With just under one week to go the event is shaping up to be an exciting one. The course is set, we're setting up HQ, placing CPs and packing the race packs. This email contains a few important reminders so please read carefully.
Epic Hills, Rapids, and River Crossings Define Top Dog 24
The mighty Murrumbidgee River
This year, Top Dog 24 once again delivered an epic event — starting in the nation’s capital and heading south-west into challenging hills and rugged terrain.
Fifty-five teams and nearly 150 racers arrived at race HQ in Stromlo for the 2025 event, lining up to collect their race packs for either the full ‘Top Dog’ course or the shorter ‘Little Dog’ course. Both had a 24-hour time limit and included running/trekking, paddling, and mountain biking to checkpoints scattered through back-country and wilderness areas. Finding these required solid map-and-compass navigation — and, as always, there were a few surprises and twists in the course.
At registration, teams discovered that they would be skipping the Stromlo MTB trails — featured in the previous two editions — and instead heading straight out to Cotter’s Crossing, the Murrumbidgee River, the Bullen Ranges, and, for full-course racers, on towards Tidbinbilla and Gibraltar Rock, where a mystery activity awaited at the summit.
Big highlights of the 2025 course included a white-water kayak down the Murrumbidgee, challenging navigation for both the full and half courses, some serious climbing, and a midnight river crossing back over the Murrumbidgee with bikes in tow.
In the full course, teams EXT2 and Results Racing pushed hard straight out of the gate, with Straight is Great, Proximity AR, and Capital AR in hot pursuit. In the half course, it was no surprise to see the Adventure Racing Maniacs (racing as a female pair) and Ainsley AR charging hard, with Argo and Are We There Yet? chasing them down.
After a quick trek and bike leg, the full and half courses split at Transition 1 (Cotter’s Crossing) — the half course heading to the river paddle first, while the full course tackled some fun off-trail navigation at Riverview Farm. It’s unclear whether there was a home-ground advantage for Sean King from Straight is Great, but we’re very grateful that he gave us access to his property for the day. Teams certainly enjoyed the rolling hills and engaging navigation.
Both Top Dog and Little Dog teams then took on the white-water kayak between Cotter’s Crossing and Uriarra. Featuring grade 1–2 rapids and good water levels, both courses reached Transition 2 with big smiles — and plenty of stories of capsizes and missed checkpoints. The hike back to Cotter’s Crossing and Transition 1 featured some tough navigation and the beautiful rolling hills the area is famous for.
As the sun went down, Top Dog teams headed for Tidbinbilla through the forestry, while Little Dog teams tackled a demanding bike ride across the Bullen Range to checkpoints 24 and 25 — and the now-notorious second encounter with the Murrumbidgee River.
Navigating their way through the forestry and Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve on bikes, Top Dog teams arrived at Transition 3 in the dark to discover a 10-kilometre trek up to Gibraltar Rock — and an abseil challenge at checkpoint 20. Although only 25 metres high, it required a leap of faith into the darkness below before teams continued the rest of the trek. A big thanks must go to Andy McLachlan and his crew for making the abseil happen, and to Challenge Works for providing the equipment.
Leaving Tidbinbilla, Top Dog teams re-joined the Little Dog racers at CP25, where they faced a 30–40-metre river crossing of the Murrumbidgee — with bikes. Teams were instructed to take a flotation device for their bikes and a life jacket for safety. Upon arrival, they also discovered they needed to travel off-trail, lowering bikes down a series of small cliffs beside a rocky, blackberry-filled creek just to access the river. These big challenges are what separate true adventure racing from multi-sport events on gravel roads — and it was the experienced racers who led the way through this section.
Once across the river, the final kilometres took teams along the gravel trails and bikeways circling Canberra’s suburbs, with many relieved to be out of the bush and back at the Stromlo finish line. The race director was, appropriately, berated for the nasty river crossing — though it’s unclear if he listened.
A big thanks must go out to all the teams and volunteers who made the event happen — there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes, and they do an amazing job. Thanks also to Squirt, Wild Magazine, Parks ACT, and Stromlo for their ongoing support and permits.
Team EXT2 featuring Tim Boote, Elly Jackson, Tony Wilson and Joel Claxton
🏆 TOP DOG 24 – FULL COURSE
Mixed
EXT2
Capital AR
Blood, Sweat & Vows
Female
Tomorrow’s Problem
Thelma and Louise
Male
Straight is Great
Proximity AR
The Meerkats
🐶 LITTLE DOG – HALF COURSE
Mixed
Are We There Yet?
Mad Dogs and Englishmen
Invert
Female
The Pack
Little Detour
M&M Mountain Mavericks
Male
Argo
Emotionally Not Ready
Joseph and Son
You can find the full results and tracking at www.topdog24.com.au/live.
The next adventure races from Wild & Co are the Shoalhaven 6-hour in Vincentia and Buckley’s 24 in Victoria — details at www.wldnco.com and www.buckleys24.com.au.
Top Dog 24 is part of the Adventure Racing World Series Oceania calendar.
TOP DOG 24 2025 INFORMATION KIT IS LIVE!
1 WEEK TO GO...MAKE SURE YOU'RE PROPERLY EQUIPPED AND READY TO GO!
With just a few days to go, the event is shaping up to be an exciting one. The course is set, we're setting up HQ, placing CPs and packing the race packs. This email contains a few important reminders so please read carefully!
Important Documents – It's essential that you carefully read the information pack (click the image above or the link below) which includes all the important information you need, including the mandatory gear list. If you have questions please ask.
Information Pack (including waiver)
BIKE AND GEAR DROP
Bike and gear drop is at HQ this year so super simple!
Paddle and PFD Hire – This year, Paddles and PFDs will only be provided as needed – if you would like to hire a paddle or a PFD please fill in the form here: Paddle and PFD Hire
EXTRA MANDATORY GEAR
For the 2025 edition Helmets ARE required for the kayak legs.
