Community & Business
28 January, 2026
One year of fitness and fun
ONE year of community fitness and fun was celebrated in style when Mareeba Parkrun had its first birthday recently.
Over 100 people, with many dressed in vibrant party outfits, turned out for Mareeba Rail Trail Parkrun’s anniversary on 17 January.
Attendees danced the Macarena on the way to the start line and afterwards enjoyed a sausage sizzle and bananas on offer from Mareeba Lions Club, as well as birthday cake and icy poles, courtesy of the Black Cockatoo Foundation.
Another special moment on the day saw volunteer coordinator Joan celebrate her 50th volunteer milestone. She spoke fondly of seeing people challenge themselves, sharing smiles on the trail, and building friendships.
The weekly 5km event officially launched on 18 January 2025 and in just twelve short months has grown into a positive and friendly gathering that brings together locals, visitors and volunteers every Saturday morning.
Event director Dr Nathan Walmsley played an instrumental role in bringing the event to town, working closely alongside the late Kevin Davies and Jared Hohns to turn an idea into a reality.
Mareeba Parkrun has now firmly established itself as a Saturday morning favourite. Across 53 events in its first year, there have been 912 individual participants, with an average of 75 people each week. Participants range from babies and toddlers in prams to seniors in their 80s.
Runners, joggers and walkers all take part, with some completing the full 5km and others enjoying just a lap or two.
The event has also put Mareeba on the global Parkrun map. Alongside local participants, there have been visitors from Europe, South Africa, the USA, Asia, and New Zealand. There have also been tourist Parkrunners from every state in Australia.
Although Parkrun is not a race, personal achievements are celebrated, with 803 personal bests being recorded to date. The average finish time across all participants was 40m 14s.
Committee member Jared Hohns said the event would not be made possible without its many volunteers.
“We’ve been supported by 113 volunteers. Frank and Miriam from Atherton have been invaluable mentors throughout the year, supporting the team while learning new roles. None of this would be possible without all of them,” he said.
Mr Hohns was also very happy with the event’s success so far and is excited to see what the future holds.
“As Mareeba Parkrun celebrates its first birthday, it stands as a shining example of what a community can achieve together,” he said.
“Countless friendships have been formed and thousands of kilometres covered. The future looks bright for this much-loved weekly event.
“Here’s to many more years of Saturday mornings filled with movement, connection and smiles on the Mareeba Rail Trail.”
