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Birdsland Reserve parkrun

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25.01.2022 Volunteers! We love you and want to look after you so please follow the following guidelines when at parkrun.

25.01.2022 Volunteering under our COVID-19 Framework looks a little different... but still heaps of fun Get in touch with your local event if you want to get involved #loveparkrun

25.01.2022 The Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun - Day 211 Today we hear from one of our visitors.., Tony O’Connell... When did you do your first parkrun and where was it? My first parkrun was at Merimbula on 28/12/2013 What convinced you to do your first parkrun? My wife signed me up while were on holiday to give me something to do, fell in love with the concept from day 1 How many parkruns have you done? I have done 229 parkruns. What is your favourite volunteer role? Run Director I love being able to talk to everyone. Where is your home parkrun? Inverloch where it’s always sunny. What makes your home parkrun special? The people and the personalities. We tourist a lot and its always great to get home and catch up with our friends over a coffee and cake. If you have touristed - what is your favourite course other than your home parkrun and Birdsland? We have been lucky enough to visit 116 courses so we do tourist a bit My favorite, other than Inverloch and Birdsland is possibly Railton in Tasmania, but it’s a bit like picking a favourite child, there are so many great courses and even more fantastic event teams. What is one thing that keeps you coming back week after week? The friends and the atmosphere, I love that we can travel 6 hours to a parkrun and run into someone that we have met before. What makes Birdsland Reserve parkrun special for you? I love trails and the area around Birdsland is just so scenic. You can just run and run. Thanks for sharing Tony and thank you for your contribution to parkrun (Tony is a parkrun Regional Ambassador responsible for Eastern Victoria which includes Birdsland) over the years. We are glad that you enjoyed our event and we are looking forward to seeing you at an event when parkrun returns!

24.01.2022 We are preparing to welcome back more than 100 parkruns across Queensland this weekend Read more in our latest fortnightly update http://parkrun.me/c9nav... #loveparkrun

24.01.2022 The Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun - Day 225 Today we hear from one of our visitors... Rhianna Wik -gamble ... When did you do your first parkrun? And where was it? 17th of January 2015 and point cook parkrun it was their birthday as well. What convinced you to do your first parkrun? I was staying with friends in Melton and they suggested I come and try parkrun. How many parkruns have you done? 212 parkruns What is your favourite volunteer role? My favourite is tailwalker because i like to walk sometimes and chat to the people as well. What is your home parkrun? Kennington reservoir (previously known as Bendigo parkrun) What makes your home parkrun special? It’s a nice parkrun with a few little inclines for a little challenge. If you have touristed what is your favourite course other than your home parkrun and birdsland? I have done 101 different parkruns (I was a vic statesman but now have one left to do.. thanks covid haha) I am not sure I like too many I really loved Shellharbour parkrun it was a nice loop and loved the challenge. What is one thing that keeps you coming back week after week? I love it, whether it is touring getting up at 4am to travel to a parkrun that morning, or running to my local parkrun now we have 2 here. the community, the friends I have made, running, catching up with friends, the feeling of feeling like your gonna die at 4kms, the finish line, pushing for a Pb, running with friends, helping people to get a Pb, the volunteers that make it fun no matter where you are. (That was way more than one thing haha) What makes birdsland parkrun special for you? I loved birdsland parkrun even though it was pouring down with rain that day I did it. I was staying with a friend and we ran down to parkrun. I think what made that day special was seeing a lot of friends there and loved splashing in the puddles running around always wanted to come back when it’s not raining it’s still on my list again! Thanks for sharing Rhianna and thank you for volunteering at parkrun. We are glad that you enjoyed our event and we hope that some of our participants take the opportunity to visit and support Kennington Reservoir parkrun after parkrun restarts!