The final bike leg for both courses has a river crossing. Teams are required to bring a bike flotation device such as a inflatable mattress to float their bikes across a 35 meter stretch of river. Teams are required to wear their PFDs for this crossing.
2026 Series Launch: Adventure Awaits!
With just two races to go for the 2025 season we're looking at 2026 and have a truely adventurous line-up of events around the country.
We start out with the Terra Nova 24 in March, Legend Expedition Race in April in South Australia, GeoQuest in June, Hells Bells in August, Top Dog 24 in Canberra in October before finishing with Buckley's in Victoria in early December.
To celebrate the launch we're running a 10% discount across all Wild&Co events currently on sale until midnight Friday 12 September – use code LAUNCH2026 – and lock in your place at Terra Nova 24, Legend, GeoQuest or Hells Bells in 2025. That's an extra 10% off on top of Super Early Bird, Early Bird or regular rates and you don't need your final team so lock it in!
And if you can't wait for 2026 then entries are still open for Top Dog 24 in Canberra in October and Buckley's in December this year!
Suuuuuper Early Bird Entries End Midnight 30 Sept 2025
After an epic event in 2025 with a fantastic coastal location we're excited to head back to another coastal town for 2026...but which one? The location announcement is coming soon, but we've left a clue or two on the website. And with entries selling the way they are, it's set to be bigger than ever.
KEY DETAILS
Date: 7-8 March 2026
Location: Shoalhaven, NSW, Australia
Duration: 24 hour event, full and half course
Entries: Open Now
Super Early Bird: Ends 30 Sept 2025
Early Bird: Ends 31 Dec 2025
Team size: 2 person, 4 person
For more information or to register visit: www.terranova24.com.au
Another Legendary Location.
After three spectacular editions of the Legend Expedition we're back with a new location and a spectacular new course. This event will be a big highlight of our 2026 calendar and one not to be missed. There's already a great lineup of teams and we've got the local experts out on the trails now exploring and developing an incredible adventure.
KEY DETAILS
Date: 18-25 April 2026
Location: Murray Bridge, SA, Australia
Duration: 6 day event, full and half course
Entries: Open Now
Team size: 2 person, 4 person
For more information or to register visit: www.legendexpd.com.au
Mountain Designs GeoQuest heading to another spectacular mid-north coast location.
Teams said 2024 was one of the best GeoQuest courses yet – we're confident for 2026 Mountain Designs GeoQuest will live up to its reputation as Australia's premier adventure race. We're looking forward to seeing the familiar faces and new recruits step up and take on this epic 48hr challenge. The event was re-scheduled from 2025 so with the extra time we've been working hard to make it extra special. And stay tuned, we've got a big announcement coming up!
KEY DETAILS
Date: 6-9 June 2026
Location: Forster, NSW, Australia
Duration: 48 hour event, full and half course
Entries: Open Now!
Super Early Bird: Ends 30 Nov 2025
Early Bird: Ends 28 Feb 2026
Team size: 4 person, Supported + Un-Supported Options
For more information or to register visit: www.geoquest.com.au
Mountain Designs Hells Bells is back for 2026 and set to be baddest event on the Aussie calendar.
After an epic central Sunny Coast location we're turning our eyes to the coast for an epic start location for the baddest 24hr adventure on the Australian calendar. We're currently exploring options in the heart of the coast – there's un-finished business with a few trails and secret spots and we can't wait to build them into a course.
KEY DETAILS
Date: 8-9 August 2026
Location: Sunshine Coast, Qld, Australia
Duration: 24 hour event, full and half course
Entries: Open Now!
Super Early Bird: Ends 31 Jan 2026
Early Bird: Ends 30 April 2026
Team size: 2 person, 4 person
For more information or to register visit: www.hellsbells.com.au
We can't wait to show off ANOTHER epic Top Dog 24 course for 2026!
We've been dreaming about this one for ages and it was exciting to see the 2024 event so popular. Top Dog 24 will be back for 2026 and will be just as awesome in 2025 with an entirely new course but still based out of the Stromlo MTB park location. This is definitely an event to travel for.
KEY DETAILS
Date: 3-4 October 2026
Location: Canberra, ACT, Australia
Duration: 24 hour event, full and half course
Entries: Enter the 2025 event Now!
Team size: 2 person, 4 person
For more information or to register visit: www.topdog24.com.au
Buckley's 24 – Back for 2026 and as awesome as ever
After spending so much time on the Surf Coast with the Legend Expedition Race we fell in love with Victoria – we knew we had to return to the region and what better way than with a 24hr Adventure Race. Will Buckley's 24 be based permanently on the Surf Coast or will it travel around Victoria? You'll have to wait for 2026 to find out, but either way it's going to be cool.
KEY DETAILS
Date: 5-6 December 2026
Location: VIC, Australia
Duration: 24 hour event, full and half course
Entries: Enter the 2025 Event Now!
Team size: 2 person, 4 person
For more information or to register visit: www.buckleys24.com.au
Brisbane 6hr 2025 Information Kit
Not long now...make sure you're properly equipped and ready to go!
With just under one week to go the event is shaping up to be an exciting one. The course is set, we're setting up HQ, placing CPs and packing the race packs. This email contains a few important reminders so please read carefully.
Important Documents
It's essential that you carefully read the information pack (click the image above or the link below) which includes all the important information you need, including the mandatory gear list. If you have questions please ask.
How Many Calories Do You Need in Adventure Racing?
120 athletes x 3,000 = 360,000 calories about to be burnt in the Sunny Coast 6hr
One of the most common questions in adventure racing is: how many calories should I be eating? Unlike a road marathon or triathlon, adventure racing throws athletes into long hours of varied intensity — running, paddling, biking, trekking — often with minimal chances to stop and eat properly.
The truth is, you’ll burn thousands of calories in any race, but the real challenge is how much you can comfortably take in while moving. Here’s a breakdown of what to aim for in different race lengths.
