Kyogle Classic Officially Launched for July 2026

Gravel Classics by Wild&Co has officially announced the launch of the Kyogle Classic, a new gravel cycling event set to take place in Northern New South Wales on 25 July 2026.

Located approximately 2 hours from the Gold Coast and around 3 hours from Brisbane, Kyogle offers a rare combination of accessibility and genuine remoteness – a classic country town surrounded by some of the best and most under-ridden gravel roads in the region.

To celebrate the launch of the event, Launch Special pricing is now available for a limited time, with discounted entries open until 31 December 2025. Early Bird pricing will follow, before standard entries apply closer to the event.

The Kyogle Classic will feature two course options, designed to showcase the diversity of the region’s terrain. A 100km-plus main course will form the centrepiece of the event, offering a long, challenging day on the bike, while a shorter 50km course will provide an ideal entry point for riders new to gravel events.

If you’re new to gravel events, the 50km course offers an accessible way in. For those chasing a full day on the bike, the longer course will ask more – physically and mentally – with rewards to match. The team is currently putting the finishing touches on the course design, with final route details to be confirmed and shared in the coming months.

Event Director Chris Dixon said the team had been deliberately searching for a second Gravel Classics location that balanced strong riding with a clear sense of place.

“Kyogle stood out immediately,” Dixon said. “It’s close enough to Brisbane and the Gold Coast to be easy to get to, but once you’re there it feels like a world away. The riding is outstanding – quiet roads, big climbs, flowing gravel – and it has all the ingredients for a special winter event.”

Planning is continuing in consultation with local council and land managers to finalise course routes, event logistics and access arrangements. Accommodation options, event headquarters and full course details will be announced soon, with the aim of creating a strong central hub and a welcoming event atmosphere.

The Kyogle Classic becomes the second event under the Gravel Classics by Wild&Co banner, following the success of the Sunday Creek Classic in Kenilworth.

“Gravel Classics is about building events that are shaped by their location,” Dixon said. “Kyogle has the terrain, the character and the community to deliver something genuinely memorable.”

Further announcements regarding the Kyogle Classic will be made as planning is finalised.

ABOUT GRAVEL CLASSICS BY WILD&CO

Gravel Classics by Wild&Co brings together a small collection of premium Australian gravel cycling events, defined by terrain, distance and a strong sense of place. Current events include the Sunday Creek Classic, with additional events in development across Australia.

Gravel Classics by Wild&Co Launched as a New Home for Premium Australian Gravel Events

Gravel Classics by Wild&Co has been launched as a new umbrella for a small collection of premium gravel cycling events across Australia, bringing together distinct events that share a common focus on place, terrain and character.

The series has been created by Wild&Co, the team behind some of Australia’s most ambitious and well-regarded endurance and adventure events. Gravel Classics provides a clear home for events that value thoughtful course design, regional locations and a high-quality rider experience over scale or spectacle.

Event Director Chris Dixon said the idea for Gravel Classics emerged naturally as existing events matured and new opportunities began to take shape.

“Over time, it became clear that we weren’t just running individual events — we were building a particular style of gravel experience,” Dixon said. “Gravel Classics gives that approach a name and a structure, while still allowing each event to stand on its own.”

The Sunday Creek Classic forms the foundation of Gravel Classics, with additional events currently in development. Each event within the series is designed to reflect its location, with courses shaped by the landscape rather than a fixed formula.

“These events are defined by where they’re held,” Dixon said. “The roads, the climbs and the communities are different every time, but the intent is the same — well-considered courses, a strong sense of place and events that riders remember long after the finish.”

Gravel Classics by Wild&Co is deliberately focused on a small number of events, allowing the team to maintain a high standard of delivery and a close relationship with host communities.

Wild&Co is known within the endurance and adventure event space for delivering ambitious courses alongside strong logistics and professional event management, while maintaining a welcoming and enjoyable atmosphere for participants.

“We’re not trying to build the biggest gravel series in the country,” Dixon said. “We’re interested in building a small collection of events that feel meaningful, are well run, and do justice to the places they’re held.”

Further announcements regarding additional Gravel Classics events will be made as planning and approvals are confirmed.