23.01.2022 The Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun - Day 208 Today we hear from..... Libby King... When did you do your first parkrun and where was it? April 2014 at Lilydale Lake. What convinced you to do your first parkrun? My sister Philippa and Sue Duggan told me about parkrun. It was too good to pass up an opportunity for regular running. How many parkruns have you done? 198 runs and volunteered 27 times. What is your favourite volunteer role? Timekeeper but using the old method. Where is your home parkrun? Birdsland Reserve but I also alternate between Mullum Mullum and Lilydale Lake. What makes your home parkrun special? The friendly and welcoming community. I see familiar faces from my other runs also. If you have touristed - what is your favourite course other than your home parkrun and Birdsland? I can’t pick a favourite as they have all been unique and beautiful in there own way. What is one thing that keeps you coming back week after week? The people. What makes Birdsland Reserve parkrun special for you? The friendships that I have made here and throughout my parkrun journey. Thanks for sharing Libby and thank you for volunteering at Birdsland and thank you for being part of our community. We are looking forward to seeing you back at Birdsland when we restart!

23.01.2022 The Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun - Day 221 Today we hear from... Stuart Littler... When did you do your first parkrun and where was it? 25/10/2014 Torrens parkrun What convinced you to do your first parkrun? We were in Adelaide for family wedding and family who were/are regular parkrunners convinced us to join them on Saturday morning prior to the wedding. How many parkruns have you done? 178 What is your favourite volunteer role? I should probably say Timekeeper as I have done that role about 18 times. I really enjoy cheering people over the line, plus I know some vollies are nervous about messing up as Timekeeper. I suspect when parkrun restarts I will be doing a role I haven't done pretty regularly with the new way parkrun will work with lots more Barcode Scanners required. Where is your home parkrun? Chelsea Bicentennial. I am stuck on 99 runs there and cannot wait for parkrun to return! What makes your home parkrun special? CBp is special for its EDs and volunteer team and, of course, it has the most picturesque finish straight in all of parkrun! If you have touristed - what is your favourite course other than your home parkrun and Birdsland? I have quite a lot of tourist runs up and I responded to a parkrun Australia tweet earlier in the year and Grand Ridge Rail Trail was right up there, though the photo of Meg and I at Crissy Field made the newsletter. What is one thing that keeps you coming back week after week? The parkrun people is what keeps me coming back week in and week out, and I mean wherever you go!! We have been fortunate to have 2 terrific home parkruns in our time in CBp and Frog Hollow, but it is the same no matter where you go! What makes Birdsland Reserve parkrun special for you? Birdsland is special to us as it also has an awesome event team and we were privileged to receive an invite to it's "soft" launch. It is a beautiful bush course and I was unaware there was 5km of flat land that close to Belgrave. Looking forward to going back there again real soon! Thanks for sharing Stuart and thank you for your contribution to parkrun as a volunteer and for the efforts made by you and your family in securing a defibrillator for Frog Hollow parkrun several years ago. We are glad that you have enjoyed our event on several occasions and we hope that our participants will visit Chelsea Bicentennial parkrun after parkrun returns!

21.01.2022 The Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun. - Day 214 Today we hear from.... Prue McLeod... When did you do your first parkrun and where was it? First parkrun was November 2019 What convinced you to do your first parkrun? We convinced by 'love' How many parkruns have you done? 57 Runs What is your favourite volunteer role? Photographer Have you participated at other parkrun events? 35 Different Events If you have touristed - what is your favourite course other than Birdsland? Loved 'Cowra NSW' as far from home & amazing history & was worth a 2 hour drive from the Elvis Festival in Parkes! What is one thing that keeps you coming back week after week? Love the personal challenge & sense of community What makes Birdsland Reserve parkrun special for you? Love Birdsland flora & fauna with a chance of seeing platypus Thanks for sharing Prue and thank you for volunteering at parkrun and for being part of our community. We are looking forward to seeing you back at Birdsland after we restart!

