WHERE TO RUN: SOUTH AUSTRALIA, WESTERN AUSTRALIA AND THE NT
Adelaide is an excellent running destination. With less traffic and an abundance of state parks and bushy areas in close proximity to the city, Adelaide runners have an abundance of choice on a daily basis.
In the immediate vicinity of the city, the River Torrens and connected parkland near the University of Adelaide provides an excellent option for locals and tourists in the area. Yet travel just 15 minutes out of the CBD and you'll find an array of excellent trails with sublime views of the city and ocean.
For the trail enthusiasts, Belair National Park, Cleland Conservation Park and Sturt Gorge, are home to rugged trails that earn you excellent views across Adelaide.
"Australian landscape in Belair National Park, Adelaide" by Philip Mallis is licensed under CC BY 2.0
For more accessible options, the recently opened Happy Valley Reservoir encompasses an 11km loop suited to runners and walkers.
Alongside Happy Valley, a lesser known destination just under an hour from the Adelaide CBD is Kuitpo Forest.
The smell of fresh pine and runnable off-road tracks is appealing to many Adelaide running enthusiasts.
Beyond Adelaide, the Eyre Peninsula provides an impressive array of coastal tracks and roads amidst barren, desert-like landscapes.
Western Australia
Kings Park is an excellent running spot close to the centre of Perth, but travel a not too far distance from the CBD and you have options in abundance.
Lake Monger, just north of the city, provides an easy 3.5km loop for runners, walkers and the like.
"Perth CBD from Lake Monger" by Martin Lopatka is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Just before you reach City Beach, you’ll find Bold Park. Home to an impressive array of native wildlife and plants, the park includes hilly yet well groomed trails suited for any distance you’re keen to run.
Within Bold Park, the Zamia Trail is a popular loop for locals that encompasses a 5km loop, taking in a few hills along the way.
For the trail runners out there, Helena National Park has rugged trails in abundance. About half an hour out of the city, you’ll forget you're near an urban sprawl in no time.
The park features a mass of native plants and encompasses a section of the Bibbulum Track, which extends over 1000km between Albany and Perth.
South of Perth, Margaret River has a solid trail network featuring both coastal and bushland environments.
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory would appear to provide a harsh environment to running, yet the famous Larapinta Trail is on the bucket list of so many walkers and runners.
An extraordinary 223km long, the trail begins near Alice Springs before traversing the West MacDonell Ranges. ‘Run Larapinta’ is a four-day stage race covering over half of the trail.
