Wyndham Vale parkrun in Victoria it was thought they were too similar.

Jubilee Way was the second choice.

“So how lucky were we that that happened because we ended up with one of only three Js in Australia for parkrunners to visit for their alphabet challenge.”

The other two are Jells in Victoria and Jindabyne in New South Wales.

Phil says first timers often are surprised by the number of people participating and reassured to see the variety of paces and that many parkrunners don’t run the whole thing. 

“That allays any concerns that parkrun is only for runners.”

Enthusiasm

Phil says he learned of parkrun when Mawson Lakes was in the process of starting.

“I got enthused quickly and went to the two trials and saw many running friends there. My wife Dawn and I ran the first event and we both volunteered at Event #2.”

Co-ED Debbie says she was a “latecomer” to parkrun.

“I honestly don’t know how I missed it for so long! Like Phil and Dawn I started at Mawson Lakes, ran a couple of times and volunteered as well. 

“One day I got talking to Cherie and as they say, the rest is history. 

“We shared a wonderful experience getting JWay to come alive from that first chat.

“Every Saturday is a day of joy for me. I love the people I have met and the stories I have been told.”

The current cafe venue is Milk and Honey, which is about five minutes away. 

“They are very kindly providing vouchers for a free coffee for each of our volunteers and we are promoting their business to our parkrunners,” says Phil.

He says there are so many choices but visitors should try the Smashed Avo, with feta and dukkah.

While at Jubilee Way…

While in the north-east, consider visiting Anstey Hill Recreation Park, which has the ruins of the original Newmans Nursery within.

Nearby is the current Newmans Nursery with a lovely café/restaurant.

We are not too far from the famous Barossa Valley wine region, and there is the city centre of Adelaide, beaches such as Glenelg, Henley and Semaphore, and the museums at historic Port Adelaide.

-Phil Blake

What’s in a name…

The name Jubilee Way is from the street that runs alongside the park.

Jubilee Reserve is the name of the park and the Jubilee Community Centre kindly lets parkrun use the building’s facilities.

Part of the Golden Grove development started in the 1980s.

The street, reserve and building were named Jubilee for the sesquicentenary year of 1986 when South Australia marked 150 years of European Settlement. 

Karine Meadley was involved with parkrun way back when Newy was yet to launch.

So when she moved interstate she decided it was what her new home deserved.

Karine is the founding Event Director at Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley, one of the several events to be based in and around wineries.

Nuriootpa is the main commercial centre of the Barossa region, which is about an hour’s drive north of Adelaide.

“Dave Robbo and I are both physios and we worked for a business based in Newcastle. He was setting up Newy and needed some guinea pigs to test the course, so we went along to help out. 

“I had never heard of parkrun before, despite being from the UK. Newy was then our local but was more than an hour away, so we didn’t get to go much, until we moved to the Barossa and set up Nuri.”

Interstate

Karine and her husband Michael moved to the Barossa from the Hunter region in New South Wales. Karine had run just a couple of times at Newy.

“I was surprised the Barossa didn’t have a parkrun, although when I started exploring possible courses, it was actually quite hard to find a suitable spot.

“Eventually I worked out a course in Nuriootpa and consider the whole project my “first baby”.

“While going through the process I realised I was pregnant with my real baby, and ran out of time.

“Eventually we launched Nuri parkrun in September 2017 when my real baby was four months old.”

Nuriootpa launched with 88 finishers and nine volunteers. It averages 35 finishers a week with an average finish time of 35:36.

“Our parkrun is an opportunity to catch up and get moving with a friendly group of locals including a few feathered friends, with a healthy mix of parkrun tourists each week, in a beautiful location. 

“Then of course the delicious coffee after.”

The course

Karine describes it as a friendly “boutique “ parkrun located in the beautiful Coulthard Reserve, surrounded by “glorious old gum trees and birdsong”. 

“Walk past the Bush chapel, to reach the start where you will be met by friendly, welcoming locals. 

“Then enjoy two laps through the park passing the Barossa Bushgardens and some Barossan vines along the way.

“It’s the perfect way to work up an appetite for some Barossan gourmet experiences for the rest of the weekend.”

She says they wanted to call the parkrun Barossa parkrun but were advised against it because the Barossa region is so big  and it was hoped more parkruns would pop up. 

She says visitors say they’re glad it’s two laps so they can see what they missed on the first time around.

“Unfortunately, post-baby, running is no longer an option for me. Just seeing my husband Michael and Mackenzie participate, and volunteering seems to be enough of a draw.

“I NEVER thought I would say something like that. I get my fitness fix on parkrunday by cycling 30km to get there instead these days.”

After parkrun they head to Fleur Social for delicious coffee and “any bagel option”.

