You will notice on the Event Schedule that everyday there will be a shoe wash station open at the Event Village. This will be a soapy tub with hand scrubbers that you will use to remove any soil from your shoes. It will be mandatory for ALL runners and crew who will be accessing any part of the GPT trail or National Park to wash their shoes at the shoe wash and only put them on just before leaving to go to the start. If you plan on changing your shoes mid race, please ensure that you wash ALL shoes that you are considering running in before each day you are racing. 

Why are we doing this? It is to stop the spread of harmful fungus throughout the National Park. Please Read this information from the Parks Victoria website. 

Cinnamon fungus

Cinnamon Fungus (Phytophthora cinnamomi) is a microscopic, soil-borne disease-causing organism that attacks and destroys plant root systems causing plants to die through lack of water and nutrients. Patches of dead or dying vegetation can indicate the presence of this silent killer and grass trees are particularly susceptible. It is spread through infected plants and the movement of contaminated soil and gravel, and there is no known cure.

Help stop the rot

Parks Victoria is working in conjunction with other State and Federal Government agencies to control Cinnamon Fungus and you can help too. Taking the following measures will help to minimise the spread of this pathogen (and noxious weed species) through both private land and our precious parks and reserves.

• Be clean on entry and exit. Vehicles, tyres, machinery, footwear and camping gear should be free of soil, gravel and mud prior to entering or leaving any park, reserve or campsite (particularly in high risk areas). Don’t bring soil or gravel in – and don’t take any home!

• Use boot cleaning stations and vehicle wash down bays where available – they are there for a reason.

• Keep to formed roads, tracks and pathways at all times. Moving from infected to uninfected areas can spread the pathogen - particularly during wet weather when soils are wet and sticky.

• Obey all track and road closure signs. Do not enter areas of vegetation that have been quarantined.

• Avoid travelling through areas infected with Phytophthora. If in doubt – ask! Call Parks Victoria on 13 1963.

• Do not remove plants or plant material from parks and reserves – they are protected by law.
  
  

Plant killer

Known variously as die back, root rot and Jarrah dieback, PC and Phytophthora, Cinnamon Fungus derives its name from the bark of Cinnamon trees where it was initially isolated in Sumatra in 1922. Phytophthora literally means plant killer and this pathogen has lived up to its name, destroying vast tracts of vegetation around the world.
It is listed in the top 100 of the world’s most invasive species and is Victoria’s most significant plant pathogen affecting both native ecosystems and the horticultural industry.
Phytophthora cinnamomi is a soil borne water mould closely related to brown algae.

On the move

Cinnamon fungus was first detected in Australia in 1935 and has since spread across the country infecting hundreds of thousands of hectares of native vegetation in Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland. Heathlands, coastal woodlands and dry Eucalypt forests are most at risk.
Within Victoria, the pathogen has had serious impacts in the Brisbane Ranges, Grampians, Great Otway, Lower Glenelg, Point Nepean, Kinglake, Croajingalong and Wilsons Promontory National Parks in addition to Lerderderg State Park, Lake Tyers, Anglesea Heathlands and the coastal forests of east and south Gippsland.

Detection

Without proper soil testing, this microscopic pathogen is difficult to detect. It is more actively spread in moist soils during warm weather and can survive drought. It can be present even if vegetation appears healthy as not all plants are susceptible. Infected plants appear drought affected and develop signs of ‘dieback’. Infected plants are rarely in the same stage of decline at any one time.

Easily spread

While the pathogen can spread locally through soil or water via tiny swimming spores, it is more commonly spread through the movement of contaminated soil and gravel carried by vehicle or foot traffic. It can also be spread through infected plant material and potting mix.

Long-term impact

The presence of Cinnamon Fungus threatens not only vegetation communities – it can alter the ecology of entire ecosystems. As susceptible plant species like shrubs and colourful wildflowers gradually die out, they are replaced by resistant species like grasses and sedges.

Birds, insects, reptiles and mammals that depend on the original plant species for their survival also decline in numbers as shelter and food sources disappear.