About Gravel Classics by Wild&Co

Gravel Classics by Wild&Co is a collection of premium Australian gravel cycling events, defined by place, terrain and character. The series currently includes the Sunday Creek Classic, with additional events in development across Australia.

Gravel Classics by Wild&Co Announces New Event Concept: Kyogle Classic

Gravel Classics by Wild&Co has announced plans for a new gravel cycling event, the Kyogle Classic, currently under development in Northern New South Wales, with a provisional save-the-date of 25 July 2026.

Following the success of the Sunday Creek Classic, Event Director Chris Dixon said the team had been deliberately searching for a second location that balanced accessibility with a strong sense of remoteness.

“We wanted something that’s close to the Gold Coast and Brisbane, but still feels like a world away,” Dixon said. “Kyogle immediately stood out — it’s a classic country town surrounded by incredible gravel roads, big climbs and terrain that most riders wouldn’t expect to find so close to the coast.”

The Kyogle region offers a diverse mix of rolling farmland, forested ranges and quiet backroads, opening up a wide range of exciting course possibilities. Current planning is focused on two course options: a 100km-plus main event, designed as a true Gravel Classics challenge, and a shorter, more achievable 50km course, aimed at riders looking for a more accessible entry point.

“We’re aiming for something that feels properly epic, but still inclusive,” Dixon said. “The longer course would be the centrepiece of the event, while the shorter option allows more riders to experience the region and the style of riding we love.”

Gravel Classics by Wild&Co has built a strong connection with small regional towns through events such as the Sunday Creek Classic in Kenilworth, where community support and a strong event hub have become defining features.

“We love working with small country towns,” Dixon said. “After the success of Kenilworth, we were keen to find another place with that same sense of character and support. Kyogle offers a lot of exciting options, and the showgrounds in particular have real potential as a race headquarters.”

The Kyogle Classic is currently in the feasibility stage, with ongoing discussions underway with local council and relevant land management and parks authorities regarding access, approvals and course design. Final details, including confirmation of the proposed 25 July 2026 event date, distances and format, will be announced once these discussions are complete.

Wild&Co, the team behind Gravel Classics, is widely recognised for delivering large-scale adventure and endurance events known for ambitious courses, strong logistics and a focus on participant experience.

“Nothing is locked in yet,” Dixon said. “But the potential here is huge. We’re looking at a date, courses and a location that could make this a standout winter gravel event. Once the final details are confirmed, we’re excited to share what we believe could become a special addition to the Australian gravel calendar.”

Further announcements regarding the Kyogle Classic will be made once planning and approvals are finalised.

About Gravel Classics by Wild&Co

Gravel Classics by Wild&Co is a small collection of premium Australian gravel cycling events, defined by place, terrain and character. Current events include the Sunday Creek Classic, with additional events in development across Australia.

Sunday Creek Classic 2025 — A Day for the Record Books

The dust has now well and truely settled after the Sunday Creek Classic 2025 and I think you'll agree that it was another fantastic day out.

At the end of February this year we were quietly excited that 2026 was going to be our biggest year yet – early bird entries had sold well and entries just kept coming in. The Kenilworth Showgrounds team were happy to have us back and the locals we chatted with were all positive about the event.

The course reccie also suggested to was going to be a good year with recent road upgrades and maintenance work right around the course. As May approached we were nervously watching the long range forecasts and praying for the perfect May Day. We were very grateful that while the Sunshine Coast was hit quite hard with rain, the roads, tracks and trails around Kenilworth were looking good and possibly running quite fast.

By race day we were very excited to have 174 riders registered and the perfect May weather for a ride in the hills. It was great to see so many new and familiar faces too – and quite a few from around Australia with riders from WA, TAS, NSW and VIC flying in to race the QLD locals.

A huge congratulations must go to the top three riders in the mens and women's categories with Finn posting a record time of 4:06:38 for the win in the men's category and Nicola posting 5:35:58 in the women's.

A special mention must go out to Junior winner Ant Graham who has taken the win two years in a row and is doing very well on the u18 MTB circuit.