While in Nuriootpa

Even though there are 42 wineries around Nuriootpa, there’s more to the Barossa Valley than visiting cellar doors.

But if wine is your thing get yourself on a winery tour, or even have a go at making your own.

There are many different tours on offer, in a variety of vehicles but for a birds eye view you can go hot ballooning.

On the ground there’s the Barossa Bushgardens, chocolate factory, farmers markets, Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park and bike tracks if you want to be active.

What’s in a Name

The first records of the name Nuriootpa are from 1852, and there is some debate as to the meaning of the name. While it is agreed that the word is a local Aboriginal word, there are different accounts of the story. 

One suggestion is that Nuriootpa is a derivative of Nguraitpa, meaning ‘neck country’, an indication of local ancestral spirits. 

Lochiel parkrun was fairly anonymous outside of South Australia until a parkrunner called Caitlin Adams turned up one August morning.

On August 7 she ran a 15:38, finishing 10th out of a field of 272 and in doing so claimed both the Australian women’s record and the Global women’s record.

Event director Janet Reid (A615803)says she was helping set up the event for the day when she noticed a group of runners in matching kit had arrived.

“I recognised one of them as Jess Trengove, two time Olympian, and realised that this was Team Tempo, an elite group of running athletes.

“I went over to welcome them and had a chat with them all and then got back to putting out the volunteer vests while they headed off for a warm up.”

Record-breaking

“The briefing was done and it was time to start. I was delayed talking to the RD and headed off just behind the tail walkers.

“Then I saw it – a blue vest coming towards me, followed by another, and another.

“I looked at my Garmin, I had completed 800m and the front runners were passing me.

“For a brief, glorious moment, I was within an arm’s reach of these elite athletes – even if we were going in opposite directions!

“Out on the course, the air was electric. Whispers of record runs were filtering through.

“A new men’s course record was set by Isaac Heyne, in 14:15, breaking Steve Monaghetti’s record that had stood since 2017, so the excitement was very real.

“But then the buzz grew louder, another new female record at Lochiel.

“We have had three new female records in the last six months. But this was something special as it was not just a Lochiel record, but an Australian and Global record.

“And it had happened right before my eyes – well, actually behind my eyes as I was still outward bound as all this was happening.

“The energy was still palpable when I got back.”

Impressive

“It was made all the more impressive by the fact that our parkrun is not flat, has a very sharp, tight turn-around coupled with the big puddles from earlier rain.

“What struck me the most though, was the willingness and eagerness of all members of Team Tempo to engage with the other parkrunners after the event.

“And later on Caitlin frequently referred to parkrun as being so inclusive and welcoming.

“That made my heart literally jump for joy. Because that is what parkrun is all about – inclusiveness.

“Everyone matters.”

Diverse

“At Lochiel parkrun, that sense of community is as strong and inclusive as it is diverse.

“We are thrilled that the name of our parkrun is attached to the Global record.”

Lochiel parkrun is an out and back parkrun in Campbelltown, Adelaide.

It launched on September 5, 2015, with 154 finishers and six volunteers.

These days it averages 217 finishers, with a record attendance of 442 in February 2020.

Lochiel parkrun came about via local councillor Matthew Noble and was supported by John Lawrie, who was the Regional Ambassador for parkrun at the time.

“We started off small and it just grew,” Janet says.

“We are very fortunate to have an exceptional relationship with the Campbelltown Council and have the full support of the chief executive and mayor.

About the course

“Lochiel is a beautiful out and back course under trees, along Linnear Pathway beside the River Torrens.

“We have snoozy koalas, laughing kookaburras, singing magpies, quacking ducks and the occasional slithering snake – very occasional!

“The track is sealed with a little bit of a hill but otherwise flat. Our start area is beside the Lochiel Wetlands, home to many birds.”

Coffee is at the neighbouring Geoff Heath Golf Club.

“They serve the BEST chips in all of South Australia – no, make that the whole of Australia!!

“You will more often than not still find parkrunners sitting chatting at 11.30am enjoying a glass of wine or port with the party breaking up around 2pm.”

While at Lochiel parkrun

Thorndon Park, where the only junior parkrun in SA takes place is a great place to visit.

There is a beautiful reservoir there with a lovely walk around it.

If you are visiting with family make sure you stay for Sunday so as to you’re your children the junior parkrun experience.

Morialta Falls is not too far away. These are a series of three waterfalls and are on a popular walk.

Campbelltown has a large Italian Community, so it goes without saying that there are some superb restaurants in the area, as well as coffee shops.

