Test yourself at the best triathlons in Queensland
LIST
By Danielle Reckless
Published 1 day ago
Hell of the West | Straddie Salute | Cairns IRONMAN | Townsville Tri | IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast | Noosa Tri | Hamilton Island
Crave a challenge? Then it's time to swim, spin and sprint your way into one of Queensland’s best triathlons. Whether you’re an ambitious athlete or a fit first-timer, we've got you covered with a calendar full of gold-medal-worthy races.
Get training for the very best triathlons in Queensland.
Hell of the West, Goondiwindi, Queensland Country
The ultimate test of endurance, it takes guts to compete in Hell of the West in the sweltering summer heat.
Swim 2km through the Macintyre River, cycle 80km along the Barwon Highway and run the 20km circuit towards the western edge of Goondiwindi. No matter where you place in this tri, you'll be a champion.
Learn more about Queensland's toughest triathlon.
Tip: Stretch sore muscles on the granite trails of Girraween National Park, and treat yourself to wine tasting in the Granite Belt.
Mooloolaba Triathlon Festival, Sunshine Coast
When: 14 - 15 March 2026
Mooloolaba Triathlon, Sunshine Coast
A tri that’s been going for over 25 years has got to be worth doing. Especially when one of Queensland's best beaches is centre stage.
The Mooloolaba Triathlon is an iconic ITU Triathlon World Cup event that brings together the world’s elite triathletes. Set your own pace as you brush shoulders with the world’s best and track towards your own PB around this spectacular course.
Get race ready with this guide.
Tip: Take some annual leave and cool down in Mooloolaba for a few days.
Gold Coast T100 Triathlon
When: 21 - 22 March 2026
Swim, cycle, run – the Gold Coast T100 Triathlon brings the world’s best athletes to Australia’s glittering coastline for a high-octane showdown. Watch pros and passionate amateurs push their limits across iconic beach and city backdrops, with the surf, skyline, and sunshine turning up the spectacle.
Tip: Make a weekend of it and explore Burleigh’s buzzing dining scene or catch the sunset from the headland.
Pho3nix Gold Coast Triathlon – Luke Harrop Memorial, Gold Coast
When: 11 - 12 April 2026
If there's one triathlon you shouldn't miss, it's the Pho3nix Gold Coast Triathlon. Fast and flat, this sprint distance event is your chance to smash your PB while taking in the northern Gold Coast: swim 750m, cycle 20km and run 5km around Broadwater Parklands.
There's options to enter as an individual or team, a shorter distance Enticer Tri for those working up to a longer race, plus a Kids Tri for those aged 7 years and older.
Get all the info with this guide.
Tip: Make a weekend of it and explore the Gold Coast's northern end, or refuel on the region's best bites and laid-back atmosphere at Burleigh.
Straddie Salute, Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island), Brisbane
When: 15 - 17 May 2026
Straddie Salute Triathlon Festival, Minjerribah, Brisbane
Searching for one of Australia's best-looking triathlon courses? Take the short ferry ride from Brisbane City to Minjerribah for Straddie Salute Triathlon Festival.
The island sets the scene for a weekend of epic endurance, including the main event - Straddie Salute - a 750m ocean swim from Home Beach to Point Lookout, a cycle to Amity and back (your choice of road bike course or offroad bike course), and a 8.5km run featuring a mix of coastal trails.
There's also an ocean swim, trail run, and a kids tri.
Tip: Stay a while and experience the best things to do on Minjerribah. The non-negotiable? A farewell schooner at Straddie Brewing.
Cairns Airport IRONMAN Cairns, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef
When: 14 - 15 June 2026
Cairns Airport IRONMAN Cairns, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef
With a worldwide reputation as the 'race in paradise', Cairns Airport IRONMAN Cairns exceeds the hype, making it the must-do Queensland triathlon.
There's nothing quite like it. A 3.8km swim off a sparkling palm-lined beach. 180km cycle along coastal highway that sits beside World Heritage rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. A 42km run through Cairns streets to the party at the finish line. This is the definition of hurts so good.
If you’re not up to a full IRONMAN yet, the half distance 70.3 also takes place on the same weekend.
Tip: Slip into recovery mode with four days in the tropics.
Townsville Triathlon and Multisport Festival, Townsville
When: 23 - 24 August 2025
Set against the palm-lined foreshore of The Strand and Pallarenda Beach, the Townsville Triathlon and Multisport Festival is fast, flat and unforgettable. With everything from kids' events to elite qualifiers, it’s a big weekend of big effort (and even bigger bragging rights).
Tip: Turn race day into a tropical getaway. Here's your ultimate guide to Townsville adventures beyond the finish line.
IRONMAN 70.3, Sunshine Coast
When: 14 September 2025
IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast
You’d be forgiven for thinking Mooloolaba was just another laid-back Queensland beach town. But when the IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast rolls around in September, the surfing set transform into Ariarne Titmus-esque athletes.
While the location is pretty spectacular, the course is pretty serious. It spans 113km in length from Mooloolaba to Mount Coolum and Alexandra Headland. To crunch the numbers, that’s a 1.9km swim, 90km bike ride and 21km run.
This guide's got everything you need to know.
Tip: Here's where to train like an IRONMAN on the Sunshine Coast. Here's where to refuel afterwards.
Noosa Triathlon, Sunshine Coast
When: 29 October - 2 November 2025
Noosa Triathlon, Sunshine Coast
When: 29 October - 2 November 2025
It's the course. The location. The history. The after-party. There are many reasons why Noosa Triathlon is one of the best Olympic distance (1.5km/40km/10km) triathlon in the world.
Athletes come back year after year to what has become the triathlon’s version of Shangri La. Try it once and chances are you’ll be booking your return tickets as soon as you break the finishing tape.
The triathlon is the main event, but there’s also the Tour de Noosa ride, Run Swim Run, Breakfast Fun Run, 1000m Ocean Swim, ASICS Bolt and a Special Tri. Even the little ones can have a go at the Superkidz tri in the morning.
Dive into our Noosa Triathlon guide.
Tip: You’ll run past some of Noosa's best restaurants, so stop by and try them later.
Beach House Hotel Hervey Bay 100, Fraser Coast
When: 15 - 16 November 2025
Hervey Bay's spectacular foreshore sets the scene for the Hervey Bay 100 - a long-course triathlon combining a 2km swim, 80km cycle and 18km run. If you're not quite ready for the real deal, Super Saturday's events are for you: there's a Have A Crack Tri, junior events and 2km ocean swim.
Tip: Stick around to taste and play through Hervey Bay, or pop over to K'gari, the world's largest sand island, just a short ferry ride away.
Hamilton Island Triathlon, The Whitsundays
When: 15 November 2025
Hamilton Island Triathlon, The Whitsundays
When the water looks this good, you won't want to wait for the starter's gun to dive in.
Pounding the payment and swimming in the gatorade waters of one of the most beautiful islands in the The Whitsundays doesn't sound like a challenge, but this event really is. One of four events in the Hamilton Island Endurance Series (which also includes an ocean swim, half marathon and beach run), the route is more scenic than a desktop screensaver.
We’re talking a 750m swim in Catseye Bay, a 20km cycle around the southern island and a 5km run around the marina and resorts.
Tip: After the big race, spend some time exploring Hamilton Island and experience the best of The Whitsundays.
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