MarathonOpening Soon

Coffs Harbour Running Festival

September 12, 2027 · 6:00 AMCoffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia

Save

Race snapshot

Race Day

57°F

50–72°F · Feels cool

Total elevation gain

492ft

Relatively flat course · Net elevation change +0 ft

Crowd Rating

5/ 10

Good crowd energy

The Lowdown

The Coffs Harbour Running Festival is organised by the Rotary Club of Coffs Harbour, and its entry fees go back to local charities and community groups. The marathon starts at 6:00am on the Village Green at Coffs Harbour Showground and loops through the Botanic Gardens, the Jetty foreshores, Vost Street and the Hogbin Drive underpass, passing the Showground twice. Runners are released in small groups every minute, and chip time counts, except for the overall podium, which is decided on gun time. Cut-offs are 2 hours 45 minutes at 17.5 km, 4 hours 30 minutes at 32.3 km and 6 hours for the full course. Water stations offer water, electrolytes, cola, ginger beer and salted chips. The festival runs five other distances on the same morning, and about 2,500 people took part in 2026. It is currently known as the C.ex Group Coffs Harbour Running Festival, with HQB as the marathon sponsor.

Previous edition results — 2026

Course Highlights: 01Coffs Harbour Showground – start and finish on the Village Green
02Botanic Gardens – passed three times, at 2.8 km, 25.1 km and 35.0 km
03Coffs Harbour Jetty – foreshore water stations at 9.7 km and 14.3 km
04Vost Street – water station passed three times on the loops
05Hogbin Drive Underpass – water station passed three times on the loops
06Coffs Creek Walkway – tree cover here can affect GPS accuracy
Also on this race weekend: Half marathon · 10K · 5K
Time Limit: 6 hours

Minimum Age: 18 years
Entry Methods: Online entry through the festival website, opening 9:00am on 30 January 2027.
Online entries close 5:00pm Friday 10 September 2027, with no late entries on 11 or 12 September.
Anyone who deferred a 2026 entry receives an early access code one week before general entries open.
Eligibility: Minimum age for the marathon is 18 years.
Cancellation & Refund Policy: No refunds on entry fees or merchandise.
Entries can be deferred to the 2028 event until 5:00pm on 10 September 2027.
Entries can be transferred to another runner free of charge until 5:00pm on 10 September 2027.
Upgrading to a longer distance requires paying the price difference; no refunds for moving to a cheaper event.

01: Organised by the Rotary Club of Coffs Harbour; more than $600,000 has gone back to the local community since 2011.
02: Entry fee includes the bib and safety pins, and every finisher receives a medal.
03: The 1 km Kids Run/Walk is free to enter.
04: Runners are released from the start in groups every minute; chip time counts, but overall podium places use gun time.
05: Marathon cut-offs: 2 hours 45 minutes at 17.5 km, 4 hours 30 minutes at 32.3 km, 6 hours overall.
06: Marathon record: men 2:46:50 (Sam Mcallister, 2025); women 2:52:20 (Haruki Ogasawara, 2026).
07: Used running shoes can be handed in at bib collection for recycling.

Questions about the Coffs Harbour Running Festival 2027

When is the Coffs Harbour Running Festival 2027?

Sunday, September 12, 2027.

Where is the Coffs Harbour Running Festival?

Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia.

What time does the Coffs Harbour Running Festival start?

The race starts at 6:00 AM, local time.

What is the Coffs Harbour Running Festival time limit?

6 hours.

How do I enter the Coffs Harbour Running Festival 2027?

Registration has not opened yet. Jan 30, 2027: Entries open. Sep 10, 2027: Online entries close. Ways in: Online entry through the festival website, opening 9:00am on 30 January 2027; Online entries close 5:00pm Friday 10 September 2027, with no late entries on 11 or 12 September; Anyone who deferred a 2026 entry receives an early access code one week before general entries open.

How much does the Coffs Harbour Running Festival 2027 cost?

Marathon Entry: A$99.

When and where is packet pickup for the Coffs Harbour Running Festival?

Sep 11, 2027: 1:00pm to 5:00pm at the Exhibition Hall, Coffs Harbour Showground.

What is the Coffs Harbour Running Festival elevation gain?

150 m (492 ft) of total elevation gain. Net elevation change: +0 m (0 ft). Relatively flat course.

What is the Coffs Harbour Running Festival course like?

It passes Coffs Harbour Showground, Botanic Gardens and Coffs Harbour Jetty.

What is the weather like at the Coffs Harbour Running Festival?

Race-day temperatures are usually 10–22 °C (50–72 °F). Feels cool.

Where are the Coffs Harbour Running Festival results?

The official 2026 results are on the organizer's site. Official results

Prepare for This Race

Pace CalculatorPlan splits for marathon Race PredictorPredict your marathon time BQ CalculatorCheck BQ time for marathon Fuel PlannerPlan nutrition for marathon, cool weather Difficulty Analyzer492ft gain, 57°F avg, marathon Training PacesTraining zones for marathon

Running this race?

MarathonOS puts your race countdown on your Lock Screen and keeps every race-week checklist on your phone. Checklists and your race report are free for your first race.

Scan to download

Community

Stories, tips, and race-day snapshots from runners who have tackled this course.

Community Reviews

Learn from fellow runners and share insights that will help the next person toe the line.