A first for the DDB in 2021 was the introduction of the 50km Hendo Hustle. Runners will follow the same start as the 16km course accessing the Summit Trail at the top of Mt Duval and the top loop back to the Newholme gate (Marshal Point 2) where you will turn left down the hill to the Newholme farm buildings.

Runners will then access the farm paddocks of UNE's "Kirby" property, crossing Sandy Creek and up a slight hill to exit the paddocks, turning right onto a farm road (Marshal Point 6), follow the arrows as well as pink flagging tape, for an out/back section. Runners will follow this farm track down to Gate 28 to the turnaround sign. Following the farm road back for approximately 2.5km, you’ll turn right onto Weirs Rd, past UNE’s modern SMARTFarm building perched on top of the hill (look to your right as you run down the hill). There is a small bitumen section here as you go past the SMARTFarm building.

Continuing downhill on the dirt road, you will then reach the UNE property boundary (at the cattle grid) at approximately 24km into your run. You are now running on Council/public roads, and it is here that you will need to put on your hi-vis vest. This is MANDATORY, and is a requirement set by Council and NSW Police to enable us to run on this section in a safe manner and be visible to traffic.

The course follows Weirs Road and at Marshal Point 7, you’ll continue straight for a short out/back section. When you return to MP7, you'll turn into Kirby Road, another country dirt road with a couple of decent hills. At the end of Kirby Road, you'll turn right into Clarks Road for about 200 metres, before turning left into another of UNE’s properties on TA Crowley Avenue, and out onto the start of the Cluny Rd section. This will be Marshal Point 8. You will encounter about 3km of bitumen (sorry, we know you love a trail but we couldn’t avoid it).

At the end of Cluny Rd (Marshal Point 9), you can take off your hi-vis vest and you’ll turn right into a private landowners’ property following the dirt road until you reach a lovely leafy outdoor area (Marshal Point 10) and the airstrip! Turn left at this aid station to reach the top of the airstrip and run the full length of the strip. At the end, you’ll join Newholme Road where you’ll head left to the Marshal Point 5 aid station.

From this point, runners will turn right onto the Duval Trail on the North/Eastern side of Mt Duval.

Runners will tackle the next big hill of the 50km event with a couple of short, sharp climbs (totalling 300m) through the beautiful Xantheria Alley (grass tree heaven), eventually rejoining the 16km course at Marshal Point 3 before finishing back down the mountain and left onto the track (MP2) back to Dumaresq Dam. Runners will finish on the walking track on the eastern side of Dumaresq Dam.

The DDB introduced a new course in 2021 removing the double-loop course of our previous years, taking runners up to Mt Duval on the same 16km course accessing the Summit Trail at the top of Mt Duval and the top loop back to the Newholme gate (Marshal Point 2) where you will turn left down the hill to the Newholme farm buildings.  

Runners will then access one of the farm paddocks going across Sandy Creek and out onto the farm road in the “Kirby” farm. Turning left onto the farm road (following the black arrows on yellow background signs as well as pink flagging tape), runners will then continue on past the Poultry Research Centre, through another paddock track giving you a wonderful view of Mt Duval from the South/East. Runners will then join Newholme Road, turning left down to Marshal Point 4. From this point, runners will turn right onto the Duval Trail on the North/Eastern side of Mt Duval.  

Runners will tackle the next big hill of the 32km event with a couple of short, sharp climbs (totalling 300m) through the beautiful Xantheria Alley, eventually rejoining the 16km course at Marshal Point 3 before finishing back down the mountain and left onto the track (MP2) back to Dumaresq Dam. Runners will finish on the walking track on the eastern side of Dumaresq Dam. 

Total elevation gain is approximately 940m.

Starting from the marshalling area at the Dumaresq Dam Recreation Area, the 16km will run along the western side of the dam and follow the fire trail around to the north-western point (Marshal Point 1), where it will veer left onto a track towards Mt Duval.

The course follows single tracks and fire trails. There will be a timing mat at the base of Mt Duval (near the 8km course turnaround). Once past the “Newholme” farm gate (Marshal Point 2), runners will turn left to start the climb up Mt Duval.

At approximately 4km, there is a trail junction where runners will take the right trail and follow a loop around the top of Mt Duval. About half-way around the loop, there will be a diversion to the right onto the Summit Trail for an out/back section. Returning down the Summit Trail, runners will turn right onto the Tower Trail, past the radio tower and then turning right to rejoin the Duval Trail. At the 8.5km junction, you will find Marshal Point 3 and you can refill your bottles and take in a lolly or two! Turn left at Marshal Point 3 and head back down the Duval Trail until you complete your loop. You’ll turn right at Marshal Point 2 and head back down to Dumaresq Dam, and follow the walking track to the finish line.

The course starts at 1080m above sea level at Dumaresq Dam and steadily climbs to around 1400m in the first 6km.

The DDB 8km course will start from the marshalling area at Dumaresq Dam Recreation Area, heading out on the fire trail on the western side of the dam until reaching the north-western point (Marshal Point 1) where participants will veer to the left, and follow the track towards the gate at the bottom of Mt Duval. Runners will go through the gate onto Newholme Road where they will reach a turnaround sign. Competitors will return along the same track back towards the dam and continuing onto the walking track to the dam. There is a timing mat at Marshall Point 2. The course is relatively flat with a few undulating low rises along the course.