GRAMPIANS PEAKS TRAIL 100 MILER

The GPT100 Miler is a true Australian wilderness experience. The newly-established world class Grampians Peaks Trail is 98% single-track, traversing the entirety of the Gariwerd/Grampians mountain range from Mt. Zero in the north to Dunkeld in the south. The point-to-point course is a grand journey through ever-evolving rocky outcrops and ridgelines, demanding respect and for the runner to be fully present with their surroundings. The course offers expansive panoramic views of the incredibly biodiverse, culturally significant area which the Djab Wurrung and Jardwadjali indigenous people have called home for the last 20’000 years. You’ll know you’re in Gariwerd, when you feel it.

A selection of different distance options, stage race and relay options provide a wide range of opportunities for runners of differing abilities to experience Gariwerd. The star race is the GPT 100 Miler, journeying 162km from Mt. Zero to Dunkeld, climbing and descending a significant 7700m+/-. The race commences on an infamous climb up an imposing rock slab, before climbing underneath the towering deep orange and red striped rock of the world famous Taipan Wall, heralding that an Australian experience like no other is underway.

Despite the race only being two years old, it is already earning a reputation as one of the most relentless, beautiful, technical 100 milers across the globe. Much of the journey goes through remote wilderness areas, where the rocky trail is a welcomed source of safety. There is a real sense of connection to nature and place, which brings hikers and trail runners back to the area time and time again.

For locals and visitors alike, the Grampians/Gariwerd region offer a chance to slow down, reconnect with themselves, their surroundings and others. Australian flora and fauna thrive here. You’ll encounter iconic Australian wildlife such as the Kangaroo, Emu, Echidna, Kookaburra, Wallaby and more very close to the race hubs of Halls Gap and Dunkeld. When night-time falls, it’s common to find them roaming the main-street, which is a truly unique close-up experience to be remembered forever.

The Grampians/Gariwerd region is also home to world-class food and wine, the perfect way to recover from what truly is the journey of a life-time. The Grampians Peaks Trail celebrates some of the finest natural wonders found in Victoria, and no matter how challenging the journey, inspiration is all around you, just pause and appreciate the incredible surroundings. It is the combination of the immense beauty, and physical intensity this race requires, that keeps runners coming back to the area. The experience is difficult to put into words, but it is a shared experience that bonds participants of the GPT100 together forever.

Past winners of the race include Lucy Bartholomew, Sange’ Sherpa, Kellie Angel and Michael Dunstan. World-class trail runner Max King recently referred to the race as the toughest 100 miler he had raced to date.