21.01.2022 The Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun - Day 223 Today we hear from.... Charles Yeatman... When did you do your first parkrun and where was it? Lillydale Lake (29-July-2017) What convinced you to do your first parkrun? My parents. How many parkruns have you done? 8 (6 at Lillydale Lake, 2 at Birdsland) What is your favourite volunteer role? I haven’t volunteered yet. Have you participated at other parkrun events? See above. If you have touristed - what is your favourite course other than Birdsland? Lillydale Lake, as it is the only other one I have gone to. What is one thing that keeps you coming back week after week? Hot chocolate if I run a PB (at Lillydale Lake) What makes Birdsland Reserve parkrun special for you? Close to our house. Thanks for sharing Charles and thank you for being part of our community. We are looking forward to seeing you back at Birdsland once parkrun restarts!

19.01.2022 The Faces Of Birdsland Reserve parkrun - Day 216 Today we hear from.... Peter Hamilton ... When did you do your first parkrun and where was it? Frog Hollow on the 29/11/2014. What convinced you to do your first parkrun? I had done couch to 5k and wanted to do something with it so I googled 5km run and up came parkrun! Frog hollow was the closest and I still remember my first. I was so nervous but the team at Frog Hollow were so friendly an welcoming. I continued to run and volunteer there until Jells started up in June 2015. How many parkruns have you done? I have done 224 parkruns, just getting started! What is your favourite volunteer role? I have 2 favourites, Run Director and VI Guide. Run Directing is such a challenge and you get to meet lots of people. VI Guide is very rewarding and you get to volunteer and run at the same time! Have you participated at other parkrun events? I have visited 45 other parkruns and loved every one of them. If you have touristed - what is your favourite course other than Birdsland? Tough question, there’s so many really good ones but I’d have to say Coburg, just a really beautiful spot. What is one thing that keeps you coming back week after week? The friendships, the challenge. What else am I going to do on a Saturday morning! What makes Birdsland Reserve parkrun special for you? Birdsland is just a really gorgeous place for a parkrun and it’s just up the road from me. Thanks for sharing Peter and thank you for volunteering at parkrun and for being part of our community. We are looking forward to seeing you back at Birdsland after we restart!

18.01.2022 Thanks to our friends at Rosebud parkrun for the reminder about what to do when we return. We are in need of some more volunteers for our first event back on 16th January (# ideal for runners doing the Two Bays race on the Sunday and need to taper!) and for subsequent events in January and February.

18.01.2022 The Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun. - Day 219 Today we hear from another one of our visitors...... Scott Trickett... When did you do your first parkrun and where was it? Albert Park in 2013 What convinced you to do your first parkrun? I heard about parkrun when it was first introduced in Australia but living 45 mins from Albert Park I thought it wasn't something that wasn't worth the drive! How many parkruns have you done? 300+ What is your favourite volunteer role? Marshalling at juniors. Children aren't very good at hiding how they feel so you see the full range of emotions during a junior parkrun. There are the occasional tears but they are far outweighed by the smiles and laughter as our juniors run, skip and walk the 2km. Where is your home parkrun? Westerfolds is officially my home parkrun but I feel equally at home at Studley, Coburg, Darebin, Jells, Highlands, Albert, Parkville the list could go on... What makes your home parkrun special? Westerfolds Park is a beautiful park. We are guaranteed to be greeted by kangaroos, kookaburras and wombats each visit. It's also the place where many friendships have been formed. If you have touristed - what is your favourite course other than your home parkrun and Birdsland? Too hard to pick a favourite but I do enjoy a smaller event. 50-150 people is a sweet spot for me as it gives you an opportunity to have a chat with random strangers and not be overwhelmed by the crowd. What is one thing that keeps you coming back week after week? Seeing my friends each week, something I've missed during lockdown. But I also enjoy starting my weekends being active and outdoors. What makes Birdsland Reserve parkrun special for you? On my only visit, I was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful and flat the course was. Catching up with some other parkrunners that I don't see often was also a treat. Thanks for sharing Scott and thank you for your contribution to parkrun in Australia. For those who do not know, Scott is the parkrun Australia Marketing and Communications Manager and formerly one of the presenters on the parkrun adventurers podcast. We are glad that you enjoyed our event and we are looking forward to seeing you again at a parkrun somewhere once parkrun restarts!