6-Hour Adventure Races
In a short race you’ll burn 3,000–4,000 calories total, but you don’t need to replace it all during the event. The goal is to eat enough to keep energy stable and avoid hitting the wall.
Target intake: 200–250 calories per hour
Total to pack: ~1,200–1,500 calories
Best options: energy gels, chews, muesli bars, fruit, small sandwiches
Tips: eat every 30–45 minutes; hydrate steadily with electrolytes in hot weather
This is the easiest distance nutritionally — keep it simple and consistent.
24-Hour Adventure Races
Here, nutrition is one of the biggest performance factors. You’ll burn 8,000–12,000 calories across the day. You can’t replace it all, but eating steadily will prevent fatigue and mental crashes.
Target intake: 200–300 calories per hour
Total to pack: 5,000–7,000 calories (plus meals in TAs)
Best options: sandwiches, muesli bars, dried fruit, gels, trail mix, jerky
Tips: pack food into 4-hour bags with 800–1,000 calories each; rotate flavors and textures to avoid palate fatigue
Transition Areas (TAs) are a great chance for hot food, potatoes, noodles, fruit, and soup. Use them as resets.
Expedition Races (5–7 Days)
These multi-day epics burn 20,000+ calories, and the challenge shifts from energy to sustainability. Fueling well is as much about comfort and morale as it is about performance.
Target intake: 200–300 calories per hour while moving
Carried food: gels, chews, sandwiches, bars, dried fruit, trail mix, jerky
TA & Camp meals: freeze-dried dinners and breakfasts, wraps, noodles, hearty snacks
Tips:
Use freeze-dried meals for breakfast and dinner — lightweight but filling
Pack substantial meals into TA boxes — sandwiches, pasta, soup
Look out for shops and cafés on course: a hot meal, coffee, or pastry can be a huge physical and mental boost
Always carry a little extra in case a leg takes longer than expected
Takeaway
Eat early and often: don’t wait until you’re hungry
Use structure: 4-hour bags work brilliantly for 24hr+ races
Mix it up: variety keeps you eating when your appetite dips
Think beyond calories: warm meals, comfort snacks, and even a café stop can keep you racing strong
👉 Want full food plans? Check out our detailed guides for 6-hour, 24-hour, and expedition races.
Why Your First Adventure Race with Friends Is More Than Just a Physical Challenge
Signing up for your first adventure race with friends isn’t just about testing your legs and lungs—it’s an adventure in every sense of the word. Sure, you’ll be running, biking, paddling, and maybe even scrambling through the mud, but the real rewards go way beyond the workout. Training and racing as a team means you’ll build resilience, stay motivated, and strengthen friendships in ways a gym session never could.
Here are three research-backed reasons why adventure race training (and racing!) is so beneficial:
1. Nature Gives Your Mind a Boost 🌿
Exercising outdoors isn’t just refreshing—it’s scientifically proven to make you feel better. Studies show that being active in natural environments reduces stress, improves mood, and helps restore focus compared to indoor exercise. That means every trail run, paddle, or bike ride is not only building your endurance but also strengthening your mental resilience.
When race day comes and you’re navigating through unfamiliar terrain or tackling that last brutal climb, it’s this outdoor training that helps keep your head clear and your spirits high.
2. Friends Keep You Motivated 💪
We’ve all had days where motivation dips. The secret weapon? Training with friends. Research shows people are more consistent and stick with exercise longer when they do it in groups. Why? Because there’s accountability, encouragement, and—let’s be honest—a bit of healthy peer pressure.
Adventure races take this to the next level: you literally can’t finish without your teammates. Training in a group means you’ll push harder, laugh more, and turn tough sessions into stories worth telling.
3. Fitness Meets Friendship 🤝
Adventure race training is about way more than physical fitness. Sure, you’ll get stronger, fitter, and faster—but you’ll also be building something deeper. Group exercise has been shown to improve social well-being and connection. Adventure training sessions—whether it’s a long mountain bike ride, a navigation practice, or a muddy trail run—are shared experiences that build trust, communication, and memories that stick long after the finish line.
It’s not just about crossing the line—it’s about crossing it together.
The Bottom Line
Training for your first adventure race with friends isn’t just about the physical challenge. It’s about nature therapy, built-in motivation, and the kind of friendships that come from doing something epic together. You’ll get fitter, feel better, and walk away with stories that beat any gym session.
So grab a friend, sign up, and start training—you’ll thank yourself (and each other) at the finish line.
References
Pretty, J., Peacock, J., Sellens, M., & Griffin, M. (2005). The mental and physical health outcomes of green exercise. International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 15(5), 319–337.
Barton, J., & Pretty, J. (2010). What is the best dose of nature and green exercise for improving mental health?Environmental Science & Technology, 44(10), 3947–3955.
Burke, S. M., Carron, A. V., Eys, M. A., Ntoumanis, N., & Estabrooks, P. A. (2006). Group versus individual approach? A meta-analysis of the effectiveness of interventions to promote physical activity. Sport and Exercise Psychology Review, 2(1), 19–35.
Estabrooks, P. A., Harden, S. M., & Burke, S. M. (2019). Group dynamics in physical activity promotion: What works? Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 13(3), e12425.
Beauchamp, M. R., Puterman, E., & Lubans, D. R. (2018). Group-based physical activity for older adults: A scoping review. American Journal of Health Behavior, 42(3), 286–303.
Buckley’s 24 headed for Lorne for 2025!
Lorne, the third major stop on the Great Ocean Road has been announced as race HQ for the second edition of the Buckley’s 24 Adventure Race!
Date: 6-7 Dec 2025
Location: Lorne Forshore VIC, Australia
Duration: 24 hour event
Entries: Enter Here
Team size: 2/4 person
Part of the ARWS Oceania Series
Over 300 people including competitors, family and friends from around Australia and the Asia Pacific Region will attend the Buckley’s 24 24hr Adventure Race from 5-6 Dec 2024.
