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MULTIDAYRUNNING
Backyard UltraSimpler Logistics

Cobb & Co Backyard Ultra

A Queensland backyard ultra at Cobb & Co Nine Mile Camping Grounds, with a campsite base for runners and crews between hourly loops.

Date
Nov 14, 2026
Location
Tandur, Queensland, Australia
Distance
6.7 km every hour
Terrain
Trail
Plan this race Official website

Event dates, entry rules, qualification standards, and course details can change. Always verify current information on the official event website before registering or booking travel.

Event Overview

Listed edition overview
DateNov 14, 2026
LocationTandur, Queensland, Australia
FormatBackyard Ultra
TerrainTrail
RegionOceania
Distance / duration6.7 km every hour
Course modelLoop
CutoffOne hour per yard; no fixed overall finishing time.
Start6:00 AM Saturday
Field sizeBig’s Backyard Ultra lists a capacity of 250 runners; Run Queensland has not published a cap or an entrant count. Its Glass House Standing backyard drew 113 starters on December 31, 2025, the largest field in that race’s three editions, according to Yardlore.
HighlightsCampsite Base, Last Runner Standing

Course & Terrain

An hourly 6.7 km loop based at Nine Mile Camping Grounds.

Key course features to know before comparing this race:

  • Start corral at a former Cobb & Co horse-change station, the first stop on the 1878 Gympie–Noosa coach run
  • One 6.7 km loop with 32 m of climbing, run day and night
  • A course kept inside the campground, close to crews and spectators

The 6.7 km loop stays entirely inside the campground and climbs only 32 m per lap, according to the organizer; Big’s Backyard Ultra lists 102 ft on a trail surface, and Yardlore calls it gently rolling. Runners use the same loop day and night. The course is marked with reflective orange and silver flagging tape about every 150 m, red arrows on white backgrounds at intersections and red crosses on wrong turns. Runners may leave the course mid-loop only for a toilet stop, and running poles are banned.

Bureau of Meteorology records for Gympie, about 20 km away, average a November high of 30.2°C (86°F) and a low of 16.5°C (62°F), with 89 mm (3.5 in) of rain falling on about seven days of the month and afternoon humidity near 50%. With a 6:00 AM start, everyone still in the race at midday runs the hottest loops. Head torches are mandatory once loops run in the dark, and the organizer recommends sunscreen, insect repellent and bite and sting treatment.

Entry & Logistics

Listed qualification and support details
Registration and feesCheck the official event website for current availability, deadlines, prices, taxes, and refund terms.
QualificationOpen entry with no qualifying result. Entry is A$195 on Race Roster (price seen October 24, 2026), and Race Roster lists registration open until November 10. Runners must be at least 15, and anyone 18 or under needs a parent or guardian at the event. Refunds are available until November 1, 2026, less a A$30 admin fee; entries cannot be transferred to another person or event. The indemnity is accepted during online registration.
Support modelSelf-supported: there is no aid on the loop, and runners refuel from their own setup between yards. Each runner gets a 3 x 3 m crew space, sized for a pop-up gazebo. First aid is at the start/finish line; receiving medical treatment on the course means disqualification, though the race director will arrange urgent help. The campground has toilets, hot showers and a camp kitchen with gas barbecues, but camp sites are unpowered and generators may run only from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Crew / pacersCrews work only from the runner’s 3 x 3 m space in the crew area. They may not go on the course or into the starting corral, may not help runners anywhere outside the crew area, and cannot hand over so much as a bottle during a yard; runners must finish each loop with the gear they started it with. Non-competitors, including runners who have withdrawn, are barred from the course, so there is no pacing. No vehicles are allowed in the crew area. Crew and spectators pay Cobb & Co a A$5 day pass on arrival, valid until 4:00 PM; camping fees apply after that.
Logistics noteThe venue is the Cobb & Co Nine Mile Camping Grounds, 1484 Noosa Road, Tandur, about 20 minutes’ drive from Gympie on Six Mile Creek. Sunshine Coast Airport is roughly an hour away by road and Brisbane Airport about two hours. Runners can drop gear in the crew area from 2:00 PM on Friday, November 13, and check-in runs 4:00 to 7:00 PM; race-morning check-in opens at 5:00 AM, the briefing is at 5:50 AM and the first yard starts at 6:00 AM. Camping is booked directly with Cobb & Co by email or phone, not online: A$20 per adult and A$17 per child per night, infants under two free. Single cabin tents, two-room Breezeway tents and cabin-style tents sleep two to six, with a two-night minimum.

Why This Race Matters

Saturday, November 14, 2026, is the first running of the Cobb & Co Backyard Ultra, so it has no course record yet. Run Queensland, a Sunshine Coast trail-event company founded in 2013, stages it with organizer Brett Standring at the Cobb & Co Nine Mile Camping Grounds at Tandur, near Gympie. The campground was once a Cobb & Co horse-change station, the first stop on the Gympie-to-Noosa stagecoach run that began in 1878. Run Queensland’s other backyard, Glass House Standing, has been held on New Year’s Eve at Wild Horse Mountain since 2023; Patrick Hyland set its record of 29 yards on December 31, 2025. Big’s Backyard Ultra lists Cobb & Co as a Bronze race with room for 250 runners.