18.01.2022 The Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun - Day 220 Today we hear from another of our visitors.... Anthony Nanfra ... When did you do your first parkrun and where was it? Berwick Springs 2014 What convinced you to do your first parkrun? Dragged along by my lovely wife! How many parkruns have you done? Stuck on 98! What is your favourite volunteer role? Run director! Where is your home parkrun? Frog hollow What makes your home parkrun special? Seeing my mates every week and celebrating their achievements and milestones! If you have touristed - what is your favourite course other than your home parkrun and Birdsland? Torquay, so scenic with the beach and running on top of the cliff on a beautiful morning there’s nothing better! What is one thing that keeps you coming back week after week? As a part of my training and fostering the community spirit that has become Parkrun’s forte! What makes Birdsland Reserve parkrun special for you? The people whom I have known for years. It’s also very peaceful and the courses is flat! Thanks for sharing Anthony and thanks for your contribution to parkrun. We are glad that you enjoyed our event and we hope that you will come back on a more regular basis. I also hope that our regulars make a visit to Frog Hollow if they have not done so already once parkrun returns!

17.01.2022 The Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun - Day 217 Today we hear from another one of our visitors... Knowles Tivendale - aka 'Silent K'... When did you do your first parkrun and where as it? New Years Eve - 31 December 2016 - Torrens parkrun, Adelaide. What convinced you to do your first parkrun? Friend in Adelaide mentioned it the evening before, had no idea what it was, but was running casually to maintain fitness and explore new places. Hadn't explored the Torrens River so sounded like a good idea. Got there and it was huge, friendly and very well organised - the community spirit and vibe was awesome. How many parkruns have you done? Total of 72 parkruns What is your favourite volunteer role? Favourite Volunteer Role is Barcode Scanning, especially on busy days, because anyone can jump in and do it (just ask the RD if they want some help) and everyone in the queue is really thankful for an extra pair of hands on the scanner Where is your home parkrun? Dandenong parkrun is home (Knowles is the Event Director) What makes your home parkrun special? Special because it is a short walk to a brilliant cafe, it has a suspension bridge (gets a bit wobbly) and running through different environments (manicured parkland, Shepley Oval, bush areas and urban heart of Dandenong). What is one thing that keeps you coming back week after week? The people, catching up with old friends, meeting new friends and providing an event that builds bonds across the diverse community in Dandenong What makes Birdsland Reserve parkrun special for you? Birdland is special because it is so natural. The platypus habitat, birds and gathering area are all very nice - even took my family there for a bushwalk on a Sunday just to show them. Thanks for sharing Knowles and thank you for your contribution to parkrun over the years. We are glad that you enjoyed our event and we hope that our parkrunners will take the opportunity to visit and support Dandenong parkrun once parkrun returns!