MENS:

1. Finn McKenzie

2. Oliver Stenning

3. Alex Baker

WOMENS:

1. Nicola Jelinek

2. Debbie Cormack

3. Nicola Sunde

JUNIORS:

1. Ant Graham

2. Lance Robertson

 

Results and Pics

You can search the full results for recent years on the results page here: www.sundaycreekclassic.cc/results

Legendary adventure photographer Margarete Oti was also on course and has taken some amazing images (as always). You can find them on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/sundaycreekclassic/photos

Feel free to download and share – they're all part of the package and helps to get the word out for next year.

What's next?

​​​​​​​We've just launched entries for 2026. It's still just a 120km course but we are exploring options for a shorter 50-ish km route. The challenge is of course that many options turn into an adventure race very quickly with the creek crossing and epic climbs. Stay tuned and please tell you mates about the event – there's no reason this event can't handle 500+ riders on the day. 

The Sunday Creek Classic is back for 2026 – and yes, it's going to be as fast, furious and epic as ever!

It's been a wild journey to get this event off the ground and after a fantastic turnout for 2025, we're excited to announce we're back for 2026! The last weekend in May has been locked in the calendar which should mean great weather for cycling with cooler temps and less chance of rain.

We've locked in the show grounds and looking forward to getting back to the bakery and pub for some great local food and local atmosphere. We had a great turnout for 2025 and if entries keep selling the way they are (yep, we've already for a few registered!), 2026 is going to be a big one!

Date: Saturday 23 May 2026
Start / Finish Location: Kenilworth Showgrounds
Duration: Single day event
Entries: ENTRIES OPEN
Early Bird – Ends 31 Jan 2026: $145
Regular Entry: $185

Find out more at www.sundaycreekclassic.cc

ENTER NOW

2025 Information Kit is now live!

Welcome to THE forth EDITION OF THE Sunday Creek Classic!

Looks like we’re finally on a roll after a few false starts year! For all those that have signed up for the first time, yes, Mt Buggery is very real. The first time you travel over it and through the rolling hills into Jimna you know it’s a special place and begging to be cycled. So with the increasing popularity of gravel bikes and bike packing culture we’re very excited to see this event happening again!

This event has been inspired by the great gravel events around the world, by European classics that feature wild weather and brutal courses and more recent events in America like Barry-Roubaix, Unbound and the Belgian Waffle Ride.

Starting in the sleepy farming town of Kenilworth, the 120km, almost entirely gravel route, heads towards Kandanga and Bella Creek and then west to Jimna before returning via Sunday Creek Road to Kenilworth. The route takes in everything from dry eucalyptus forests, majestic hoop pine forestry, sub-tropical rainforest forest and open cattle grazing country.

With 3,000 meters of climbing including the notorious climb to Mt Buggery, this event is one of the toughest one day gravel events on the Australian calendar.

It’s going to be tough, but nothing great comes without pushing yourself beyond what you believe is possible.

Personally, the goal of the event is two fold – firstly, I love Kenilworth and believe the area is an underrated adventure playground. As they grow, events like the Sunday Creek Classic can have a real positive impact on small town economies like Kenilworth.

The second goal is to build an event that becomes a must-do classic on the Australian cycling calendar. It will take time but I believe that region and the course have the makings of something that can become truely great.

So on behalf of the team, thank you for entering. See you out there!

Chris Dixon
RACE DIRECTOR

2024 Info Kit Now Live!

Welcome to the third edition of the Sunday Creek Classic!

DOWNLOAD THE 2024 INFO KIT HERE

Looks like we’re finally on a roll after a few false starts last year! For all those that have signed up for the first time, yes, Mt Buggery is very real. The first time you travel over it and through the rolling hills into Jimna you know it’s a special place and begging to be cycled. So with the increasing popularity of gravel bikes and bike packing culture we’re very excited to see this event happening again!

This event has been inspired by the great gravel events around the world, by European classics that feature wild weather and brutal courses and more recent events in America like Barry-Roubaix, Unbound and the Belgian Waffle Ride.

Starting in the sleepy farming town of Kenilworth, the 120km, almost entirely gravel route, heads towards Kandanga and Bella Creek and then west to Jimna before returning via Sunday Creek Road to Kenilworth. The route takes in everything from dry eucalyptus forests, majestic hoop pine forestry, sub-tropical rainforest forest and open cattle grazing country. And with 3,000 meters of climbing including the notorious climb to Mt Buggery, this event is one of the toughest one day gravel events on the Australian calendar.