As mentioned earlier, if golf is your thing, then the hidden gem, Geoff Heath Par 3 Golf Course is for you. – Janet Reid

What’s in a Name…

Lochiel parkrun is named after the surrounding area and wetlands.

It is in Campbelltown, which was named after early Adelaide settler Charles James Fox Campbell, in 1867.

In between 1855 and 1856 much of his land was sold, one parcel became known as Lochiel Park.

In 2014 a new development led to the park as it is today.

This was originally published in Issue 6 of the Runs With A Barcode magazine.

It’s called Mount Barker but that’s purely for the town this parkrun is in, not because you run up a mountain.

Most parkrunners would be pleased to find it’s flat, but if you want the challenge of an incline then you can always run up the mountain afterwards.

“Several parkrunners run or hike up to the summit regularly where there are spectacular views across the valleys to Mount Lofty near Adelaide, and out to the plains to the east and south,” says co-event director Paul Butler.

Mount Barker is 33km north of Adelaide and is the town nearest to Mount Barker Summit, it’s also the largest town in the Adelaide Hills.

When it started in March 2014 it was the third parkrun in South Australia.

It had 94 finishers and these days averages 156, so the perfect size to not feel lost among runners.

Community

At its 5th birthday in 2019 Mount Barker achieved its current highest attendance of 374.

Mount Barker was the 65th event in Australia.

“We love to catch up with friends and we welcome visitors,” says co-event director Jacqui Johnson.

“It’s a lovely community parkrun and an excellent out-and-back course along the Laratinga Wetlands.”

Mount Barker parkrun was one of the first in the state, bringing parkrun to the Adelaide Hills.

It grew quickly and a very friendly community developed.

“Over the years we have welcomed new Hills parkruns nearby at Charleston, Strathalbyn, Cleland and The Avenues (Kuitpo Forest), and we remain closely connected with them,” says Paul.

“We usually combine with Strathalbyn at Christmas and New Year’s Day.”

The course

“It’s a flat course!! Being called Mount Barker, that surprises a lot of visitors. It follows a creek and then goes alongside lakes where you’ll see plenty of bird life.

“Being an out-and-back course, the community gets to see everyone as they walk, jog or run – and that makes it an extra-friendly morning.”

There’s a meeting area with great facilities and a grassed area under a big old tree for gathering and chatting.

Jacqui says that visitors often comment about how friendly and welcoming the community is, and that the course is a fast one.

Jacqui and Paul both started parkrun when it first came to Mount Barker. The founding event director was Ros Lowe.

“The community is so welcoming and many of us have ventured onto trail running together and other events throughout the hills and beyond,” Paul says.

“We have a fantastic event team of run directors and we make it all lots of great fun!”

parkrun Adventurers

“In March 2020 we hosted PALM 2020 – the parkrun Adventurers podcast Listener Meet-up.

“People came from all over Australia for a weekend of parkrunning, social events and a live recording of the podcast on the grass at the start/finish line.”

Jacqui says parkrun for her is all about the “happy, smiling faces of fellow parkrunners”.

“You see how far they have come from their first ever parkrun, how they make more friends, become more confident and outgoing, feel fitter and healthier.

“We are so lucky at Mount Barker with the gorgeous Laratinga Wetlands, with a view of Mount Barker Summit off to the left as you head out, the superb blue fairy wrens dancing around the side of the path, various water birds, frogs and sometimes even turtles to take in both on the way out and on the way back.

“Being relatively flat it is good for those just starting out in their fitness, as well as those looking to smash a new PB and go all out.

Milestones

“I recently celebrated my 250th at Mount Barker after starting back in March 2014, and have volunteered 65 times – I think Paul is closer to volunteering over 80 times!

“I also loved it when Jessica Trengove attended on September 23, 2017 and I was Run Director with both my kids getting to meet an Australian Olympian, just as part of their Saturday morning parkrun.

“We all have a lot of fun with our volunteers too, you will see from the videos on our Facebook page that we have had a Mannequin Challenge, done a rendition of Ed Sheeran’s with “I’m in love with my parkrun” .

“We are soooo lucky to have both Paul and Charlie Butler as part of our regular team given their roles as Photography Ambassadors.

“We also had fun taking turns with livestreams during lockdown to keep fellow parkrunners going last year.

“The time put in goes well beyond just a Saturday morning to create that warm, fuzzy atmosphere that is Mount Barker parkrun.”

Beautiful

Two of Mount Barker run directors are reporters for the podcast – PK (Paul Kitching) and Grette Wilkinson.

PK says the wetlands are “just beautiful” with lots of birdlife and riverlife nearby to admire along the way.

“I love parkrun as it is always encouraging people to be active, is totally inclusive, helps people meet others and gives people a chance to volunteer,” he says.

