Twin Kauri Pines at Lake Barrine
Photo: Rod Payne
It’s 6:45am on a Sunday, and as we
sit on the grassy verge lacing up our
shoes against a backdrop of thick virgin
rainforest, the sounds of our chatter
and early morning laughter reach out
across the vast mass of water that
is Lake Barrine. Mist curls ethereally
across the otherwise glassy surface in
front of me; this running haven, one
of countless others scattered across
the Tablelands, never fails to amaze
me with its towering Kauri Pines, well
maintained Earth and boardwalk trails,
and diverse range of wildlife. The run
briefing is called to order, the clock
ticks 7:00am and before I know it, we’re
off; the weekly Red Earth Running
“long run” has begun.
Lake Barrine Tea House
Photo: Rod Payne
The beauty of this running location
is in its loop design. Thanks to a
violent volcanic explosion around
17,000 years ago, Lake Barrine has an
almost perfectly circular 5km track
circumnavigating its inner rim. Aside
from many other advantages, including
seclusion from traffic and the outside
world in general, this means that no
Lake Barrine
Photo: Rod Payne
April 2019 What’s On & Where To Go 5