Bushwalk Australia

Hello there

Every year for my birthday (in mid December) I do a run to match my age - this year I am turning 42 and therefore am looking to do a 42km run. I train for it, and make sure I have all of the necessary food and fluids to sustain that distance (I am a middle distance trail runner, so I have experience with that kind of thing).

I will be staying at Kings Beach for the week of my birthday. I was planning to do a section of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk, or a section of the Cooloola Great Walk as a backup, neither of which I have done before. Both are closed due to fire risk.

I am at a loss of a decent place where I can go running, and I am hoping to ask you experts for advise or options.

Here is what I am hoping for:
- Somewhere driving distance (1 - 2 hours) from Kings Beach
- Isn't currently closed due to fire risk.
- Decently sized, at least 20km+ one way. It doesn't matter if it's longer, since I always have the option to start at one end, run 21km and turn around and return, therefore making the distance.
- Has terrain suited for running. It doesn't matter if there are elevations, so long as they aren't too excessive (i.e anything up to 2000m of accumulated elevation is fine)
- It reasonably marked or doesn't have too many options to run the wrong way - I will download gps topography, of course, however runs are always better when I don't have to second guess myself and constantly check that I might be going the wrong way.

I don't mind coastal tracks or mountain tracks, either a fine.

Does anyone have any suggestions?
Many thanks all.

Wrong side of Brissy but Springbrook NP, Warrie circuit with Pinnacle side trip...x2 twice.
17km+3km.
I've seen joggers using it as a training circuit.

The problem you'll face is fire risk closures. Last week I had to turn a planned SEQ/northern NSW bush walking trip into a 'strolling around looking at historical stuff and planning for next time' trip because of all the (completely justified) closures. As ofuros says Springbrook is open, and Lamington NP is also open at the Green Mountains Section from O'Reilly to Wanungara.
You could maybe map out a run from O'Reilley's to Wanungara on the Border Track, return via the Albert River Circuit back to the BT, then detour firstly to the Forestry Cairn and back, then down and up to Blue Pool to make up the ks? Or something similar; I haven't done the maths but you could probably plan a nice 42km km run through there if you were happy to zigzag a bit. The Toloona Circuit is also open, though some of it is a bit sketchy for running purposes.
Unfortunately it's not a good time for exploring SEQ at the moment

Thank you for the replies

There are plenty of options in D'Aguilar National Park:

https://www.npsr.qld.gov.au/parks/daguilar/about.html

Some closures currently listed until 5th December:
https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/park-alerts/17444.html

But also plenty of options listed there that are currently available for access. One of those, McAfee's Lookout is about 90 mins from King's Beach, and very popular with trail runners:

https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/King ... 288717!3e0

If you want some specific suggestions for loops, Strava activities etc, join the Brisbane Trail Runners Facebook group. Plenty of very helpful people in there, for whom D'Aguilar is their backyard:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/brisbanetrailrunners/