General News
7 August, 2025
Parkrun coming to Lake Fyans
THE global wellbeing movement Parkrun will soon add a new picturesque location to its map of events thanks to the efforts of a relatively new face in Pomonal.
Pomonal resident Linda Henderson has spent several months liaising with the Parkrun organisation to go through all the steps to get a new event off the ground for Northern Grampians residents, including securing funding and locking in Lake Fyans as the venue.
“Part of the process is organising the start-up funding that you need to start a new Parkrun,” said Linda.
“We put in for grants, we’ve also got landholder permission now, so we’re working our way towards launch, it’s getting closer.”
Ararat Windfarm and Pomonal Progress Association have both made contributions to help Linda bring her Lake Fyans Parkrun vision to life through grants intended to improve community wellbeing.
“These grants are focussed on the specific outcomes of Parkrun, ie wellbeing and community connectiveness and stuff like that,” Linda said.
“We have to work with the landholder to get permission so that was obviously working with GWM Water and they went through their processes and we managed to get a five-year lease to use the space.”
Linda’s love of mountains in the Grampians National Park saw her relocate from the Mornington Peninsula to Pomonal in 2023, which meant it wasn’t long before she got to see up close the devastation of bushfires but also the remarkable community spirit that makes Pomonal an amazing community to live in.
“I attended my local Parkrun down which was at Rosebud ever since it started up,” said Linda.
“Moving here, I missed the Parkrun and the community that I had from Parkrun, and then obviously we had a couple of bushfires so that was pretty huge, since having just moved here, and I was impacted by the February 2024 fire.
“This year I just saw a need for a local Parkrun, not just for the wellbeing of the community but also, Parkrun is a tourist attraction as well, and tourism in the area is a bit under stress post-fires, so I just thought it was worth getting a Parkrun up-and-going.”
Making positive connections with people, as well as promoting being active for health and wellbeing is what Parkrun is all about, which is why the movement has become a global phenomenon since humble beginnings two decades ago.
Parkrun isn’t about running,” said Linda, “Walk, jog or run, it’s about wellbeing.”
“If you want to go and learn about running you go and join a running club, Parkrun is not about that, it’s just about wellbeing.
“Yes, it’s a timed event but people who walk it try and improve their time just for their own wellbeing, and lots of people just go because they want the connectiveness that comes from it.”
A launch date for Lake Fyans Parkrun will be announced soon and will be published in future editions of the Stawell Times-News.
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