Where to find the best parkrun near you

Speers Point parkrun recorded 214 finishers on 4 July, the highest tally among Newcastle events that week and a 12 per cent increase from the same date last year.

Winter temperatures and shorter daylight have pushed more residents toward organised outdoor activity close to home rather than gym memberships or indoor classes, with council data showing a 9 per cent rise in park bookings across the Hunter region in the past six months.

Two routes drawing the biggest crowds

Speers Point parkrun starts at 8am every Saturday from the car park off The Esplanade in Speers Point, following a flat two-lap course around Lake Macquarie foreshore that finishes near the playground. The second busiest option sits at Newcastle East, where the Bathers Way parkrun begins at 7:30am beside the ocean baths at Merewether and runs north along the coastal path past Bar Beach before turning at the Newcastle Ocean Baths. Both events are free, require only a free barcode from parkrun.com and welcome walkers as well as runners.

Organisers at Speers Point report an average of 180 participants each week since the start of 2025, while the Merewether course has averaged 132 finishers over the same period, according to official parkrun results published online.

Getting started this weekend

Participants can register once on the parkrun website, print or save their barcode on a phone and arrive 15 minutes early to hear the safety briefing. Volunteers handle timing at both locations, and post-run coffee is available at nearby cafes on The Esplanade and at Merewether Beach. Those new to the format are encouraged to start with the walk option or the first kilometre only before building distance.