Preparing for a Race Like Cobb & Co Backyard Ultra

The backyard ultra race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:

Best Fit

  • Runners attempting a first backyard ultra on a low-climb loop
  • Crews and families who want to camp on site for the weekend
  • Queensland runners who want a result in Big’s Backyard Ultra’s race network, where it is listed as a Bronze race

Planning Notes

  • Practice the exact hourly routine: loop, eat, foot check, bottle refill, and back to the start. The format rewards repeatability.
  • Train for terrain-specific fatigue. Technical trails and mountain courses demand downhill durability, hiking efficiency, and reliable night lighting.
  • The directory marks this as having comparatively simpler logistics. That editorial label is not a safety rating; verify cutoffs, terrain, support, crew access, and withdrawal procedures.
  • Daytime heat: Gympie’s average November high is 30°C (86°F)
  • Be in the corral before the triangle rings; whistles sound at 3, 2 and 1 minutes to go
  • Any medical treatment on the course ends your race; first aid is only at the start/finish
  • Unpowered sites: generators may run only from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, so plan overnight charging for lights and phones

Event FAQs

When does the Cobb & Co Backyard Ultra 2026 start?

The first 6.7 km yard starts at 6:00 AM on Saturday, November 14, 2026 (Queensland time, UTC+10), at the Cobb & Co Nine Mile Camping Grounds in Tandur, near Gympie. The briefing is at 5:50 AM. Check-in runs 4:00 to 7:00 PM on Friday, November 13, or from 5:00 AM on race morning. A new yard starts every hour until one runner completes a loop alone.

What is the Cobb & Co Backyard Ultra course record?

There isn’t one yet, because November 14, 2026, is the first edition. Big’s Backyard Ultra’s listing for the race shows 29 yards by Patrick Hyland, but that mark belongs to Run Queensland’s Glass House Standing at Wild Horse Mountain, where Hyland won on December 31, 2025, one yard ahead of Tammy Wickham. The first Cobb & Co winner will set the course record.

How much is entry to the Cobb & Co Backyard Ultra, and can I still register?

Entry is A$195 through Race Roster, which lists registration open until November 10, 2026. There is no qualifying standard, but runners must be at least 15, and those 18 or under need a parent or guardian present. Refunds are available until November 1 minus a A$30 admin fee, and entries cannot be transferred. Big’s Backyard Ultra lists a 250-runner capacity.

Can my crew help me during the Cobb & Co Backyard Ultra?

Only from your allocated 3 x 3 m crew space, between yards. Crews and spectators may not go on the course or into the starting corral, and runners may not take anything from anyone during a loop, so there are no pacers. Crew and spectators pay Cobb & Co a A$5 day pass, valid until 4:00 PM, and camping fees after that.

Is the Cobb & Co Backyard Ultra good for a first backyard ultra?

It suits newcomers well. Each 6.7 km loop climbs just 32 m, entry is open to anyone 15 or older, and your gazebo sits in the crew area beside the start corral. The main challenges are heat, with Gympie averaging 30°C (86°F) in November, and night loops that require a head torch. The organizer also recommends carrying a compression bandage.

Verification & Sources

Verification scope: the listed edition's date, location, format, and available logistics were checked against the event-specific official sources below during the directory review dated October 24, 2026. Organizers can revise details after review.

  1. Organizer's 2026 event and registration — https://raceroster.com/events/2026/117975/cobb-and-co-backyard-ultra
  2. Run Queensland official race page (entry, rules, schedule, course, camping) — https://www.runqld.com.au/cobbandcobyu
  3. Run Queensland about page — https://www.runqld.com.au/about
  4. Run Queensland snake-bite information sheet — https://www.runqld.com.au/_files/ugd/d9e3e8_401c3330e2024756953b1ca857c1cce5.pdf
  5. Big’s Backyard Ultra race listing (Bronze, capacity 250) — https://bigsbackyardultra.com/races/glass-house-standing/
  6. Yardlore event page — https://www.yardlore.com/backyards/cobb-and-co-backyard-ultra
  7. Yardlore: Glass House Standing 2025 results — https://www.yardlore.com/backyards/glasshouse-standing/2025-12-31
  8. Glasshouse Country News on the first Glass House Standing (January 2024) — https://gcnews.com.au/runners-take-a-stand-for-mountain-run-event/
  9. Visit Sunshine Coast: Cobb & Co Nine Mile Camping Grounds — https://www.visitsunshinecoast.com/accommodation/68fadfd1dd33d76324317796/cobb-and-co-nine-mile-camping-grounds
  10. QICA listing: Cobb & Co Nine Mile Campgrounds facilities and history — https://www.qica.com.au/cobb-co-nine-mile-campgrounds
  11. Bureau of Meteorology climate statistics, Gympie (station 040093) — https://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_040093.shtml
  12. Multiday Running event directory review scope: October 24, 2026.