The Marysville Marathon Festival starts and finishes in the heart of Marysville, in the Yarra Ranges northeast of Melbourne. From town, the courses head out along the Steavenson River and up into cool Mountain Ash forest, on trails that range from gentle valley paths to steady mountain climbs.
The mountains around Marysville are known for towering trees, fern gullies and flowing water, and the iconic Steavenson Falls sits within reach of the course. Each distance shows a different side of the ranges: the shorter courses stay closer to the river, the longer ones climb higher for the views.
It’s a full weekend on the trails. From the Kids Dash and shorter run or walk distances to the Half Marathon, Marathon, 50km and 100km, there’s a distance for first-timers, families and experienced ultra runners, and the terrain rewards all of them. More than that, Marysville is a festival with a reason behind it. Runners, walkers, volunteers and locals all become part of a weekend that’s as much about the town as the trails.
The Marysville Marathon Festival is more than a trail running event. It’s tied to the story of the town itself. After the Black Saturday bushfires of 2009, which changed Marysville and the communities around it, local GP and ultra-runner Dr Lachlan Fraser imagined an event that would bring people back, reconnect them, and support a town set on rebuilding. It was never meant to be a one-off. It was built as a lasting annual event that would keep drawing visitors year after year, helping local businesses, community groups and volunteers while showing off the beauty of the region.
Today every runner, walker, volunteer and supporter becomes part of that story. Every entry helps the local community, every kilometre marks the resilience of those who rebuilt, and every visit adds something to Marysville’s future.
So when you’re on the start line, you’re part of something bigger than a race, a tradition born from adversity and carried on by a community that keeps welcoming the world back to Marysville. United We Run.
A short, fun run to get the youngest runners across their own finish line and into trail running.
A climbing challenge for those who want to test their legs against the mountain, with a King and Queen crowned at the top.
The 100km is the ultimate Marysville challenge, a full journey through the Yarra Ranges where every runner writes their own story of endurance.
Whether this is your very first trail event or you’re easing back into running, the 4km is a rewarding introduction to the Marysville trails for all experience levels.
A step up in distance through forest and along the river, long enough to test your rhythm, short enough to stay fast and fun.
For many runners, the half marathon is where confidence grows. Every climb conquered and every kilometre completed is another step in your own trail running journey.
The trail marathon is an achievement few forget. Every ascent, descent and finish line becomes part of a story earned through commitment, resilience and adventure.
The 50km is where preparation meets possibility. Reaching the finish is more than completing an ultramarathon, it’s discovering just how far determination can take you.
A weekend of trails that start in town and head out along the Steavenson River into the forests and mountains around Marysville.
Runners will experience:
From the Kids Dash to the 100km, every distance shares the same rivers, forest and mountains.
| Distance | Check-in | Briefing | Race Start |
|---|---|---|---|
| KidsDASH | 3:00pm | 3:15pm | 3:30pm |
| KQOM | 14KQOM - 2:00pm | 2:45pm | 3:00pm |
| 7KQOM - 3:00pm | 3:45pm | 4:00pm | |
| 100KM | 10-12hr 50km - 7:00pm | 7:45pm | 8:00pm |
| 8-10hr 50km - 9:00pm | 9:45pm | 10:00pm | |
| 6-8hr 50km - 11:00pm | 11:45pm | 12:00am |
| Distance | Check-in | Briefing | Race Start |
| 50KM | 6:00am | 6:45am | 7:00am |
| 42KM | 7:00am | 7:45am | 8:00am |
| 21KM | 8:00am | 8:45am | 9:00am |
| 10KM | 9:00am | 9:45am | 10:00am |
| 4KM | 10:00am | 10:45am | 11:00am |
Gallipoli Park
Marysville VIC
The festival is based at Gallipoli Park in the centre of Marysville, in the Yarra Ranges under two hours from Melbourne. The town sits among some of Victoria’s tallest Mountain Ash forest, with the Steavenson River running through it and Steavenson Falls a short distance away. Rebuilt after the 2009 bushfires, Marysville has become one of the state’s favourite mountain towns to visit, and to run.
Download the official Marysville course maps for every distance, from the Kids Dash to the 100km. Each map shows the full route, elevation and key landmarks around Marysville.
The Marysville Marathon Festival is the fifth and final event in the Trailsplus Mountain Series, five trail running events across some of Victoria’s most distinctive destinations. Each has its own history, terrain and character, from the mountain forests of Marysville to the granite peaks of the You Yangs and the waterfalls of the Otways. Take on a single event, or follow the journey across all five.
Trailsplus has now contributed more than $90,000 to Canteen Victoria thanks to the support of runners, volunteers and the wider trail running community.
As a thank you, volunteers can earn race entry credits to use towards a future Trailsplus event. After volunteering, simply contact us when you’re ready to enter your next race and we’ll provide a discount code for your entry.