16.01.2022 Sorry - a bit late posting this one! The Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun - Day 215 Today we hear from another one of our visitors....... Geoff Wiffen When did you do your first parkrun and where was it? My first parkrun was September 15th, 2012 at Balyang Sanctuary. What convinced you to do your first parkrun? I saw this free event in the local paper and thought this may be good to go too as I wanted to get fit and was looking for something to get me inspired. How many parkruns have you done? I have completed 302 parkrun events at 72 different locations across 5 countries. What is your favourite volunteer role? I would have to say I love the RD role, seeing everyone’s faces , knowing what we do as a volunteer is enriching others’ lives. Where is your home parkrun and what makes it special? My home parkrun is Balyang Sanctuary. At the time of joining, Balyang Sanctuary was only the second event in Victoria and now I have 6 events within 20 mins of home. As I am currently an Event Ambassador, I consider all my local events my home parkruns I consider all the local events around Geelong special, each are unique in their own special way and each have water views whether river, bay or ocean If you have touristed - what is your favourite course other than your home parkrun and Birdsland? Having been to 72 different parkruns, it is very hard to pick a favourite course, the parkruns around Victoria are amazing and Birdsland in particular was a real surprise. How does one choose, the sites of huge Stag at Bushy park in the U.K or parkrun in San Francisco with the Golden gate bridge so large or the heat of Kuala Lumpur running along side the river and gardens? Every location is special and it’s the people one meets at each event that make it even more special. What is one thing that keeps you coming back week after week? What keeps me coming back week after week is the people. Most of my closest friends are people I have met through parkrun. My wife and I love weekends away and visiting new locations that if not for parkrun we would never visit. Victoria is a beautiful state and we have been so surprised by the amazing parkrun locations and the amazing volunteers at each event. What makes Birdsland Reserve parkrun special for you? Birdsland Reserve was an amazing location and one that we will be venturing back to. I remember driving into the car park and just thinking this is gorgeous, nature, the birds the lake, there is something about being away from suburbia and back to nature. It was also the first event my daughter came along too, wish was lovely. Thanks for sharing Geoff and thank for your contribution to parkrun. We are glad that you enjoyed our event and we hope that our Birdslanders make the trip down to Geelong and surrounds and participate/support your events once parkrun restarts!

15.01.2022 We can’t do this tomorrow morning at Birdsland but you can still do a 5k (not)parkrun! Are you going to join the 9 Birdslanders (including Glenn Berry who recorded a (not)parkrun PB and his best 5k time this year) who have already recorded a (not)parkrun? You have until Sunday night to record your time on your parkrun profile. Stay safe and enjoy your weekend!

15.01.2022 Who else is feeling like this?

14.01.2022 The Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun - Day 209 Today we hear from another one of our visitors..... Gerard Corkeron... When did you do your first parkrun and where was it? - 22 Feb 2014 at Berwick Springs; it was almost 21 months before I did my second one. What convinced you to do your first parkrun? - I had seen it in progress when driving out of the estate a few weeks earlier. I did an internet search to see if it was a fun run, discovered it was parkrun and decided to head down and give it a go. How many parkruns have you done? - 132 across 22 events and two countries What is your favourite volunteer role? - Hmm, tough question. Finish Tokens at small events is fun. Not too busy, and a good opportunity to have a chat with other volunteers. Where is your home parkrun? - Berwick Springs, but I share the love with that event and the others for which I am Event Ambassador Wilson Botanic, Frog Hollow, Karkarook, Berwick Waters and Cascades on Clyde (launching sometime after parkrun starts up again in Victoria). What makes your home parkrun special? - I live about 400 metres from Berwick Springs Lake, so proximity is a big plus. Getting involved in that event has expanded my friendship group and helped me to get back into running after a long break. I have made good friendships with many people at Berwick Springs. If you have touristed - what is your favourite course other than your home parkrun and Birdsland? - I do have fond memories of Whitby parkrun in Canada. It is a totally flat course, but it rivalled Wilson Botanic for toughness the first time I did it as it was -19 degrees Celsius. It was even colder the second time and totally covered in ice; no PB that day! What is one thing that keeps you coming back week after week? - I always say that once I started doing parkrun regularly, I came for the run and stayed for the people. Everyone gets something different out of parkrun, but for me it is about community, both local and global. What makes Birdsland Reserve parkrun special for you? - The first time I visited Birdsland Reserve was, as the name suggests, to go birdwatching. Having said that, the name comes from the Bird family, owners of the property for the 1940s to the 1980s. I was excited when I heard that a parkrun would be starting there, and I was delighted when I got to attend the launch with my son, James. The setting is beautiful, and there is a great bunch of people in the event team. Thanks for sharing Gerard and thank you for your contribution to parkrun over the years. We are appreciative of your efforts, we are glad that you enjoyed our event (thank you for the great photos below that you took of some of our wildlife) and we hope that some of our participants visit the events that you are Event Ambassador for and we are looking forward to visiting the new Cascades on Clyde after it launches!

