Tent City
INTRO
Tent City is the camping area that surrounds the Start/Finish Line and borders both sides of the final 50-100 metres of each lap. Its a great place to chat to other Totarans between laps or whilst someone else from your relay team members is out on course. It also serves the vital role - especially for those in the Backyard Ultra - as your re-supply hub for food, drink, clothing and medical needs ... maybe even a five minute nap?
One place in Tent City is available to all Backyard Ultra athletes (except Backyard 5) and one spot is allocated to each of ther 12 & 24 hour relay teams. Each spot of approximately 4m x 4m and can comfortably accommodate a family size tent, gazebo or sun/rain shelter.
Important! Even if your event does not qualify for an allocated spot in Tent City, you can still join in the fun and enjoy the atmosphere. All athletes have full use of the communal rest area - directly opposite the finish line - and there is plenty of space around the outside of Tent City for your friends and family to bring a blanket or camping chairs and setup an impromptu personalised aid station.
Tent City is open from 5pm Friday until event close.
Tent Zones
The Venue Map shows the locaton of the primary Tent Zones. Each zone has 10 sites within it. The zone will be marked by a line of yellow Caution tape with white pigtails at each boundary. You can set up your tent on either side, with the back of your tent facing the tape and the front of your tent facing into the access path.
When the Tent Allocations are published, you'll only be given a zone to setup in. When you arrive on site with your materials, you can select any unoccupied site within your zone that suits you. Click on the venue map here to see where the tent sites are or click below for a downloadable PDF version.
Important! in 2023, the ground nearest the car park was heavily pitted and dangerous to walk on. For this reason, Zone H only utilises the spaces nearest the main track. This may be reviewed closer to race day and Tent Zones may be reviewed at that time.
AVAILABILITY
To ensure tent spaces are efficiently used, we have some simple rules around who is entitled to a space. It's important to remember that simply registering in a particular entry category does not allocate a space to you - you must still respond in the positive when we contact you during race week.
Each of the following entry categories are entitled to a single place in Tent City by right (yes, we have enough space for everyone who wants one):
- Last One Standing: 1 space per participant
- Backyard 10: 1 space per participant
- 24-Hr Team Relay: 1 space per team
- 12 Hr Team Relay: 1 space per team
You must re-confirm your tent allocation during race week.
ALLOCATION
Some participants will share a tent site with their friends. Some participants will go into the event knowing they only plan to run a few laps. Some participants won't even make it to the start line. For these reasons - and a million others besides - we only allocate a spaces in Tent City during race week, when everyone's plans are pretty much locked in.
At the beginning of Race Week, we will contact you by email and SMS with instructions on how to confirm your Tent City space. You can do this by accessing your ticket (we'll include a link for you) and setting the Tent Allocation question on your ticket to YES. You'll have 72 hours to update your status, so please don't ignore the message and think you'll get to it later in the week.
Once we have the full list of everyone who requires a space, we will allocate a Tent Zone on basis of when you registered. Tent City (see map above) is split into 7 zones and each zone is allocated a letter. Zone A is nearest the start/finish line whilst Zone F is furthest away (Zone G & H are reserved for relay teams). So if you registered for the event when it first opened, chances are you'll be in Zone A or B. If you registered closer to race day, you're more likely to be in Zone E or F.
Zone Allocations Will Be Published Here on Race Thursday
Important! Check with your friends if several of you are taking part and you plan to all share a tent site. In this case, nly one of you should answer YES when surveyed.
The earlier you register, the nearer your Tent City site will be to the Finish Line.
MOVING IN
You can setup your tent site any time from 5pm-9pm on Friday night or from 5am-7am on Saturday morning. At 7am on Saturday, vehicular access in/out of the venue will be restricted and you will not be able to drive your things into the site - see Parking Info for more.
If you don't already know your Tent Zone, head into Race HQ when you arrive and we'll get you checked-in, give you your race number and other materials and advise which zone you are in. If you have all of your camping materials in your car, you can pull over to the side of the track - FOR AN ABSOLUTE LIMIT OF 90 SECONDS - to unload the heaviest items. You must then take your car into the car park. Remember, the car park is only a few paces away so it's no big deal to bus your things in and out from there.
Within each zone, there are 10 seperate tent sites which are demarcated by a white pigtail on the boundary. Tent sites within each zone are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis ... so just feel free to select any site that suits you. Sites nearest the track are easiest to access and closer to the action, but also probably a little noisier and harder to rest in. What suits ya best?
Important! Running Events crew will be on site overnight on Friday night to keep an eye on things. Please
Each Tent City site includes one parking space in the main car park.
MOVING OUT
Once your vehicle is in t he main car park on Saturday morning, you will not be able to leave again until after the 2pm lap begins in the Last One Standing. Please be patient if you want to leave earlier than this ... we have a responsibility for the safety of all participants to restrict vehicle movement as much as possible..
The exit gate to the park will be unlocked from 2pm-9pm on Saturday and again from 6am on Sunday morning. You must take absolute care when departing the site. ou'll be super-tired when it comes time to pack-out so take extra care to have a good look around you as you leave to make sure you haven't left anything behind.
Important! Departing the venue in your vehicle from 9pm Saturday until 6am Sunday is only possible be arrangement with our Race Crew. Ask at Race HQ and we'll escort you out as soon as we are able to. Please be patient, however. The safety of all participants and the smooth operation of the event will remain our priority.
You must take all items - including rubbish - with you when you depart Tent City.
BYLAWS
We want everyone taking part in the event to have a great time and enjoy themselves, as well as keeping safe and making our footprint on the park as small as possible. Therefore, we respectfully ask that all residents of Tent City take note of the following bylaws:
- You can setup your tent site any time on Friday from 5-9pm or up until 7am on Saturday morning. Our race crew will be on site overnight to keep an eye on things but, please, do not leave any valuables unattended.
- No generators.
- No gas BBQs, fridges or other major domestic appliances! Small camping stoves - when used with due care and dilligence - are OK. Chilli-bins are a great option too.
- Please consider your neighbours and keep and music turned down.
- During the night laps, keep in mind people - participants AND supporters - may be trying to sleep.
- Everything you brought into the park must be removed when you leave. We have a zero tolerance for was