“One or my best memories was in 2019 when we had a famous South African visitor, Tim Jenkin.

“I was fortunate to take him to parkrun and wrote a blog about it for the parkrun blog.

“In 1978 he was sentenced to 12 years in Pretoria Central Prison but managed to escape using wooden keys he’d secretly made with two other prisoners.

“In April 2019 Daniel Radcliffe was in South Australia filming the movie Escape from Pretoria about Tim’s story.

“Tim was in Adelaide to visit the film set. When he was asked what he wanted to do on Saturday he replied “parkrun.”.

“A fellow parkrunner was working on the film and put Tim in touch with me.

“Tim did interviews in the car on the way up, had a great run, and even hung around for coffee after.”

There is a cafe at the start/finish line, and several cafes in the main street.

Paul says the best thing to get is the coffee!

What to do when at Mount Barker

A visit to Mount Barker Summit is a must do for visitors.

Other activities are the Hills Sculpture Trail, the Ukaria Culture Centre and a variety of artisan food and drink establishments.

These include Prancing Pony Brewery and the Ngeringa Vineyard. Visit nearby Hahndorf, an artisan German village.

Mount Barker is also home to the SteamRanger Heritage Railway, which operates the Southern Encounter steam train to Strathalbyn and Goolwa to Victor Harbor.

As well as the Laratinga Wetlands, which you run through at parkrun, there’s also the Totness Recreation Park to explore.

What’s in a Name…

Mount Barker parkrun is named after the town in which it is found, which is near Mount Barker Summit.

The Summit is a place of historic and cultural significance, and home to the original custodians, the Peramangk people.

The Ngarrindjeri people from the east also used the summit for ceremonial and burial sites.

It was named by Captain Charles Sturt in 1830 in honour of Captain Collett Barker.

This was originally published in Issue 5 of the Runs With A Barcode magazine.

There can’t be many parkruns where its first-timers showed up because their skydive was called off, but Goolwa is definitely one of them.

Event director Paul Thurkle says that activity can be added to a visitor’s list of things to do after getting their barcode scanned.

There are two G parkruns in South Australia with similar sounding names, the other is the state’s oldest country town, Gawler (and twice the size of Goolwa).

Goolwa has recently celebrated its third birthday, having launched on April 28, 2018.

At its launch there were 158 runners, though it’s a much smaller event with an average 54 finishers each week.

“We have a great community spirit here,” Paul says.

“People always comment on the friendly nature of our event, as well as our smooth, and mostly flat, bitumen course along the river front.

“It’s fast for those who wish to try for a PB.”

Goolwa’s course is permanently marked with ample signage should you wish to freedom run.

It takes place in Richard Ballard Park, Liverpool Road.

Post-parkrun coffee is at Riverview Deli just over the road.

Paul says visitors enjoy visiting the cafe.

He recommends the fresh-baked muffins, “always delicious and in different flavour combos”.

Paul and his wife Elizabeth started their parkrunning at Victor Harbor parkrun, which is around 18km away.

Elizabeth had heard about parkrun somewhere and started following the facebook page.

“She had the crazy idea to give it a go one New Year’s Day and we didn’t look back.

“It was just that New Year’s was a good time to start something.

“We were attending that for around a year when we were approached by the then event ambassador for the area.

“He had been given my name by the guys at Victor as a potential candidate to start a parkrun in Goolwa.

“The funding was already secured, Medibank had already highlighted Goolwa as a good option, they just needed someone to bring it all together with the council and be the event director.

“I agreed, foolishly thinking we could stay in bed a bit longer as we wouldn’t have to drive the 25 minutes over there.

“Little did I realise we’d spend the next year getting up earlier to set up our own event before our new run directors could take over.”

Goolwa is an historic river port on the Murray River, near the Murray Mouth in South Australia.

It’s joined by a bridge to Hindmarsh Island and is about 100km south of Adelaide.

While at Goolwa parkrun

We recently had visitors who had come to skydive at the local airport, but it was too windy so they came to parkrun instead, then a day of sightseeing.

We’d recommend checking out the Murray River mouth.

There are a few different cruises to choose from. Also go for a ride on the Cockle Train.

This was Australia’s first railway and is now a popular tourist attraction). Goolwa also has a motor museum.

There are some great places to eat and get coffee and some beautiful drives as well, including Tourist Drive Route 50, a 73km journey through rural and coastal scenery. – Paul Thurkle

What’s in a Name…

Goolwa is the name of the town it is based in.

Goolwa is a Ngarrindjeri word meaning ‘elbow’, signifying the bend in the Murray River before it goes out to sea at the mouth not far away.

This was originally published in Issue 3 of the Runs With A Barcode magazine.