Dandenong Runners Target April Half Marathon at Stadium

The South East Running Festival 2026 is scheduled for Sunday, 19 April 2026, at Dandenong Stadium and will include a 21km Half Marathon along with 10km, 5km and 1km Children's Dash options.

The January edition of the Greater Dandenong Fun Run, Walk and Roll has already passed, shifting local focus toward the April stadium event and later spring races. Runners and walkers in Dandenong now have a clear calendar of community options that start close to home before moving into the nearby Ranges.

Weekly Sessions Anchor Local Training

Dandenong Parkrun offers a free 5km community event every Saturday at 8:00am at Dandenong Park on 42 Pultney Street, open to walkers, joggers and runners of all levels. Dandenongs Trail Runners add two further sessions each week on Sundays and Thursdays, departing from the Dandenong Ranges Botanical Gardens in Olinda and the 1000 Steps National Park. These regular outings give participants steady mileage on varied terrain without entry fees.

Ranges Events Add Variety Later in the Year

The Puffing Billy Running Festival returns in spring 2026 in the Dandenong Ranges with a 1.2km Kids Dash, 5km Family Fun Run and a 13.5km Classic race that follows the steam train route from Belgrave to Emerald Lake Park. The April stadium festival sits between the completed January fun run and these later trail options, giving athletes a sequence of distances and surfaces across the year.

Details on all listed events appear on runningcalendar.com.au and greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au. Interested participants can check those sites or call the City of Greater Dandenong Events Team on +61 3 8571 1000 for registration and course information as dates approach.