Maryborough is the birthplace of Pamela Lyndon Travers. Who is that, you ask? The creator of Mary Poppins, that's who. I can't confirm that the notorious nanny is named after the nearby Mary River, but I can relate that our time in Maryborough has been “SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS!”
Our girls team kicked off proceedings with the short 700m run from their accommodation place ...
... our numbers swelled as we neared our goal ...
... of Maryborough City Hall.
Robyne from the Fraser Coast Chronicle was there taking photos of us as we ran in to where the Mayor, Gerard O'Connell, was awaiting us at the steps of the City Hall.
Robyne took the opportunity to grab some photos ...
... and a quick interview.
Mayor Gerard kindly welcomed us to Maryborough and the Fraser Coast expressing how proud he was to be able to welcome the Peace Run to this area, and thanked us for including Maryborough on the Peace Run, and allowing the Fraser Coast the opportunity to share this part of our journey with them.
By now, Dave from WIN News had arrived so the formal part of the proceedings were covered by both the newspaper and TV ...
When we offered the Certificate of Appreciation for Fraser Coast Regional Council, Gerard told us he would get it framed so it could be proudly displayed.
Cr Phil Truscott also came out to speak with the team and meet all the different runners.
The whole team were given special momentos of our visit to Maryborough.
While Mayor Gerard was being interviewed by Dave from WIN TV, he spoke passionately of how inspirational the Peace Run is and how it brings together runners from all ages and backgrounds under one banner of the Peace Run; that the ideal of the Peace Run – that quest for peace and goodwill – is something that everyone understands; and with the strong community that they have in Maryborough and the Fraser Coast area with its inclusiveness, it is something that they could readily connect with.
It was extremely uplifting and inspiring meeting the Mayor of Maryborough who embraced the Peace Run wholeheartedly. We feel very fortunate that our route brought us to Maryborough and the Fraser Coast.
Dave from WIN News then gave us instructions on where to run so he could get some action shots of the team as we ran out of town ...
Mayor Gerard is also into fitness and would have loved to have run with us – sadly on this occasion he could only watch from the City Hall steps, as he is recovering from a recent injury sustained while cycling ...
After all the interviews and photo shoots with both WIN TV and the Fraser Coast Chronicle, we were now well and truly behind schedule ...
... our team soon departed for Gympie, again taking the scenic back roads along Tin Can Bay Road for as long as we could ...
... our running route taking us through the magnificent Tuan State Forest before heading back inland to the rolling hills around Gympie ...
Today provided some of the finest running so far, especially for those of us who only joined in Darwin and have not yet experienced Australia’s lusher sides. Since we dipped below the tropic of Capricorn, the greenery has returned to the landscape. Today beautiful pine forests enveloped us on both sides as we ran from Maryborough to Gympie.
No, not an elaborate religious ritual – just another of Abhinabha's stretching routines ...
As we were running a bit late for our meeting with the Mayor in Gympie, we opted to leave a runner (Stacey) out to run the last 15km into the city while the rest of the team made our way to meet the Mayor ...
Fortunately Ron Dyne, Mayor of Gympie, and his wife Dulcie, didn't mind us being late ...
... they listened most compassionately to our rendition of the Peace Run song ...
... our meeting took place at the delightful Lake Alford, in Light Horse Park, fitting for a mayor who has spent 31 years in the army (the Australian Light Horse were mounted troops who most memorably fought in the First World War). We would have been underwater five months ago on that spot, when Gympie was experiencing its most recent flood.
The Mayor commented that, such was the media frenzy surrounding each flood, he had found himself fielding reporters' questions from as far away as France. Ron left us with the thought that if the world could spend its resources on peace instead of war, it would be a much more worthwhile investment ...
Ron and Dulcie were still there to greet Stacey when she arrived with the Torch after her 15km stint.
We lingered in the park to have our lunch, and shared the Torch with some of the other picknickers ...
From Gympie we headed down Noosa Road, towards the coast. Soon the bitumen gave way to dirt, and we found ourselves in some of the most beautiful countryside yet seen. Rolling green hills, small farms, lush trees, and the Glasshouse Mountains rising to the south – but Steve forgot his camera in Van 2!
Just after we had extinguished the flame at the conclusion of our kms for the day, we met with ...
... Hayden and his mother ...
... Hayden had a race the following day. We hope he does well!
We would like to thank Marilyn & Ed Phillips, who are kindly hosting some of our team at the stunning Shearwater Resort in Caloundra for the next two nights.
The girls team are kindly being hosted by Amalendu and his parents at Golden Beach. Thank you to Peter and Mary, we are so happy to be spending two nights with you!