The race is held annually on the first weekend in December in Victoria. The location of the course is moved each year to a different area to pose exciting new challenges for competitors.
This year’s location of choice, Lorne, is the third major stop on the Great Ocean Road and around 2 hours from Melbourne.
Where the ocean meets the rainforest – a quintessential coastal town along the Great Ocean Road, Lorne offers the perfect blend of beachside charm and lush hinterland adventures. From stunning waterfalls and scenic walks to boutique shops and vibrant cafes, Lorne is a destination that truly has it all.
Chris Dixon, Wild & Co event director says, “We’re very excited to be heading to Lornealong the Great Ocean Road, it's the perfect location to start and finish an Adventure Race. It gives us access to the ocean and some of the best trails the region has to offer.
We've got an exciting new course for Buckley’s 24 in 2025 and can't wait to show off trails the amazing trails and gravel roads in the region. For something special, teams should be ready for an ocean kayak leg in the bay early in the race!”
Buckley’s 24 involves 24hrs of non-stop endurance racing in the major adventure racing disciplines of trekking, mountain biking and kayaking. Mixed gender, Male and Female teams of two or four must navigate their way through an arduous 120+km course that is only revealed to them the day of the race.
The "Buckley’s 24 Half" runs simultaneously with the full course and covers just over half the distance but teams have the full 24hrs to complete it. The legs will be challenging but with the additional time available to complete the half course, teams have a greater chance to reach the finish line before time is up.
Early Bird entries close 31 August 2025 and the final window for registration closes 3 December 2025. Accommodation can be booked through the Visit Great Ocean Road website at: visitgreatoceanroad.org.au
For the latest information on the race please visit: www.buckleys24.com.au
The event is made possible thanks to major sponsor, Mountain Designs.
A classic Hells Bells Course in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland
The waterfall in Obi Obi gorge was the perfect location for check point one
This year Mountain Designs Hells Bells delivered on its promise of an epic course creating legendary stories in a paradise like location.
One hundred and seven teams and nearly 300 people arrived at race HQ, at QCCC camp ground in Mapleton for Hells Bells 2025. Lining up to collect their race packs they were preparing to race either the full ‘Hells Bells’ course, or the shorter ‘Fairy Bells’ course.
Both have a 24 hour time limit, and include runs/treks, paddling and mountain biking to checkpoints in back country and wilderness areas. Finding these requires good map and compass navigation and there are always a few surprises and twists in the course.
Rolling hills in Witta
At race registration teams learned that they were to catch a bus to the start at Baroon Pocket Dam, 15 kilometres to the south for a wave start. Fairy Bells teams started the race with 5 km kayak on the dam before heading into the Obi Obi gorge, while Hells Bells teams started at 12:00 with quick run down the Sunshine Coast Great Walk to the launch straight into the Obi Obi gorge leg.
A real highlight of the 2025 course the Obi Obi gorge is a spectacular rock scramble down the Obi Obi creek that feature 100 meter high cliffs waterfalls and several short but very cold swims. Wearing helmets teams slipped, scrambled, swam, rock hopped and trekked down the creek. Exiting the gorge to the west is a real challenge and teams had to find a serious of check points on a steep spur that transported them to the small hinterland town of Witta and spectacular views over the Connondale and Blackall ranges.
Hells Bells teams ‘Not Known’, ‘Off Piste’ and ‘Blondes have more fun’ took an early lead and swapped places many times throughout the course. ‘What would Goggins do’ and ‘Shake and Bake’ were very fast on the Fairy Bells course and while New Zealand team ‘Dated Loaf and Pikelet’ were at the tail end after the first trek leg, experience, great navigation and strong mountain biking skills saw them quickly move through the field as the night descended.
The lead teams on the Mary River
Hell temporarily froze over in the late afternoon as many teams were surprised to be hit by a freezing and localised hail storm as the entered the first transition area. Many were thankful for the helmets that were mandatory gear for that leg.
Both Hells Bells and Fairy Bells courses then transition to a bike leg to head towards Kenilworth and then either a kayak and trek leg before heading to a local farm for a challenging rogaine leg for Hells Bells or straight to the farm for Fairy Bells.
For both courses the ride through Witta in the late afternoon was spectacular and featured a few navigational challenges along the way and some epic, and challenging downhills as team descended off the range and into the Mary River valley below. Most teams found their way but a nervous race directer watched with interest as several Hells Bells took an alternative route off the range into an area that he did not think was possible.
Patrons at The Kenilworth Hotel were amused as a procession of teams arrived and ordered drinks, and some even ordering dinner. With a very cold kayak leg ahead of them on the Mary River, perhaps more teams wished they’d taken advantage of the local hospitality before heading onto Mary River for a 12 km kayak leg on moving water.
The Kenilworth Hotel
The three transition areas in the Kenilworth area were buzzing with activity right through the night with kayak transfers, warm fires, a sausage size and some challenging activities between the kayak, trek and then farm based rogaine.
It was very exciting to have a strong youth contingent race with six youth teams and quite a few family teams race. It was also good to have three New Zealand teams cross the ditch to race in Australia.
The farm based rogaine, while short, was extremely challenging at night with steep hills, lantana and a herd of bemused cattle looking back at teams as they followed spurs, descended into gulleys and followed creek lines to collect up to six check points including two bonuses. This leg was a great opportunity for the good navigators to collect 1.5 hrs of bonus time for their teams whicj made a big difference in the final results.
Exiting the Mary River valley and farm, teams were confronted with the Delicia Track – a name many will never forget. Build in the late 19th century by an Indian road crew, this logging track climbs steeply out of the valley to Mapleton and teams pushed their way with bikes through the overgrown trail and up sections reasonable people would say is impossible.
‘Not Known’ Tim Boote, Elly Jackson, Klayten Smith, Angus Rodwell
Once back on top of the range and into the Mapleton National Park area teams had the option of collecting four check points and heading back the finish or a series of three bonus check points on the ‘Kureelpa Falls’ trails circuit. A 1.5 hour exercise that resulted in 3 hours of bonus time. Two Fairy Bells teams and six Hells Bells teams completed the full loop, securing their place at the top of the rankings while quite a few of the competitive teams collected at lease one of these bonuses.
