The mighty and majestic Strzelecki viewed from Whitemark - These peaks called the Peaks of Flinders once upon a time are often climbed as part of the Running Festival. They are steep and almost 900m!
The Flinders Island Running Festival is a great time of year. It is the beginning of a new season. The Rainbow Season is almost finished but can still delight us into September. The weather however, is the weather - but the days are already just that little bit longer.
We learned a little school ditty to differentiate between the spelling of ‘weather’ and ‘whether‘ at Flinders Island Area School, as it was called in the 1960’s when I was there. “We will weather the weather, whatever the weather, whether we like it or not!” I even put my hand up one day to tell the teacher that they had missed out the other word ‘wether’, meaning a neutered male sheep - ha ha ha ,he he he, thought I as the daughter of a Poll Pollworth stud sheep and wool grazier. I even tried to work the word into the same ditty. “We will weather the weather, whatever the weather, while we look for the wether, whether we like it or not.” Generally the temperatures are milder overnight and are moderated by the island environment, but there can be a wind chill factor too.
I have a group special at Flinders Island Retreat for this year’s 2023 Flinders Island Running Festival but for a group, it needs to be organised now. Have a look at my web-site. Run hard, then be pampered - come home to your hosted accommodation, kick back, relax, love being looked after - rejuvenate with a salt water walk in the sea at the end of the driveway, enjoy a good meal at the Premier’s Table, listen to the stories of the Island, sleep in a luxuriously comfortable bed with beautiful sheets and your en-suite is bright and spacious. Then, your room is serviced each day.
Here’s what's on for the Flinders Island Running Festival weekend! Friday 1st September, there’s the 4.4km Trouser's Point Guess Your Time. What happens? Participants “rock-hop” along the Western coastline of Trouser's Point, where undulating sand dunes meet red lichen covered rocks. Closest to guessing their own time wins a prize. Meet new people, talk about the extra special aspects of your stay so far on Flinders Island. BYO BBQ for afterward!
On Saturday morning everyone is welcome to participate in the Flinders Island’s regular Park Run. Some may already be acquainted with the world wide Park Run organisation where a 5 k course is marked out for people to walk or run or jog, record their own times, with the intention to gradually improve one’s fitness. Afterwards, everyone has a social get-together for a coffee at the end either at The Wharf, The Pub Cafe or Cate Cooks. So, on Saturday 2nd September we encourage people to attend the Whitemark ParkRun. The 5km trail follows the Bluff Track along Whitemark beach, mostly sheltered by a corridor of she oak along the way.
There’s a carb loaded dinner at Flinders Island Retreat - house made sourdough and Flinders Island Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a crab apple molasses, a cheesy seafood sauce with wild seaside herbs over house made gnocchi. Follow that with a Flinders Island Retreat honey and macadamia shard on a dish of creme fraiche and minted sugar.
The 26k Pub to Pub is on Sunday 3rd September, 2023. Participants can run or walk along the base of the Strzelecki National Park for the full Flinders Island experience. The race starts this year at Lady Barron with roughly 14km of trail, skirting around Badger Corner and Petrifaction Bay. Stunning views can be glimpsed of Mount Munro on Cape Barren across part of the necklace of islands in the Franklin Sound. Skirting around on mostly sand and gravel tracks, the course follows the wild and boulder strewn Strzelecki Ranges which rise along the way. There are kilometre markers to break up the journey. Once clear of the National Park, there are paddocks bounded by majestic mountains and Bass Strait encloses the rest of the necklace of islands including Mount Chappell and Prime Seal. When you’re on the bitumen, Whitemark in sight, the markers will tell you you’re almost there. I once overheard a marathon runner say it was the best course she had ever run in these circumstances because it was well marked and one could look forward to the views, some secret or not so secret and “… all the just plain huge surprise views along the way….”
Registrations for the Flinders Island Running Festival are open now. Go to the Flinders Island Running Festival Website to find out the “how, what, where and who” questions. Registrations are just $40 ($60 for a team) and registration gains you entry to both events, a finisher's medal and a $10 Island Voucher to use over the weekend!
David Heap, an original committee member of the Running Festival and local physiotherapist, after crossing the finish line of the 2017 Pub to Pub outside Lady Barron’s Furneaux Tavern.
Stunning views of Mount Munro on Cape Barren with low lying Tin Kettle in front, this taken from along the Running Festival course looking out from below the Strzelecki’s.
Cool off your legs in the salt water at the bottom of the driveway from Flinders Island Retreat.
It’s the rainbow season, often into September!
A view to Badger Corner from Lady Barron
A view from the Bluff Track when you go on the Whitemark ParkRun!
This picture by Sammi Gowthorpe, shows the Lady Barronesses Pole Walkers being pipped at the post
Windblown trees on Whitemark Beach.
Sunrise over Vansitart Island from Flinders Island Retreat at Badger Corner.
The finish-line medal, 2017!
Participant’s bib and finish medallion on a lariat.
The round leafed peppermint interlaced with the tall blue gums of Badger Corner.