13.01.2022 Have you logged your (not)parkrun time this week? Not much time left... Congratulations to Steph Prujean, Adriaan Homburg and Toscha Stopar on achieving PBs this past week. You are smashing it! Welcome to our first timers Glenn Berry and Rebecca Beer. Loved seeing some new names on the list Hopefully we'll see some more new names next week ... Cat Bouwhuis

12.01.2022 It is absolutely heartwarming to see some of our parkrun communities coming back together again. Bit by bit, we are getting there Read this week's update fro...m our Global Chief Operating Officer Tom Williams http://parkrun.me/w35mq #loveparkrun

11.01.2022 Just over a week to go until we restart - Hopefully we are all excited for the return of parkrun! Remember that things will be same same but different so please follow the following guidelines at parkrun in order to make it safe for everyone.

11.01.2022 The Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun - Day 212 Today we hear from another one of our visitors..... Kim Schneider... Where did you do your first parkrun and where was it? I did my first parkrun on 4th April 2015 at Hastings Foreshore What convinced you to do your first parkrun? My running partner and I kept coming across parkrun through the Running Mums Facebook page so we looked it up and realised we had one close to us. It took me a while to get involved as I had a back injury but eventually I made it and have never looked back, and yes Ray was impatient and started without me How many parkruns have you done? I have done 165 parkruns What is your favourite volunteer role? I have done all roles except Run Director. I enjoy all roles but time keeper and handing out tokens give you a great vantage point to help runners/walkers cross the line. Where is your home parkrun and what makes it special? Hastings Foreshore parkrun is 5min drive from home so it has become a regular part of our weekend running adventures, even during these lockdown times, although it is not the same without our fellow park runners. It is a lovely 2 lap course of the foreshore parkland but it is the people and the connections we make that make it special. (Kim is on of the Event Directors at Hastings Foreshore parkrun). Your favourite tourist parkrun? I have done 22 tourist parkruns and the most scenic would be Wanaka in New Zealand, the mountain views are devine. Cairns is another memorable one, but more for the heat and the swim at the end. Why do I keep coming back? The chats and connections before during and after the run, and of course the coffee/breakfast debrief is always worth getting out of bed and running 5k. What makes Birdsland special to me? I loved being a part of the first Birdsland parkrun. It is a gorgeous scenic setting and you have the added bonus of the possibility of a platypus sighting. Hopefully it won’t be too far in the future and we can get back to our respective parkruns and once again enjoy the connections and courses we love. Thanks for sharing Kim and thank you for your contribution to parkrun over the years. We are glad that you enjoyed our event and we hope that our parkrunners take the opportunity to visit Hastings when parkrun returns!

10.01.2022 The Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun - Day 213 Today we hear from one of our visitors..... Nadine Crawford ...Continue reading

08.01.2022 Update: Thanks to Chris, a visitor from Shepparton, the streak continues for another day at least! Looks like our Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun streak will come to a temporary halt after 223 continuous days! Thanks for everyone who has contributed so far and thank you to everyone who has supported our Birdslanders by commenting and 'liking' the posts.... We will hopefully restart soon. If you would like to be featured as one of the Faces of Birdsland, please let us know and we send you the questionnaire. If you know someone who has done Birdsland Reserve parkrun but has not contributed to the Faces of Birdsland as they are not on Facebook, please ask them to contact us if they are interested in participating in the Faces of Birdsland. In the meantime, enjoy the weather on this beautiful day and remember to get down to Birdsland Reserve and go for a run or a walk in the beautiful reserve area and beyond!