The final kilometres of the course saw teams roll through town happy to be out of the bush and back to the finish line at the QCCC camp ground. The race director was berated severely for the nasty hike-a-bike although it is not clear if he listened at all.
With time bonuses up for grabs it was hard to know which teams had won initially as they crossed the line, but as they downloaded their results it was clear that ‘What would Goggins do’ had won Fairy Bells in 8:04:05 hrs with 4:30 hrs of bonuses beating their nearest rivals by just over one hour. Team ‘Not Known’ crossed the line around 3:00am and took a decisive win in Hells Bells in a time of 9:03:03 after time credits and bonuses.
HELLS BELLS – FULL COURSE
Mixed
Not Known
Blondes have more fun
Racing as I do
Female
Mountain Designs Wild Women
Raging Coconuts
Sisters and Blisters
Male
Off Piste
Yeah the Chatter
G.D.A.R
FAIRY BELLS – HALF COURSE
Mixed
Dated loaf and Pikelet
Three Good Knees
Red Pandas
Female
Just having fun
Wild Hearts and Dirty Boots
Walkie Talkies
Male
What Would Goggins Do?
Bruce
Shake and Bake
You can find the full results and review the tracking at www.hellsbells.com.au/live-tracking
The next adventure race from Wild & Co is ‘Top Dog 24’ in Canberra followed by ‘Buckleys 24’ in Victoria with details at www.topdog24.com.au and www.buckleys24.com.au
Hells Bells is part of the Adventure Racing World Series Oceania calendar.
IMPORTANT: GEOQUEST POSTPONED – UPDATE 5 AUG 2026
Due to a series of catastrophic weathers events, including over the weekend of 2-3 August that have impacted Gloucester, Barrington Tops, Forster, Taree and Bulahdelah and the surrounding area, Forestry Corp and NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service have been significantly set back in recovery works and maintained park closures. This means that GeoQuest cannot proceed as in a way that is safe and maintains the integrity of the event. We have spent the last 24 hours exploring alternative options and talking to experts, but due park closures, land slides, bridge washouts and the scale of the damage and number of tracks affected, we are not confident we could deliver a high quality, safe and fun Adventure Racing event in the time frame. We also need to be sensitive to the local community that has been severely impacted.
The event will instead be re-scheduled to 2026 when we are confident recovery works will be complete.
All entries will be fully credited to the GeoQuest 2026 or another Wild & Co event – several teams have already transferred their entry to Legend 2026 in South Australia and with Buckley's and Top Dog coming up there are several great options.
From our side, the course is an exciting one, the maps are ready, hats and race packs ready….we just need access to the National Parks and Forestry trails to race on.
And maybe with the extra time, and the fact that 2026 will be GeoQuest's 25th birthday, we can make this GeoQuest something really special!
The Legend Expedition Race to take on The Murray River – the third longest navigable in the world.
Image Ben Goode
The Legend expedition adventure race was launched by Wild&Co in 2023 as part of the Adventure Racing World Series. In the first race teams crossed the Alpine mountains, forests and lakes of the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales. In the second edition teams took on the on the rugged coastline and wild hinterland of the Great Ocean Road. For 2025 teams crossed alpine peaks and remote lakes in a journey through one of the last true wilderness areas on earth in Southern Tasmania.
These spectacular journey’s undertaken on bikes, on foot and in kayaks have taken teams on a much bigger journey, one that will cross the half way mark in 2026 on our journey around Australia.
The Legend Expedition race is held annually, with each race moving to a new location, in a new state, travelling around Australia with the 2026 race to be based in South Australia.
Adventure racing teams will have the chance to circumnavigate Australia, as Dixon explains; “At the closing ceremony of the 2023 event we asked competing teams where they’d like to race next. There was such a diverse range of responses from the south western tip of Western Australia to the deserts of central Australia, from the island tropics of far North Queensland to the forests of Tasmania.
“In order to deliver on our vision to establish The Legend Expedition Race as the quintessential Australian expedition race – one that sees teams competing in the toughest sport on the planet, in the most iconic locations in Australia, we realised we needed to do it all.
“’Doing a big lap’ of Australia is dream that many in Australia and around the world have, and the Legend Expedition Race will be a unique and exciting way to fulfil that dream.”
The 2026 race will take place from 18-25 April 2026, and entries are now open on the race website at: www.legendexpd.com.au
Water is precious in South Australia and the Mighty Murray River is at its heart. It feeds the vines, the orchards, the floodplains. It’s home to pelicans gliding low over the water, fishers waiting patiently for a bite and the Ngarrindjeri people, whose stories have been carried by these currents for thousands of years.
The Murray offers the chance to race in area which has never been used for an expedition adventure race before. Towering ochre cliffs, winding waterways and big open skies – some of the darkest on earth – this is a place made for exploring.
Race HQ will be 1 hour drive from Adelaide airport, and is a popular step off point for those wanting to explore South Australia.
Dixon said, ”The world’s great rivers have been the backbone of exploration and adventure since the dawn of time. As teams travel the Murray River they will discover, to quote Heraclitus, ‘No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.’
Adventure Racing World Series CEO Heidi Muller commented, “The ARWS has had an Australian expedition race in the calendar almost every year and Chris is carrying forward that great tradition. His vision to take The Legend to every Australian state is impressive and going from The Snowy Mountains to The Great Ocean Road, to Tasmania and now South Australia is a wonderful start! He is providing Australian racers with a unique opportunity to explore their country.”
The Legend format is a classic, non-stop 6 day adventure race involving trekking, mountain biking, kayaking and other adventure disciplines. The race is for teams of four and they must stay together and navigate their way unsupported through an epic 500+km course.
