Running To Keep The Pilliga Wild

“There is no better way to appreciate the beauty of a place than to explore it on foot and the Pilliga Ultra allows you to do this with the added bonus of being surrounded by beautiful people who share your admiration for natural wild places. I've found my tribe.” - Pilliga Ultra Runner

In September, For Wild Places hosted their flagship trail running event, The Pilliga Ultra. Organised by a full female team, this event was a celebration of the beauty and biodiversity of the Pilliga Forest, and brought 160 runners and hikers from across the country together, to learn about and appreciate sacred Gomeroi Country.

Pilliga Pottery and Barkala Farm, where the event took place, is 5000 ha, which equates to 1% of the Pilliga Forest. All of the single tracks were created by local Tamworth bushwalker Kerry Lowe over 18 years and many of the trails had not been stepped on since the 2022 event due to their remoteness.

ABOUT THE PILLIGA

• It’s sacred to the Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people and rich in cultural sites.
• The forest is 500,000 hectares in size, and is the largest inland forest in eastern Australia
• The Pilliga is a biodiversity hotspot—home to at least 300 native animal species and more than 900 plant species.
• Underneath its rare eucalypt forests lie recharge zones for the Great Artesian Basin—one of the largest groundwater sources in the world.
• The Pilliga is a critical refuge for threatened species such as the koala, squirrel glider, Pilliga Mouse, glossy-black cockatoo and barking owl.

THREATS TO THE PILLIGA 

• Fossil fuel company Santos is planning to drill 850 coal seam gas wells into the ancient landscape of the Pilliga Forest. The Narrabri Gas Project would be 38 times the size of the City of Sydney, making it the largest, by land area, ever proposed in NSW.
• Traditional Owners and local communities are steadfastly against the Narrabri Gas Project.  Gomeroi traditional owners are currently up against Santos in the Native Title Tribunal, trying to prove that if the project goes ahead, it will have a negative impact on climate change to the general population.

50% of event profits will go towards supporting local initiatives to bring more people to the Pilliga, and keep it wild. Be a part of the next Pilliga Ultra, head here to sign up for updates.