City of Hobart supporting kunanyi/Mt Wellington diversity

Published on 24 March 2023

The amazing community asset that is kunanyi/Mt Wellington will again be on display this weekend for the kunanyi Mountain Run.

Barely a week after the City of Hobart opened family friendly mountain bike tracks on kunanyi, the mountain will host more than 800 trail runners for the second running of this event.

The City of Hobart has contributed $50,000 towards the kunanyi Mountain Run through an Events Partnership Grant.

As well as highlighting the useability and proximity of the mountain to Hobart, this event is also an economic stimulator with 25 per cent of competitors coming from outside of Tasmania.

Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said this was another event showcasing the diversity of experiences the City’s bushland reserves have to offer.

“What other Capital City has more than 100km of bushland tracks and trails so close to their doorstep?” Cr Reynolds said.

“We invest significant resources into ensuring our bushland reserves are places where people can disconnect from the city and connect with nature by taking a run, walk or mountain bike ride on one of our great tracks in a beautiful landscape.

“People experience and embrace our bushland, including the mountain, in all manner of ways, and it is our job to help give people these experiences while respecting the natural, cultural and Aboriginal heritage.

“We are doing that by creating better connections within the recreational track network - through our Riding the Mountain bike plan and renewing sections of the Zig Zag Track, which takes trail runners and walkers to the top of the mountain.”

Healthy Hobart Portfolio Chair, Councillor Louise Elliot said the kunanyi Mountain Run was an amazing sporting, community and culture event and a great way to celebrate the beauty and escape the mountain provides.

“We hope this event encourages more Hobartians to get out on the trails, connect and enjoy nature, and improve their health and wellbeing and strengthen community cohesiveness,” Cr Elliot said.

kunanyi Mountain Run founder, and Run Director, Lincoln Quilliam said the City of Hobart was the event’s biggest supporter.

“Council supports us in so many ways, from helping to maintain the tracks and trails, to supporting us at our aid stations dotted across the mountain,” Mr Quilliam said

“The significant financial contribution is helping to put on our cultural festival and it simply wouldn’t be possible without the support of the City of Hobart.”

He said the event was more than just a running race as it included a cultural program providing an open and supported opportunity for palawa to share culture and stories with runners, their support crew and the broader nipaluna/Hobart community, on their terms.

“We’re also really stoked that the Bushcare team will be at our runHub and will provide an opportunity for runners and festival goers to connect and give back to the land,” he said.