Under 18s Dash For Cash winner Lucy Cameron, from Toowoomba, was delighted with her victory on Saturday morning

July 3, 2025

There was art, music, markets and lots and lots of running at the eighth annual Wondai Country Running Festival held on the South Burnett Rail Trail last weekend.

Events kicked off early on Saturday morning with the regular Wondai parkrun event, with numbers boosted this week to 191 by the many visitors in town.

(Other visitors, keen to tick off different events on their “to do” list, also took part in parkruns in Blackbutt, Nanango and Proston.)

The actual Country Running Festival began a bit later on Saturday morning with the traditional CROW-FM Dash For Cash.

Runner sprinted the 1km from the nearby creek bridge to take home cash prizes.

The running festival consists of shorter, fun events on Saturday morning; longer trail runs through McEuen Forest on Saturday afternoon; and four big events on Sunday, including a full-length marathon.

The weather this year was almost perfect … not too cold, and not to hot and the potential showers held off.

Mayor Kathy Duff, who officially opened  the festival, said it was so good to see so many people out and about doing the running.

She also invited visitors to test their nerves by taking a wintry dip in the nearby Wondai Pool, a new event added to this year’s festival line-up.

The expanded Wondai monthly markets on Saturday also offered special activities (including Art in the Park, see below), live music, more stalls and an animal nursery.

The annual Country Running Festival provides a big boost to the Wondai economy.

Organising committee member Cr Ros Heit said there had been about 750 registrations – meaning about 570 runners – as well as participants in the Family Fun Run.

Many return year after year to soak up the country hospitality.

The hundreds of visitors who stayed overnight packed into the Wondai Memorial Hall on Saturday evening to enjoy a special “country” dinner, complete with boiled peanuts and mulled wine!

Felicity Jorgensen, from Wondai, was presented with a special gift for achieving the unique honour of being the first person to take part in all the Wondai Country Running Festival events
Liz Nicholson always adds some colour – and bell-ringing – to the atmosphere at the Wondai Country Running Festival
Maryborough visitors Perri-Le Furber, Russell Stitt, Debbie Douglas and Michelle and Rodney Stutz with the new Wondai photo backdrop sign unveiled this year
Wondai parkrun volunteers were rugged up against a chilly early morning start … from left, Julie Kleinig, Grahame Gronow, run director Winston Burrows and Stuart Kleinig
Volunteer Megan Jorgensen, from Wondai, was helping out at the registration tent
Organising committee member Cr Ros Heit with Leanne Hams, from the Nanango Electorate Office … Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington sponsored this year’s All-Abilities Fun Run
Mayor Kathy Duff officially opened the 2025 Wondai Country Running Festival on Saturday morning with help from volunteers Winston Burrows, Cr Ros Heit and Elaine Madill

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* * *

Dash For Cash

Dash For Cash 18-40s Men podium … James Laird (2nd) and Alain Dutton (1st)

The CROW-FM Dash For Cash was the first of the Wondai Country Running Festival events to hit the Rail Trail after the regular Saturday morning parkrun.

There were three age categories – with prizes for males and females – run on a 1km course from the bridge to the finishing line.

The prize money was presented to the winners by Sonia McMahon from CROW-FM.

Results

  • Under 18s Men – 1. Aiden Etherington
  • Under 18s Women – 1. Lucy Cameron 2. Imogen Fraser
  • 18-40s Men – 1. Alain Dutton 2. James Laird 3. Samuel Groom
  • Over 40s Men – 1. Thomas Heden 2. Craig Kapernick
  • Over 40s Women – 1. Esther Farmilo 2. Felicity Jorgensen 3. Jenette Matthews
Dash For Cash Over 40s podium (men) … Craig Kapernick (2nd) and Thomas Heden (1st)
Dash For Cash Over 40s podium (women) … Jenette Matthews (3rd), Felicity Jorgensen (2nd) and Esther Farmilo (1st)

* * *

Family Fun Run

The beginning of the Family Fun is always a frantic dash with the youngest runners taking off the quickest!

The 2km Hansen Kitchens Family Fun Run on Saturday morning is always one of the most popular events at the Wondai Country Running Festival.

This race is put on especially for South Burnett fun runners as well as the family members of the more serious runners who will be taking part in the longer events on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.

The Family Fun Run is untimed but that doesn’t really matter as all the competitors win a prize!

Charlie Parker, 8, from the Sunshine Coast, was first home in the Family Fun Run

* * *

All-Abilities Fun Run

Daniel Nickols, from Hervey Bay, was first away in the All-Abilities fun run … Daniel was also first home!

Everyone was also a winner in the All-Abilities fun run, sponsored this year by Deb Frecklington MP.

Competitors and carers tackled a 1km course along the South Burnett Rail Trail on Saturday morning.