It’s going to be tough, but nothing great comes without pushing yourself beyond what you believe is possible.

Personally, the goal of the event is two fold – firstly, I love Kenilworth and believe the area is an underrated adventure playground. As they grow, events like the Sunday Creek Classic can have a real positive impact on small town economies like Kenilworth.

The second goal is to build an event that becomes a must-do classic on the Australian cycling calendar. It will take time but I believe that region and the course have the makings of something that can become truely great.

So on behalf of the team, thank you for entering. See you out there!

Chris Dixon
RACE DIRECTOR

2023 Info Kit Now Live!

Welcome to the second edition of the Sunday Creek Classic!

DOWNLOAD THE 2023 INFO KIT HERE

Looks like we’re finally on after a few false starts last year! For all those that have signed up for the first time, yes, Mt Buggery is very real. The first time you travel over it and through the rolling hills into Jimna you know it’s a special place and begging to be cycled. So with the increasing popularity of gravel bikes and bike packing culture we’re very excited to see this event happening again!

This event has been inspired by the great gravel events around the world, by European classics that feature wild weather and brutal courses and more recent events in America like Barry-Roubaix, Unbound and the Belgian Waffle Ride.

Starting in the sleepy farming town of Kenilworth, the 120km, almost entirely gravel route, heads towards Kandanga and Bella Creek and then west to Jimna before returning via Sunday Creek Road to Kenilworth. The route takes in everything from dry eucalyptus forests, majestic hoop pine forestry, sub-tropical rainforest forest and open cattle grazing country. And with 3,000 meters of climbing including the notorious climb to Mt Buggery, this event is one of the toughest one day gravel events on the Australian calendar.

It’s going to be tough, but nothing great comes without pushing yourself beyond what you believe is possible.

Personally, the goal of the event is two fold – firstly, I love Kenilworth and believe the area is an underrated adventure playground. As they grow, events like the Sunday Creek Classic can have a real positive impact on small town economies like Kenilworth.

The second goal is to build an event that becomes a must-do classic on the Australian cycling calendar. It will take time but I believe that region and the course have the makings of something that can become truely great.

So on behalf of the team, thank you for entering. See you out there!

Chris Dixon
RACE DIRECTOR

IMPORTANT: SUNDAY CREEK CLASSIC EVENT UPDATE 22 MAY 2022

Due to significant damage to roads and landslides from the recent unseasonably heavy rain, HQ Plantations (managers of the State Forestry in Kenilworth) have informed us that the State Forests around Kenilworth are closed and that the Sunday Creek Classic cannot proceed as planned. We have spent the last few days exploring alternative options, but due road closures, the scale of the damage and number of roads affected, we are not confident we could deliver a high quality, safe and fun cycling event in the time frame.

The event will instead be scheduled for a date later in the year pending HQ Plantations, Council and National Parks approvals. We will announce this date in the next couple of days but are exploring August and September options.

If for any reason participants can’t make the new date, entries will be fully credited to the next Sunday Creek Classic in 2023 or another Wild & Co event (Adventure Racing anyone?).

From our side, the course is set, we’ve got boxes of gear, timing systems and race packs ready….we just need a course to race on! With the extra time, please keep training, stay safe and looking forward to seeing you in a few months time!

And maybe with this extra time we can add some more goodies to the race 🤔.

Kind Regards,

Chris Dixon

Wild&Co
M +61 (0)497 417 195
E hello@wldnco.com
W www.wldnco.com

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The Sunday Creek Classic – The Most Challenging Single Day Ride in Australia

Ryan Cavanagh, winner of the 120km

When you call a new ride a ‘classic’ you’d better have something special to back it up, and adventure sports organisers Wild & Co definitely delivered with the inaugural Sunday Creek Classic. It was a day which the first riders to tackle the course won’t forget in a hurry.

Held out of Kenilworth, Queensland, the new race promised a ‘very dirty Gran Fondo’ and Race Director Chris Dixon left no one in any doubt of what was to come.  “Expect this to be tough – this event is only for those who can race and complete a hard core challenge. There will be minimal support during large sections of the event.”

