From the summit of kunanyi / Mount Wellington, 1,271 metres above Hobart, visitors will find a view that seems to stretch halfway across the island. With its peppermint gums, alpine fields, ferny gullies and patchwork of exposed dolerite, it’s easy to see why this is a nature-loving runner’s paradise. It’s known simply as “the mountain” to locals. Lincoln Quilliam, the founder of kunanyi Mountain Run, set out to invite others to share in everything it has to offer.
Photograph: Alastair Bett
Quilliam has put more kilometres on his running shoes than most of us would in several lifetimes, but it was a slow burn. The Tasmanian-born ultramarathoner left home at 17 to see the world, first as a passionate snowboarder, then an alpine climber. He didn’t discover his love of running until he took some faster steps along the Kokoda Track with mates – an experience that was, he says, a “lightbulb moment” that sparked a passion for trail running.
“I was born and bred in Hobart, in the foothills of the mountain, so I grew up adventuring,” Quilliam says. “I learnt a lot about falling in creeks, falling out of trees, riding my little bike, and just grew to love the mountain.”
When he returned to Tasmania years later, it was with fresh eyes. Now, he saw kunanyi for its diverse landscapes, its stories and its culture – a new adventure awaited.
A mountain run unlike any other
Quilliam envisaged kunanyi Mountain Run as a festival celebrating Hobart’s mountain culture and its ancient connection to palawa (Tasmanian Aboriginal) culture.
Last year, about 1,000 entrants flocked from around Australia to participate. The main event is the solo ultramarathon, which climbs 66km to the summit via the Myrtle Gully, Organ Pipes and Zig Zag tracks, then brings runners home via the knife-edged Cathedral Rock Track and Waterworks Reserve.
But beginners are also welcome, on a 9km stretch through the foothills. “It gives you a beautiful taste of the mountain’s diversity, even within a couple of kilometres of Cascade Brewery – from the dry ridgelines to the ferny gullies and waterfall creeks,” Quilliam says “We designed the course so you start with an iconic vista: the brewery with the mountain behind.”
Culture, connection and kunanyi
The kMR, as it’s known, is as much about connecting with the ancient traditions of the land as it is about running.
Photograph: Wilkography
Each run begins with a traditional smoking ceremony, which in 2023 was conducted by palawa man Nathan Pitchford. Quilliam describes the ceremony as “a cleansing that puts runners in a new or different state of mind”. The 2023 festival also included a Story Place that hosted films, discussion panels, music and storytelling from palawa (Tasmanian Aboriginal) people, as well as guided walks, morning yoga, breathwork and a live music sound bath.
“We want to draw out the stories that the mountain has, and share culture around those stories,” Quilliam says. “Trail runners generally like to learn a bit about or connect with the place that they’re running with. We uniquely, in the trial running scene, lead our festival with culture, and particularly palawa culture. So, opening up to that connection and running with the mountain on its terms.”
Quilliam’s top five spots for a trail run … or a great walk
“The mental health benefits of exercising are known,” Quilliam says, “but in the bush, having that connection to nature whilst you’re having those endorphins going on … it’s next level.”
Tasmania is a wonderland of potential adventures, for beginners and seasoned pros alike, he says. Whether you’re looking for a place to get your heart rate up, or have your heart stolen by picture-perfect landscapes, Quilliam has a trail for you.
Photographs (top to bottom): Piotr Babis, Andrew Wilson, Gareth Hinds.
Arthur River
3½ hours’ drive north-west of Launceston
Tasmania’s westernmost town is Arthur River, also known as the Edge of the World. It’s named after the wild river that connects the mountains to the sea. The area is rich in First Nations history; Quilliam says visitors may see seal hides and hut depressions as they move through the landscape. It’s a destination for every outdoorsy person, with temperate rainforest that attracts native wildlife including Tasmanian devils and sea eagles.
Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach
Freycinet National Park – two hours south-east of Launceston and 2 hours 45 minutes north-east of Hobart
While Tasmania’s west coast is wild and rugged, the east coast is famous for its pristine beaches, orange lichen-covered granite boulders and freshly caught seafood. Here, you will find the Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach circuit. Beginning at Wineglass Bay car park, with the backdrop of granite monoliths known as the Hazards, the 11km circuit takes in Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach before ascending through she-oak forests and seasonal creeks.
Overland Track
Cradle Mountain – two hours from Launceston
Cradle Mountain is an iconic destination for all sorts of travellers, including those who come from around the world to complete the Overland Track. Over six days and 65km (one way), walkers and trail runners take in some of the country’s most remote alpine wilderness before arriving at Lake St Clair. With optional side trips to cascading waterfalls and mountain summits, and a potential extra day hiking through rainforest around Australia’s deepest lake, this is a serious journey.
Enchanted Walk
Cradle Mountain – two hours from Launceston
Suitable for walkers of every age, this is the perfect way for beginners, families and groups to take in stunning Cradle Mountain. It’s easy to see how the Enchanted Walk got its name: you’ll meander alongside a cascading creek, and through mossy forest soundtracked by birdsong and home to wombats and pademelons. In the colder months, life beneath the canopy becomes even more magical – look a little closer at seasonal, colourful fungi and you might just spot a fairy wonderland.
Three Capes Track
Port Arthur Historic Site – 90 minutes from Hobart
For the wild at heart, the Three Capes Track offers 48km of cliff trekking on Tasmania’s far south-east coast. Here, the ocean is all that separates you from Antarctica. Beginning and ending in Port Arthur, visitors spend four days taking in extraordinary landscapes, with overnight stays in environmentally sensitive cabins.
