This year’s Marathon starts at Linton township and finishes at Ballarat Railway Station. The 42km route is almost completely along the Skipton Rail Trail with the last 8 km skirting Lake Wendouree and making its way through Ballarat streets to the station.  Although the walk is primarily for members of the Essendon Bushwalking Club and of the Great Dividing Trail Association, walkers from other clubs and from the general community are most welcome to take part.

The walk is divided into 7 stages of between about 4.5 and 8 km in length, and walkers are able to join or leave the walk at any of these intermediate points. Support cars follow the walk to carry walkers’ food, water and extra clothing, and are available for transport for any walker who wishes to not walk any stage or stages, or to retire from the walk.

We meet at Ballarat Rail Station at 7-15 am SHARP and a bus takes us from there to the starting point at Linton. Walkers’ cars are left at Ballarat to be immediately available at the end of the walk. It is not practical for anyone to drive to the walk start point and leave their car there unless they have some way of getting back there after the walk finishes at 8-30pm. This is not encouraged as it is preferred that everyone travels on the bus.

 

Please DO NOT BRING solid car fridges or similar to store your food in the support cars.  If you want to keep food and drink cold, use collapsible containers which take up less space.

 

A post-walk dinner is held at the conclusion of the event and all walkers,families, friends and support crews are cordially invited to take part in this. The dinner is at 9 pm at the Queen’s Head Hotel, Humffray St North, Ballarat.

 

Costs:

Bus fare, support car and miscellaneous expenses: $13

Visitor Fee for non-members of Essendon Bushwalking Club $5

Dinner (optional) (one course with choice of 3 meals) $17

 

Please click on the button at the foot of the page to access Marathon Application/Payment form.

Form should be printed, completed and mailed or handed with payment to Ray Scilley at the address on the form.

 

PLEASE NOTE:  Cheques, etc, are to be made payable to Ray Scilley.

 

 

 

                                        

2010 Great Divide Marathon - Sat November 6