14/09/2026
We love visitors at Pioneer parkrun, and we especially like it when they enjoy the course and feel like telling other people about it. Thanks to Ally for visiting and sharing her thoughts with a guest run report. We don't mind if Pioneer doesn't stay secret.
Run Report – Pioneer parkrun Event 622
67 finishers | 10 volunteers
My name is Ally. I’m a Run Director at South Beach Recreation Reserve parkrun, and I’m also the instigator of the 10 Boomerangs, which have been creating connections from one parkrun to another since June 2024.
I had just returned from six weeks in England and Poland, where I’d been hosting “Boomeranger reunions”, and was all set to return to my home parkrun at South Beach Recreation Reserve, just five minutes from home.
That was until one of our A-team volunteers, and now close friend, Alaina, suggested we tick off a NENDY. We tossed up between Champions Lakes and Pioneer. Pioneer won, and I’m very glad it did!
I fancy myself as a bit of a writer, and sometimes stories just come to me out of nowhere. I’ve written several parkrun run reports over the years in other countries, but never here in WA. It simply hadn’t entered my head to offer.
That was until I was running around Pioneer. The story was writing itself in my head as I went.
I say running… it was more of a “joggle” — a combination of jogging, walking and chatting. I’d worked late the night before at Optus Stadium — GO DOCKERS! — and Alaina had been at a work party. One of us may have had a hangover!
The very first thing we both noticed and commented on was… what a stunning course!
This has to be Perth’s biggest parkrun secret. Who would have thought that nestled in a park in Gosnells was one of our most beautiful parkruns?
Yes, it might involve a few laps, but the scenery changes so much that you’re happy to head out for that third lap. There are small hills, a bridge, a treetop walk, a boardwalk, flat paths and beautiful trees providing plenty of shade. You run alongside a stream and past a duck pond — actually called Duck Pond — which was true to its name, full of ducks and beautiful lily pads.
But the other thing that struck us both was that Pioneer really is exactly what Paul Sinton-Hewitt intended when he started the parkrun community at Bushy Park 21 years ago.
It’s a micro-community. People know each other. Everyone cheers each other on as they pass. It’s friendly, loyal and welcoming — and that’s what makes it special.
Having visited parkruns in 14 different countries, I’ve seen plenty of different parkrun communities, and Pioneer has a lovely sense of belonging.
We met Greg, who was completing his 363rd parkrun at Pioneer. He isn’t interested in ticking off a million parkrun challenges, earning his alphabet or collecting tourist badges. He simply enjoys coming to the same parkrun every week, running and spending time with the same people.
And he’s not alone. So many people just come to Pioneer. That’s it. It’s their parkrun.
What’s even more noticeable is that, despite being such a tight-knit community, they embrace visitors. Everyone we met was friendly, chatty and happy to share their beautiful part of the world.
Alaina and I had some lovely conversations with locals and volunteers. A special shout-out to Peter, this week’s Run Director, who was super friendly and readily jumped on board when I offered to write this report.
Everyone was also very interested to hear about the 10 Boomerangs. The second cohort of ten is currently travelling around Europe, although none are travelling around Australia at the moment.
It got me thinking… perhaps I should launch one that travels exclusively around Australian parkruns!
Alaina and I did bring along the boomerang belonging to the South Beach regulars. It’s called SB1 Bon’s Boomerang, named after Bon Scott, the original lead singer of AC/DC, who is buried not far from our South Beach start line. His gravesite is reportedly the most visited in Australia.
SB1 Bon’s Boomerang stays with a South Beach local. When someone heads off on holiday or goes parkrun tourism, they take Bon “on tour”, post photos just like the other boomerangs, and share their adventures.
But unlike the original ten, Bon always returns to South Beach, where he “rehearses” until someone heads off on tour again!
We had a fantastic morning at Pioneer and taking advice from locals we enjoyed a delicious breakfast at DOME
The question is… should we tell everyone that it’s one of Perth’s most stunning parkruns, or should we keep it a secret for the locals to enjoy? 😄
