When sitting in the Kuranda Skyrail, with her a first child sitting on her lap, five months pregnant, with her second child in 2006, Race Director Shona Stephenson was inspired to discover a trail-ultra course connecting Cairns to Port Douglas through the World Heritage Listed Wet Tropics Area.

She’s yet to run her first race…..

Our Mission - Trail Run Australia - Cairns To Port Trail Ultra

Create world class trail running events that facilitate life changing experiences for our participants.

“It has to be done.”

— Shona Stephenson Race Director Brisbane Trail Ultra and Cairns to Port Douglas Trail Ultra

Intrinsic motivation drives us.

Why? Why must it be done? How do we know we can run a trail ultra an event? This is the question that all trail ultra runners ask themselves when they race their first ultra. Why do it?

Only by completing the ultra can we really answer that question. Something from within drives us, telling us we must do it otherwise we will won’t be able to rest until our goal is completed. This is what drove Race Director Shona Stephenson to race in 2007, a fun run, like most mothers trying to lose weight after having her children. This then spurred to run her first trail event in 2008, her first marathon in 2009, her first trail ultra in 2010, to become the Australian Ultra Runners Association (AURA) Long Course Trail Running National Champion in 2013, to become ranked 8th in the World in 2014, after finishing top 10 at the Ultra Trail Mt Blanc (UTMB), Ultra Trail Mt Fuji (UTMF), Tarawera Ultra, Ultra Trail Australia (UTA), to become the three time winner of the Blackall 100 and current record holder with 10:59:59. This is just to name a few events. Other notable wins, Northbourne 100 Mile, Hakuba International Trails 50km, Great Ocean Walk, Surf Coast Century, Great North Walk 100km and a prestigious 9th Place at the Mont Blanc Marathon.

We travelled the world to experience trail heaven

After experiencing the best of the globes trail running in 2013 Shona was inspired to develop a world class event in Australia. The ethos of finding the most beautiful trails, that were technically challenging in terrain and elevation gain and loss with as many views as possible to reward the trail runner at the top of each climb and having an amazing finish line experience is what makes an event unique. We run to experience trail heaven. To give and receive trail love.

We seek adventure through travel

Trail-ultra runners are driven by the quest to experience the new. Our curiosity to discover new places, challenge ourselves to ask ourselves, how long will that take to run from Cairns to Port Douglas? Is what motivates us to set short, medium and long term goals. A trail ultra running event that is only fifteen minutes away from an international airport is unheard of in many other trail running events around the world and is what makes the Cairns to Port Douglas Trail Ultra so special. The ease of logistics is a huge attraction for the international trail ultra running adventurer. The views have to be amazing and the destination worth it. Cairns, Port Douglas, Wet Tropics World Heritage Listed Area, and the Great Barrier Reef are worth the flights, the kms and also a great place to bring a family.

We are all in this together - A community of solidarity

Trail ultra running can at times be a dangerous sport, we push our bodies and minds to the limits across challenging terrain, the comradery that trail ultra runners have with each other is unique to the sport and is what forges life long friendships. We experience the hardships and the heaven together. This feeling of solidarity is universal and connects each of us with the international trail running community. No matter what language you speak or where you come from when out on the course we all are in this together.

We are athlete focused

A course that is designed with the athlete in mind, from the descents, to the ascents, check point locations, with full medical support and utilising the technology with GPS trackers. We have qualifying requirements for our athletes to complete before they race our events to ensure their athletic ability and to increase the enjoyment of the athlete on our course.

Trail Run Australia Events