For those wanting to test out expedition racing there will also be a half course option next year. This will offer the same epic adventure and visit the most iconic locations, but teams will have the full 6 days to race half of the full course distance, allowing more inexperienced teams a greater chance of reaching the finish line.
RACE DETAILS
Date: 18-25 April 2026
Location: South Australia, Australia
Duration: 6 days / 500km & 250km (full and half course)
Entries: Open Now, Early Bird Ends 31 July
Team size: 2 or 4 person
Gold Coast 6hr 2025 Information Kit
Not long now...make sure you're properly equipped and ready to go!
With just under one week to go the event is shaping up to be an exciting one. The course is set, we're setting up HQ, placing CPs and packing the race packs. This email contains a few important reminders so please read carefully.
Important Documents
It's essential that you carefully read the information pack (click the image above or the link below) which includes all the important information you need, including the mandatory gear list. If you have questions please ask.
Wild&Co Adventure Racing: Partnership Request for Tender
Wild&Co is seeking partners to help deliver life changing experiences for people as they build their lives around outdoor adventure.
Wild&Co Adventure Racing events are a unique opportunity for brands to gain exposure to 2500+ adventurers over a full 12 month calendar of activity across 5 states.
Adventure Racing sees teams trail run, trek, kayak, mountain bike and navigate their way through some of the most beautiful and challenging landscapes across Australia.
Gear selection is critical to Adventure Racing success and sponsorship of Wild&Co’s events will place your products directly in the hands of people that will use and appreciate them most.
Sponsorship of the Wild&Co event calendar is an exciting opportunity to build authentic relationships with your market over a 12 month period in an environment where they will need you most.
WORKING WITH US ON:
Premium branded registration, start and finish line experience
Expert content advising gear selection for training and race day
Branded Bike, Trek, or Kayak legs and transitions
Nutrition advice for training and race day
Podium prizes, random draw prizes and gear samples for event packs
Testing and sampling gear as we travel the east coast developing courses
Race weekend video and photographic content featuring your brand and product being used in authentic ways
Technical support on race day with bike mechanic and wash down stations
Logistics support for races with 4x4 vehicles transporting gear
Search and rescue support for races with 4x4 vehicles for access, bike and gear racks and vehicle recovery gear
LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
At Wild&Co we believe in doing things well for a small group of partners that love adventure.
That’s why we’re offering a very limited number of partnership opportunities with exclusivity in each category.
1 x Presenting Partnership – $50,000 p/a
4 x Category Partnerships – $10,000 p/a
Supporting Partnerships – $5,000 p/a
The partnership prospectus can be downloaded here: WILD&CO PARTNERSHIP PROSPECTUS 2025
For more details and to set up a discussion please contact Chris Dixon on 0497 417 195 or email at chris@wldnco.com
IMPORTANT: SUNSHINE COAST 6hr 2025 POSTPONED
We’ve spend the morning on the course and in consultation with various land managers and unfortunately due to excessive rain over the last week and with more predicted, the Sunshine Coast 6hr 2025 has been postponed.
If the event were to proceed it would do significant damage to race HQ, the nearby parking areas, the kayak launch area and to the trails in parklands. And while Adventure Racing is not a fair weather sport, we do want to be responsible for our environmental impact and maintain good relationships with the land holders and permitting bodies.
The event will be held on a new date in June or July this year and all teams registered will just need to turn up to this event - no need to do anything. If the new date does not work for teams, a full credit will be available on request for any upcoming Wild&Co 6hr event in the next 12 months.
We will be in touch soon with the new date, in the meantime, enjoy the weekend off and keep training!
Chris
Northern Beaches 6hr Info Kit
The adventure just doesn't stop! It was very cool to drop the trailer near Lake Narrabeen this week and be reminded just how beautiful the Northern Beaches are. We loved delivering the Manly Dam event late last year and while we were there made sure we checked out a few extra spots for the future.
After working with the local council we're pretty excited to take the event to Deep Creek Reserve near Lake Narrabeen for race HQ – it gives us good access to the lake as well as some cool trails for trekking and on the mountain bike. And there's a few surprises along the way too (just be prepared to get wet!).
KEY DETAILS
Date: 22 March 2025
Location: Deep Creek Reserve, North Narrabeen, NSW, Australia
Duration: 6 hour event, full and half course
Entries: Still Time to Enter!
Team size: 2 person
Important Documents
It's essential that you carefully read the information pack (click the image above or the link below) which includes all the important information you need, including the mandatory gear list. If you have questions please ask.
Volunteers Needed
We'd love a few extra volunteers for the day – it's to help with registration and managing a Transition Area. We guarantee it's lots of fun and best of all you get free entry to a future 6hr race if you help. Please email Chris at chris@wldnco.com
Sunshine Coast 6hr 2025 Information Kit
Sunshine Coast 6hr – Hidden Valley, Gro Mad Plantations – 17 May 2025
The adventure just doesn't stop! It was great to be in Bli Bli and Yandina over the last few months and be reminded just how beautiful the area is. We loved delivering the Caloundra event last year and are excited to bring the 6hr series back to the coast for a third year running.
After working with the local national parks and mountain bike club we're pretty excited to take the event to Hidden Valley, next to Parklands– it gives us good access to water as well as some cool trails for trekking and on the mountain bike. Be warned, it's going to be wet and muddy so maybe pack an extra towel or two for the finish line!
KEY DETAILS
Date: 17 May 2025
Location: Hidden Valley, Gro Mad Plantations, Yandina Bli Bli Rd
Duration: 6 hour event, full and half course
Entries: Still Time to Enter!
Team size: 2 person
Important Documents
It's essential that you carefully read the information pack (click the image above or the link below) which includes all the important information you need, including the mandatory gear list. If you have questions please ask.
Volunteers Needed
We'd love a few extra volunteers for the day – it's to help with registration and managing a Transition Area. We guarantee it's lots of fun and best of all you get free entry to a future 6hr race if you help. Please email Chris at chris@wldnco.com
2025 Info Kit is ready!
One week to go...make sure you're properly equipped and ready to go!
