10 of the best triathlons to test yourself in Queensland

Hell of the West |  Goondiwindi

Pho3nix Gold Coast Triathlon – Luke Harrop Memorial | Gold Coast

When: 5-6 April 2025

Fast and flat, this sprint distance event is your chance to smash your PB while taking in the northern Gold Coast. If there's one triathlon you shouldn't miss, it's the Pho3nix Gold Coast Triathlon. Swim 750m, cycle 20km and run 5km around Broadwater Parklands. 

Enter as an individual or a team. There's a shorter distance Enticer Tri for those working up to the bigger distances, plus a Kids Tri for those aged 7 years and older. 

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.

When: 17 - 18 May 2025

Nature's playground becomes a playground for our toughest athletes as the Straddie Salute Triathlon Festival serves up epic tri-adventures over a jam-packed weekend, just a short ferry ride from Brisbane City. 

There's the Straddie Stride Fun Run, the StraddieKidz race, and the main event: Straddie Salute. This triathlon takes participants through a 750m ocean swim from Home Beach to Point Lookout, followed by a cycle to Amity and back (your choice of road bike course or offroad bike course), and an 8.5km run featuring a mix of coastal trails.

Tip: Make the most of a weekend on Brisbane’s best-kept secret with this guide to Minjerribah. 

Cairns Airport IRONMAN Asia-Pacific Championship | Cairns 

World Triathlon Multisport Championships | Townsville 

When: TBC August 2025

Gear up for one of Queensland's favourite winter races, the World Triathlon Multisport Championships Townsville. Witness the world’s best athletes competing across five world championship disciplines comprising various male and female race categories for elite, age group and para-triathletes. There is something for every athlete, with five World Championship titles up for grabs across the ten days of competition; in duathlon, cross triathlon, aquathlon, aquabike and long-distance triathlon.

Tip: Make the race part of a longer getaway in this spectacular region. Here's the ultimate guide to planning it.

IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast | Sunshine Coast

When: 14 September 2025

You’d be forgiven for thinking Mooloolaba was just a laid-back beachside town. But when the IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast rolls around in September, beach bums transform into Ariarne Titmus-esque athletes.

While the location is pretty spectacular, the course is pretty serious - spanning 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.

Tip: Here's where to train like an IRONMAN on the Sunshine Coast.

When: 29 October - 2 November 2025

The Noosa Triathlon. It's the course. The location. The history. The after-party. There are many reasons why this 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.

Tip: You’ll run past some of Noosa's best restaurants, so stick around and try them afterwards. Here are some training tips to get you started. 

Beach House Hotel Hervey Bay 100 | Hervey Bay

When: 15 - 16 November 2025

Hervey Bay's spectacular foreshore sets the scene for the Hervey Bay 100 - a long-course triathlon that combines 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

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 turquoise waters of one of the most beautiful islands in 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.