On 27 December 1803 Convict William Buckley escaped into the Otways. Many said he no chance of surviving – it became known as Buckley’s Chance.

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He emerged 32 years later. We’re hoping teams make it back in 24hrs.

Event Details

Date: 5-6 December 2026
Location: TBA, VIC, Australia
Duration: 24 hour event
Team size: 2 or 4 person

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About Buckley’s 24

Buckley’s 24 – A a classic non-stop 24hr adventure race involving trekking, mountain biking, kayaking and other adventure disciplines. Mixed, Male or Female teams of two or four must navigate their way unsupported through an arduous 120+km course that is only revealed to them hours before the race.

Buckley’s Half Course – Just over half the distance 70+kms but teams have the full 24hrs to complete it. The legs are challenging, but with the additional time available to complete the half course, teams have a greater chance to reach the finish line.

Inspired by a great Australian adventure – If you don’t know the sorry of the convict William Buckley it’s well worth checking out. It’s an extraordinary adventure of perseverance, respect, love and redemption. He’s also the inspiration for this adventure race.

Each year a new and exciting course is developed. Courses are normally linear with teams often transported to the start line and finishing back at race HQ.

The winning Buckley’s 24 teams are estimated to take 16 to complete the course. The winning Buckley’s Half Course teams are expected to take 9hrs. All teams for both events have up to 24hrs to complete the course.

Athletes will need to be self sufficient and prepared for anything as the course and mixture of disciplines on the day will only be revealed hours before the start of the race.

Buckley’s 24 Course

There are two course options at Buckley’s 24 a full course and a half course.

FULL COURSE

The Full Course is the ultimate test of physical and mental limits. It is the major focus of each event and the crown jewel for most teams. This course is tough and may have teams on the move for 24 hours or more, and not all teams are expected to complete it. It wouldn’t have a reputation as a tough event if everyone could finish.

With good teamwork and determination, finishing teams can expect to spend anywhere from 14 to 24 hours on the course. No specific provisions are made for sleeping, so teams must plan their own sleep strategy.

HALF COURSE

The Half Course is designed to provide a shorter but still demanding 24 hour adventure race experience.

Teams begin the race alongside Full Course teams before branching off onto their specific course. These courses are often interwoven with the Full Course, meaning teams may travel many of the same sections.

Half Course teams have the full 24 hour time limit to complete their course.

WHICH COURSE IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

The choice is entirely up to you; however, teams new to 24 hour adventure racing are encouraged to consider the Half Course as their first step. The shorter distance and additional time provide a greater chance of finishing.

Teams will have more opportunity to recover from navigational errors and can spend longer in transition areas warming up and eating.

Novice teams are welcome to enter the Full Course but should be aware that it will be hard, technical, and that there is a real chance they may not finish. That said, many teams have successfully completed the Full Course in past events after stepping up to the challenge.

Buckley’s 24 Distances

Full Course
In very general terms, Full Course teams can expect approximate total distances of:

Trekking: 25–35km
Mountain biking: 60–70km
Kayaking: 15–25km

Half Course
In very general terms, Half Course teams can expect approximate total distances of:

Trekking: 12–20km
Mountain biking: 30–50km
Kayaking: 8–15km

Buckley’s 24 Format

Buckley’s 24 is a linear Adventure Race. All teams begin at the same location and navigate their way through each leg consecutively. At the end of each leg is a Transition Area, where teams change from one discipline to another.

At most Transition Areas, teams will be met by the transition crew and any supporters who choose to attend.

Teams may be transported to the start line; however, the race will always finish at Race HQ.

While on the course, team members must remain within 100 metres of each other at all times. If a team member withdraws, the team will not receive an official finishing place. The team may be permitted to continue Unranked, provided a minimum of two competitors remain.

The winning team in each category will be the first team to cross the finish line after successfully navigating all legs of the course and finishing with all the team members they started with.

CUT-OFFS & TIME LIMITS

Our aim is to give teams the opportunity to challenge themselves non-stop for the full 24 hour duration of the event. Even if a team is moving slowly, they should still be able to remain on the course for the full event time limit, regardless of how far they progress.

Teams must, however, return to Race HQ for the official race finish.

Buckley’s 24 Location

An adventure race on the move…like Buckley! Within the 3hr drive zone of Melbourne there’s an extensive network of world class mountain bike trails, incredible bushwalking opportunities across the multiple national parks and nature reserves, stunning vistas with mountains and fun kayaking opportunities.

Basically it’s made for adventure racing!

2026 LOCATION: TBA SOON!

Course	Super Early Bird Ends 31 May 2026	Early Bird Ends 30 August 2026	Standard
Half – 2 Person	$512	$576	$640
Half – 4 Person	$1,012	$1,138.50	$1,265
Full – 2 Person	$600	$675	$750
Full – 4 Person	$1,196	$1,345.50	$1,495

All prices include GST.

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WHAT DOES ENTRY INCLUDE?

Your race entry fees include:

A high quality adventure racing course in a great location;
On-site first response teams for emergency first aid;
All race maps for your team;
Kayaks included;
Special disciplines as appropriate to the location;
Souvenir Event Cap or T-Shirt or similar
Race pack with goodies and event prizes (dependant on sponsorship);
Great live web coverage throughout;
up to 24 hours of the most arduous and memorable adventure racing of your life!
Entry fee includes 10% GST;

It is our aim to provide you and your team the best quality event we can. Admittedly, it isn’t cheap to enter, but neither is it cheap to run an adventure race of this scale, in a new location each year, especially when the event goes for well over 24 hours straight!