NOTE – This information is only available to those team members who have their name registered with Wild & Co and who appear on the team list. Team captains – you may need to forward this to your other team members.
With just over a week to go the event is shaping up to be an exciting one. The course is set, we're setting up HQ, placing CPs and packing the race packs. This email contains a few important reminders so please read carefully!
Important Documents
It's essential that you carefully read the information pack (click the image above or the link below) which includes all the important information you need, including the mandatory gear list. If you have questions please ask.
Volunteers Needed
We're always after a few extra volunteers. We'd love to have you on board and have a free entry to a future event on offer to make it worth while!
Please get in contact at hello@wldnco.com
Paddle and PFD Hire
This year, Paddles and PFDs will only be provided as needed – if you would like to hire a paddle or a PFD please fill in the form here:
Paddle and PFD Hire
Team Broken Compass find their way to win The Legend Expedition Race in Tasmania
The third edition of the Legend Expedition adventure race delivered a wild and spectacular course in Southern Tasmania, with teams relishing a 500km course full of varied terrain and navigational challenge.
The winning team was Broken Compass AR (Aus), who crossed the finish line in Huonville after 83 hours and 50 minutes, and the final team over the line were the veteran racers of Team Goldfish after more than 135 hours of trekking, paddling and mountain biking. (This particular team uniquely used tandem mountain bikes!)
The Legend is Australia’s Qualifier race in the Adventure Racing World Series, and race organisers Wild&Co. have an ambitious plan to take the race to the most iconic and challenging outdoor locations in every state. Following races in the Australian Alps and through the coastal National Parks of The Great Ocean Road, it was the turn of Tasmania to show off its natural wonders to a worldwide audience of adventure racing fans.
The town of Huonville was a perfect race HQ from which to to access the many nearby National Parks, mountain, lakes, rivers and forests. Racers from Australia, USA, Scotland, South Africa, Hawaii and Ireland gathered for a week of Tasmanian adventure which would push them to their limits and allow them to step aside from the pressures and routine of their day-to-day lives.
Race Director Chris Dixon briefed the teams and issued the first set of maps just before the race began. Teams only received the maps for the first 4 stages, to keep up the intrigue and tension and they received the rest at Transition area 4, where they had to plan the second half of their race.
It was a colourful start as teams lined up in their orange kayaks beneath the Huonville Bridge for the opening 15km paddle stage, which took them down Huon river. A cycle stage then took them into the Hartz Mountains National Park for the first alpine trek of the race, a 12km stage where teams chose which order to collect 5 checkpoints. Many teams reached the summit of Hartz Peak (1254m) in time for a glorious sunset.
There was a second kayak on the Huon River, this time with some white water rapids teams could choose to run or portage and one of the key stages was the following 65km trek around Russell Ridge. Here teams had to collect 10 of 14 available checkpoints, so navigation and strategic route choices were crucial. Teams had cross a steep ravine to reach the memorable checkpoint V, taking anywhere from 1.5 to 6 hours to struggle down and back up again through trackless bush.
The stage teams were most nervous about was the paddle on the vast and remote Lake Pedder, where cross winds can quickly whip up the waters. While conditions were generally very good, it was extremely cold at night, exposed, and the route was shortened from 50 to 35km due to wind conditions. There were bonus checkpoints here with time credits as a reward, and two of these required leaving the kayaks for 3 hours and 1000m of trekking!
Before reaching the finish line there was more cycling on sweeping gravel fire trails through rich forest, another white water paddle, this time on the Derwent River, and one final and dramatic alpine ascent to the summit of Collin’s Bonnet (1250m). Dixon said, “We were very fortunate to have near perfect weather for the whole race and the only night it rained was Wednesday, but even so an alpine peak when the weather comes in at night is very challenging and Broken Compass battled heavy rain and zero visibility conditions on that final summit! Other teams were luckier and had panoramic views of large parts of the course.”
Broken Compass AR has made a very rapid rise through ARWS events to become a qualifier winner, which earns them a free place at the World Championships at Expedition Canada in September. The team only formed in 2021 as a male pair at the Wild&Co. Terra Nova race, where the novice racers came in last. By last year they had moved to a premier mixed team of 4 and on their first outing at Geoquest were 3rd placed mixed team. This was the first time Kathryn Morland raced with the team, and the first time she met them! Their first win soon followed, at the Hells Bells race, and then they took 4th place in the 2024 ARWS Oceania Championships at X-Marathon, all of which pushed them up to second in the ARWS Oceania rankings.
The team raced the first Legend as an all-male squad (3rd overall) and team member Nathan Munson raced The MAGNIficent ARWS Qualifier just over 5 weeks ago in New Zealand! After the race he said, “This race had everything I want in an expedition; we had white water paddling in the day and night, short, fast treks over big alpine country, massive route choice on some of the bigger legs, and a gorgeous paddle through Lake Pedder. Bring on Canada!”
The World Championship will be another big adventure for this upcoming team as it will be a first international race for Andrew Hay and Sean Johnson, and Morland has only competed in one ARWS qualifier outside of Australia, at Adventure Race Croatia. They will not be alone as five other Australian teams have entered the World Championships so far.
Outside the ARWS category there was close racing amongst the women’s teams, with last year’s overall winners, Mountain Design’s Wild Women being pushed all the way by Rootstock Racing (USA), who had ARWS Race Director Abby Perkiss in the team. (Her Endless Mountains Adventure Race will take place in Vermont in June.) The Wild Women held on to stay ahead of their rivals, but could not catch the female pair ‘Wonkey Donkeys’, who stepped up to race the full course after racing the half course at Legend last year and took an impressive 3rd place overall. The top male pair were ‘Keen Talkers’, and the top male team were ‘MOOR Southern Lights’ from Tasmania, where a strong adventure racing community is growing.