The race offered two courses, a 120km route with 3000m of climb, and a 50km option with 1500m of climbing, both designed to test riders’ fitness, endurance, mental strength and spirit of adventure.

The 65 riders who turned out for the first ride of the course on Saturday May 29th were warmly welcomed to Kenilworth, and many headed to its famous bakery to fuel up before setting off under clear blue skies for the ride of a lifetime.

They discovered a course with mile after mile of amazing high country gravel roads, some brutal hills that forced them out of the saddle, rolling grazing lands, and a variety of terrain from sub tropical rainforest to dry eucalyptus. It also included the steep climb of the memorably named ‘Mount Buggery’, a name the riders came to appreciate!

One indication of the uncompromising challenge of the Sunday Creek Classic was that the last riders back to Kenilworth were Paul and Melanie Ewing, who recorded a time of exactly 12 hours for the 120km course, while Stephen Finch was on the 50km route for almost 8 hours.  They got the maximum value for their entry fee and enjoyed the scenery to the max!

The winners found it just as challenging, despite their strong racing and competitive pedigree.  The male 120km winner was Ryan Cavanagh in 5.04.28, while the female winner was Lizzie Hepple in 8.29.34.

Both were well clear of any challengers, which isn’t surprising.  Hepple is an ex-Olympic rider who placed 3rd in the women’s Tour de France and competed at National level in triathlon, while Cavanagh has a track record of international tour wins with the St. George Continental Cycling Team.

“The Sunday Creek Classic was without a doubt one of the single hardest one-day courses I have ever ridden!”

— Ryan Cavanagh

Even so Cavanagh said, “The Sunday Creek Classic was without a doubt one of the single hardest one-day courses I have ever ridden!

“The ultra-steep climbs were a new challenge for me. Having never had the opportunity to race on such terrain before, it was a completely new experience for me. The fact that walking seemed the only option on some uphills really turned this ride into a challenge of more than just bike fitness.  It was a real mental fight at some points.

“I was certainly glad to have a XC MTB on many of the up or downhill sections. This was made immediately apparent on the first downhill where a gap formed to the other riders behind me.  At that point I just focused on not exerting myself too much, too early, before the real physical testing point of Mt. Buggery. I was trying to keep a solid consistent pace for the entire course. 

“The scenery and views surrounding Kenilworth were truly spectacular and definitely helped take my mind off the suffering.

“All in all Sunday Creek Classic was an epic event that I hope grows in the next years to become a staple in the racing calendar for any gravel/MTB rider that wants to really test themselves.”

After her competitive career Hepple took up cycling again for fun in 2013, but having recently acquired a gravel bike, the challenge of the Sunday Creek Classic was irresistible.

Liz Hepple pushing through the rolling hills

“I love the Kenilworth countryside but have only seen it from bitumen roads so was very excited about riding the area off-road. I knew it would be tough so I really focused on getting my fitness and skills up over the last 2 months.

“As a major challenge - it exceeded expectations! The beginning, middle and final 10kms were beyond my wildest dreams, I mean nightmares! I can’t say those bits were really enjoyable, but I told myself, ‘It’s all part of the adventure’ and to suck it up, and I felt proud to get through it physically and mentally.

“The other 100kms of ‘normal’, but still quite challenging, and incredibly scenic gravel roads, I enjoyed every moment. Honestly, it was so much fun being in the fresh air, with beautiful but changing vistas.  I loved the brilliant green, blue and gravel colours, and the support crews at the checkpoints were fantastic.  I met a few old friends at the event and made new ones. 

“I’ll keep working on my gravel bike skills, and ‘hike-a-bike’ fitness, so I can come back next year and do it all again!”

The overall winners in the 50km race were Chris Collins (3.34.42) and Veronica Lebedev (4.12.00), but really every competitor in this inaugural race was a winner.

In years to come they’ll have bragging rights that they rode the first Sunday Creek Classic, a ride which is going to become the pinnacle of achievement for adventure riders across the country in the years to come.

The course featured gravel roads, fire trails, hike-a-bike and a few short technical sections.