08.01.2022 The Faces of Birdsland - Day 222 Today we hear from..... Brendan Peel... When did you do your first parkrun and where was it? Albert Melbourne parkrun event number 10 in January 2012. What convinced you to do your first parkrun? Seen an add in R4YL magazine and thought I'd give it a try. How many parkruns have you done? 341 and definitely looking forward to 342....eventually. What is your favourite volunteer role? Dead heat between time keeping and finish tokens.Have achieved my goal of volunteering in every state and territory (Ollie Vollie) time keeping. My next Volunteer challenge is to Volunteer at every letter of the Australian parkrun alphabet. 45 vollies in total. What is your home parkrun and what is special about it? Albert parkrun. The first one I’ve done and the first in Victoria. Something very special about running Victoria’s first parkrun. So many people who have started there have gone on to start other events. Have you participated at other parkrun events? 228 different events so far and look forward to joining the Freyne Club(250 different events) next year?? If you have touristed - what is your favourite course other than Birdsland? A dead heat between Mt Clarence in Albany WA and Shellharbour. What is one thing that keeps you coming back week after week? So many awesome things about parkrun but the kindness and generosity of all the Ed's in particular and their love of their community. What makes Birdsland Reserve parkrun special for you? Beautiful location and a fantastic vibe.Love Birdsland. Will definitely be one of my p index parkruns. Thanks for sharing Brendan and thank you for your volunteering at parkruns across the country. We are glad that you enjoyed our event and we are looking forward to seeing you at Birdsland or at another event once parkrun restarts!

06.01.2022 The Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun - Day 218 Today we hear from one of our visitors.... Paul Curtain ... When did you do your first parkrun and where was it? Berwick Springs. What convinced you to do your first parkrun? My wife, Michaela. She wanted to get fit for Tuff Mudder, stumbled across parkrun and dragged me along. How many parkruns have you done? 275. What is your favourite volunteer role? Run Director. I get to meet new parkrunners and chat to everybody. Where is your home parkrun? Berwick Springs . What makes your home parkrun special? The lake is a great place to run around and we have great numbers. We just need a shelter. If you have touristed - what is your favourite course other than your home parkrun and Birdsland? Yes, a passionate tourist. Across 10 countries. Queenstown, NZ, is spectacular and Elagin Island in St Petersburg, Russia, was an amazing experience. What is one thing that keeps you coming back week after week? Being a co Event Director means I will always be involved and seeing first timers complete the course always gives me a buzz. What makes Birdsland Reserve parkrun special for you? I was at the launch on a beautiful morning and the air was so fresh. Breathing it in was akin to drinking from a fresh mountain stream. Thanks for sharing Paul and thank you for your contribution to parkrun over the years. We are glad that you enjoyed our event and we hope that our participants will visit and support Berwick Springs (if they have not already done so). We are looking forward to seeing you at an event once parkrun restarts!

06.01.2022 The Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun - Day 224 Today we hear from one of our visitors.... Chris Banning... When did you do your first parkrun and where was it? Event 81 (8th August 2015) at Shepparton parkrun What convinced you to do your first parkrun? I've always enjoyed running (athletics, cross country etc.) and wanted to find something that would injure me less than indoor soccer! A couple of friends at work mentioned that Shepparton had a parkrun and I decided to give it a go. How many parkruns have you done? 149 (108 at Shepparton and 41 at 23 other locations)... can't wait till I get to 150! What is your favourite volunteer role? Run Director Where is your home parkrun? Shepparton What makes your home parkrun special? Shepparton parkrun is around the large lake in the centre of town. There is plenty of wildlife, with pelicans often on the course. What is your favourite course other than your home parkrun and Birdsland? Wilson Botanic. I love the hilly courses, so Wilson Botanic was a real treat! What is one thing that keeps you coming back week after week? The comaraderie that you get at parkrun. There's really nothing like it. Everyone is kind, friendly and supportive, no matter what. Both of my kids have grown up in the pram going round parkrun courses. I have a lot of fond memories of people shouting out encouragement as run round with the pram. What makes Birdsland Reserve parkrun special for you? On my one visit to Birdsland Reserve we had to dodge kangaroos at the start of the course. That was certainly an eventful start to the run! Thanks for sharing Chris and thank you for your volunteering at parkrun. We are glad that you enjoyed our course and we hope that some of our participants take the opportunity to visit and support Shepparton parkrun after parkrun restarts!