The next Legend race will be held somewhere in South Australia from Feb 21-28th 2026, and the next ARWS Qualifier race is Tierra Indomita Vulcania, happening now in the Andean mountains of Chile!
For more information see;
- https://www.legendexpd.com.au
- https://www.wldnco.com
- www.arworlderies.com
Time to be an Adventure Racing Legend in Tasmania
The Legend Expedition Race starts on Sunday March 2nd from the town of Huonville in Southern Tasmania and sees Adventure Racing World Series competition return to the island for the first time since the 2018 XPD race.
The race is staged by adventure experts Wild&Co, the largest adventure race providers in Australia, and the 3rd edition of The Legend follows previous races in the high summits of the Australian Alps and along the dramatic coastline of the Great Ocean Road.
Race Director Chris Dixon plans to take the race to the best outdoor locations in every state on an 8 year quest to circumnavigate the country. “I wanted to create a uniquely Australian expedition that sees teams competing in the toughest sport on the planet in the most iconic locations in Australia,” he said.
Huonville and Southern Tasmania will become part of The Legend next week, and there can be few better locations for a 500km, 6-day expedition race.
Dixon said, “As race HQ the town will be the step-off point for teams to a truly Tasmanian wilderness experience. The Legend course will take on rivers, coastlines, lakes and mountain trails for an epic adventure taking teams into what has been described as ‘one of the last true wilderness regions on Earth.”
As the course is kept secret until just before the start he can’t say more, but teams need only look at the map to see the potential for an incredible course. Situated on the broad Huon River, the town is surrounded by rich farmland, famed for its apple production, and overlooked in every direction by magnificent mountain ranges. There are three main National Parks and Reserves in the Huon Valley, all part of the vast Tasmanian World Heritage Wilderness Area. These include the Hartz Mountains National Park, Hastings Caves State Reserve, and the Southwest National Park. One peak overlooking the town is Mount Misery ... which may just appeal to the Race Director!
Teams do know the outline of the course (just not the location) and Dixon has warned them to be prepared for Tasmanian terrain and weather. “We’ve got four epic paddle legs on the course with flat water rivers and lakes, as well as white water on a couple of legs which could get quite exciting. There are six checkpoints above the tree line which could be very challenging depending on the weather and it goes without saying that there is going to be a few hills on the course.
“Perhaps the biggest test in Tasmania will be the weather – teams would be wise to pack plenty of extra layers and lean towards sleeping bags and tents rather than bothy bags and bivy sacks. Tasmanian weather can be some of the most challenging in the world and the long dark paddle legs and alpine crossings in past expedition races have been notoriously tough. It will take teams everything they have to get it done.”
Last year’s champions, The Mountain Designs Wild Women, are returning to defend their race title, lead by Kim Beckinsale, and they will hope to repeat their historic win, when they became the first all-female team to win an ARWS Expedition Race.
They will have some strong competition from the USA however as the Rootstock Racing team is another experienced and successful women’s team. They have twice won the female division of the USARA National Championship and are led by Abby Perkiss, who is an owner and Race Director of Rootstock Racing, and will stage her own ARWS Qualifier, The Endless Mountains Adventure Race, later this year.
Another ARWS Race Director is Morgan Coull, who will lead the MMI Adventure Racing Team, and who was on the second placed team last year. (He raced the XPD race 4 times and was also a finisher at Eco-Challenge Fiji.) MMI stands for Murraylands Multisport and later this year Morgan will be Race Director of the 24 hour Total Recon race, which will be the ARWS Oceania Championship race.
The highest placed team in the ARWS Oceania rankings is Team Broken Compass, who may be favourites amongst the Premier mixed teams of 4, who will be racing for the prize of a free place at the Adventure Racing World Championships in Canada later in the year. The team is currently #2 in the Oceania rankings, after a win at the Hells Bells race and third place at the 48 hour Mountain Designs Geoquest race. Expedition racing for 4 or 5 days non-stop is a different challenge of course, but Andrew Hay and Sean Johnson have experience from the first Legend race.
There are 9 premier mixed teams of 4 racing and other experienced squads include Kang Racing, who have taken part in the previous two Legend races, and Team Goldfish, who are already legends in Australian racing for their many XPD expedition races and for racing with a tandem mountain bike.
These experienced teams, and some new to expedition racing, will gather in Huonville from Friday, ready for registration on Saturday and the race will start at 10.30am on Sunday March 2nd. Teams will only find out the route and receive their maps a few hours before the start, and the race winners are expected to finish on Wednesday, with the course closing after 6 days on Saturday 8th.
ARWS CEO Heidi Muller will be there greet teams on the finish line alongside Dixon, and it’s a part of adventure racing she most enjoys. “Being on the ground at races and talking to the competitors is important to me,” she said, “and as I now live in Australia I couldn’t miss being at The Legend. Seeing the excitement and sense of achievement teams have on the finish line of an expedition race is the best part of my job, and I get to see old friends from around the world. I last saw Abby Perkiss cross a finish line at my race in Namibia, and now I will see her in Tasmania!”
There will be live satellite tracking so race fans can follow the teams and see the course, and links to this and other live coverage on @wldnco and @arworldseries can be found at https://www.legendexpd.com.au/live and www.arworldseries.com/live
The Legend is sponsored by Squirt Cycling Products, Wild Magazine and Fibril.
Canberra 6hr 2025 Information Kit is Live
Not long now...make sure you're properly equipped and ready to go!
With just one day to go the event is shaping up to be an exciting one. The course is set, we're setting up HQ, placing CPs and packing the race packs. This email contains a few important reminders so please read carefully.
Important Documents
It's essential that you carefully read the information pack (click the image above or the link below) which includes all the important information you need, including the mandatory gear list. If you have questions please ask.
Volunteers Needed
We'd love a few extra volunteers for the day – it's to help with registration and managing a Transition Area. We guarantee it's lots of fun and best of all you get free entry to a future 6hr race if you help. Please email Chris at chris@wldnco.com