Cowbells greeted each of the competitors as they came back across the finishing line.

This event is untimed but all the entrants received a special Wondai Country Running Festival medallion.

All the participants in the All-Abilities Run received winners’ medallions!

* * *

Forest Trail Runs

Competitors Mary Mather and Rodney Allen negotiate part of the 21.1km Forest Trail Run on Saturday afternoon
(Photo: Nadine Gray)

The competitions became harder on Saturday afternoon with the running of the two Bega PCA Forest Trail Runs through the nearby McEuen State Forest.

The across-country races were held across two distances: 11.1km and 21.1km.

They’re one of the tougher events over the weekend and unfortunately claimed at least two competitors this year who failed to make the distance.

11.1km Results:

  • Men – 1. Matthew McNamara 2. Jake Liaropoulos 3. James Laird
  • Women – 1. Ella McDonnell 2. Nicole Mulholland 3. Nicole Bolt

21.1km Results:

  • Men – 1. Daniel McDonnell 2. Bill Hennessy 3. Nathan Eggleston
  • Women – 1. Sarah Martin 2. Cate Ayre 3. Heidi Grodecki

* * *

Sunday Events

Bundaberg runner Richard Koech finishes the Ken Mills Marathon in first place (Photo: Wondai Country Running Festival)

Sunday’s events tested the most serious runners who had registered for the weekend’s races: the Ken Mills Marathon, Bendigo Bank Half-Marathon, Parkside 10km run and Bowy Active 5km run.

All these races, which had separate starting times, were run along the Rail Trail.

Marathon Results:

  • Men – 1. Richard Koech, 2. Simon Phillips, 3. Jay Warry 
  • Women – 1. Emma Lennon, 2. Sophie Hoare, 3. Tracy Hills

Half-Marathon Results:

  • Men – 1. Thomas Parton, 2. Robert Cordle, 3. Elliot Schenk 
  • Women – 1. Kate Deal, 2. Emily Rummery, 3. Heidi Grodecki

10km Results:

  • Men – 1. Matthew McNamara, 2. Elliot Wigram, 3. James Parton
  • Women – 1. Jacqui Wilson, 2. Sarah Martin, 3. Charlie Andersen

5km Results:

  • Men – 1. Zac Farmilo, 2. Jake Roberts, 3. Jack Weier
  • Women – 1. Lydia Martin (record), 2.  Hannah O’Connor, 3. Sarah Ellis

* * *

Art & Music In The Park

Wondai Regional Art Gallery – which organises the monthly markets in Coronation Park – put on some special activities on Saturday to coincide with the Country Running Festival.

Local artist Sue Warry was on hand to help out anyone, young or old, who wanted to have a go at being creative.

The canvasses, paintbrushes and paints were supplied by the art gallery.

Viv’s Farm Animals also set up their animal nursery and the Wondai Town & District Band and the QCWA Choir provided some music.

It was also a perfect opportunity for Art Gallery president Elaine Madill to show off the new gallery extension which was completed just days before the festival.

Sue Warry was helping out the budding artists with their creative efforts
Tanya Cavell, from Gympie, and Terese Carter, from Crows Nest, were having fun with the Art In The Park
Phil Chan and Louis, 5, from Darwin, found themselves having fun in the Wondai Art Gallery
The Wondai Town & District Band were providing free entertainment to the marketgoers
Members of the QCWA Choir, with Graham Mitchell on piano, provided some live music alongside the markets
The new extension to the Wondai Art Gallery, funded by a $100,000 State Government grant, was put into use for the first time on Saturday

* * *

Saturday Night’s Dinner

On Saturday night, competitors, friends and race sponsors gathered at Wondai Town Hall to enjoy a buffet dinner prepared by JC Catering.

The traditional mulled wine, served in souvenir glasses to take home and keep, was available much to the delight of the crowd.

Fiona Terrell and Sonia Edwards, both from Hervey Bay … the couple also took part in the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail parkrun at Blackbutt
Dave and Katrina Crook, from Esk … the pair took part in the Railway Park parkrun at Proston and Katrina was planning to do the Half Marathon on Sunday
Clementine Hazelwood and Aimee Smith, from Maryborough
Matt Molloy and Leah Daniel, from the Sunshine Coast
Therese McGrath and Graeme Daniel, from Brisbane
Erhart and Sarah Stockhausen and Ada, 4, from Brisbane
Wondai Running Festival volunteers Winston and Margaret Burrows with Cr Deb Dennien and festival organising committee member Cr Ros Heit
Back row, Bec Bentley and Megan McIvor; front row, Katie Clews, Bec Nightingale and Kaliki James, all from Hervey Bay
The Wondai Memorial Hall was filled with diners for the annual Country Running Festival dinner on Saturday night

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