06.01.2022 14 days until parkrun restarts at Birdsland! If you haven't been to Birdsland in awhile, it was looking great this morning with trails that are in great condition (due to all the works carried out by Melbourne Water over the last 6 or so months) and a new water fountain near the picnic area/Carpark. We have a couple of volunteer spots still available for the 16th January event and plenty of spots available in the weeks after that so please consider volunteering at some stage.... We have numerous roles that allow you to volunteer and then still run or walk the event. We have seen and have had reports of an aggressive duck near the toilets. It has been flying at chest height at people to move them away from its ducklings - so please be wary! Remember that when we return to parkrun to socially distance where possible, seed yourself on the start line with others of a similar pace, enjoy your run or walk and Don't forget to bring along your barcode!

04.01.2022 The Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun - Day 226 Today we hear from.... Rosemary Robinson...Continue reading

03.01.2022 The Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun - Day 210 Today we hear from one of our visitors..... Kate Lew Ton... When did you do your first parkrun and where was it? In late 2014 @ Inverloch parkrun What convinced you to do your first parkrun? The challenge of getting out and completing a 5km run, not something I’d done for a very long time! How many parkruns have you done? 218! Plus several more... I forgot my barcode a lot in the early days! What is your favourite volunteer role? RD - I love meeting all the new participants & teaching people new skills! It’s super rewarding! Where is your home parkrun? Inverloch (Kate is one of the Event Directors at Inverloch and an Event Ambassador for several events in Gippsland) What makes your home parkrun special? Definitely the people! But that goes for each event I’ve ever been too! (We also have a lovely beach view @ Invy) If you have touristed - what is your favourite course other than your home parkrun and Birdsland? I loved Merimbula, NSW - it’s along a gorgeous boardwalk - put it on your lists!!!! What is one thing that keeps you coming back week after week? The community spirit! I have met the most wonderful people that I would never have met who have now become such great friends. I also love the fact that I can tick off 5kms to start my weekend! What makes Birdsland Reserve parkrun special for you? The spectacular scenery, it was so nice being out such beautiful bush land. It’s really is a gorgeous course. Thanks for sharing Kate and thank you for your contribution to parkrun over the years. We are glad that you enjoyed our event and we hope that our Participants take the opportunity to visit Inverloch parkrun as well as the other great parkruns in the Gippsland area once parkrun returns!

01.01.2022 The Faces of Birdsland Reserve parkrun - Day 207 Today we hear from.... Charles Ellul,... When did you do your first parkrun and where was it? First park run was Karkarook 14/4/2018 What convinced you to do your first parkrun? Been running for 25 yearsnever heard of it..informed of parkruin via a friend How many parkruns have you done? 92 runs What is your favourite volunteer role? Fav volunteer role is sorting tokens after event Have you participated at other parkrun events? Yes for other events35 If you have touristed - what is your favourite course other than Birdsland? Fav is Studleyaaahhh the serenityscenic & the breakfast afterwards What is one thing that keeps you coming back week after week? Come for social & always working my time & visiting a different venue just for the experience What makes Birdsland Reserve parkrun special for you? Birsdland is a sanctuaryamazing venueagain very scenic Thanks for sharing Charles and thank you for volunteering at parkrun and thank you for being part of our community. We are looking forward to seeing you back at Birdsland after we restart!

01.01.2022 It's not about the run