Busy on Sunday, November 30? Fancy some fresh air and exercise? Want to give something back to the community?

Ollie Robbins Oval is the place to be this Sunday for the 2025 Tri For Charity, a community-based triathlon event in Dubbo raising funds for Macquarie Home Stay (MHS), the home-away-from-home for rural and remote people travelling to the city for medical treatment.

Organised by the Dubbo Hippos Triathlon Club, this year’s event – a rebranding of the Michael Martin Charity Duathlon – will attract matching funding of up to $3000 from event sponsor Findex, meaning more money raised for the MHS.

The event kicks off at 9am with a 500m swim downstream in the Macquarie River, under the iconic LH Ford Bridge and exiting at the boat ramp. From there, an 18km bike ride follows, then the event concludes with a 4km run along the river path in two 2km loops.

Dubbo Photo News caught up with club treasurer Daniel Roberts last week and heard interest in the triathlon has been growing. He was at pains to stress the Tri for Charity is an event for people at every level, not just the super-fit.

As the club says on social media: “You don’t need to be a triathlete. You just need a team.”

Teams of three will share the workload of the triathlon, with one swimming, one biking, and one running during the event.

“It’s not about who's the quickest,” Daniel explained.

“The idea is each team estimates a time, and whomever gets closest to their own estimated time wins.

“We’re also competing for the Michael Martin Shield, so we still have that connection there,” he said, referencing the origins of the event.

It’s $75 to enter a three-member team, which gets members entry to the race, special timing chips, post-event sausage sizzle and entry into the Michael Martin Shield competition.

Daniel said many club members would participate, with several trying to interest non-triathlete friends to join their teams.

With so many club members competing, sponsor Findex – where Daniel is also a senior partner in their Dubbo office – has stepped up and several of its staff will volunteer on the day, he added.

“Findex have said that they'll do all the marshaling and volunteering, which means the members of the club can compete, and some of them are racing with their families or mates from work,” he said.

And why support Macquarie Home Stay?

“One of the members put [MHS] forward as it was important to them,” Daniel explained, indicating it also supported Findex’s charitable giving ethos for the matched funding.

Participants will also enjoy a post-event barbecue and a coffee van will be present on the day and possibly a few more things on site to be organised this week.

There is still time to enter a team and or support the fundraising efforts as a community sponsor. Full details can be found on the Dubbo Triathlon Club’s social media and website.

Dubbo Photo News may be onsite on the day. Give us a wave if you see us.