Pemberton trail festival to return to the Karri Forests at the weekend

Pemberton’s premier running festival will make its return to the Karri Forests at the weekend, with the Pemby Trail Fest attracting avid runners from across the region.

The festival will take place at the Karri Forests, with the event village located at Pemberton District High School, with day and night tracks taking runners through the forest, including an ultra-marathon and children’s fun run.

Organiser Melina Mellino said she was “pumped” for the event, which marks its sixth year since establishment.

“It’s one of those things that has become an annual event and we’re super pumped and excited to return to Pemberton,” she said.

“There’s been a lot of rain, which will be quite exciting to see the green trees and the trails.”

Mellino said she expected more than 780 runners to take part.

“I reckon that people are always looking for an excuse to escape Perth and getting down to the Karri Forests is one of the best excuses we can give them,” she said.

“We have people who have never done it before and people who are booking for the next festival as soon as one finishes.”

Mellino said the ultra-marathon, which spans 50km, was not for the faint of heart and would take about six hours.

She said the festival aimed to show off the best trails in the Pemberton region, creating a not-to-be-forgotten experience for runners.

“Sometimes it changes and sometimes it stays the same,” she said.

“It’s always an amazing experience for our runners.

“What we’re doing, which will make it more special this year, is having the runners finish and head over to the Pemberton Sports Club, where we’ll have our awards nights and presentations.”