General News
22 October, 2025
Cobden Gift returns
THIS Saturday will see the Cobden Recreation Reserve hosting the Cobden Community Bank Cobden Gift for the third year running.
The free event will feature 11 races, kicking off at 12noon with runners coming from across the state to compete.
Cobden Recreation Reserve president Craig Dwyer said he was looking forward to another successful year.
“The Gift is very professionally run – it’s ran by the Victorian Athletics League who run the Stawell Gift,” he said.
“We’re actually the opening round of the season and Stawell kind of caps it all off.
“We’re trying to get something up and running locally and give the recreation reserve and the local community something different to come and have a look at.
“The first year’s weather wasn’t great – last year was perfect.
“Hopefully we can get another day that’s pretty reasonable and get a good crowd along to support something different in the local district.”
The main races of the day will be the Cobden Community Bank Men’s Gift and Saputo Women’s Gift.
There will also be a kid’s clinic beginning at 11am before the races officially start, giving families the chance to have a fun morning out on the ground.
“Mia Gross who ran in the Olympics last year – she’s been our ambassador since we started at Cobden,” Mr Dwyer said.
“She’s going to do a kid’s clinic where we’re trying to get some little athletics guys locally to attend that which should be good.
“There’s an opportunity there to meet a current Olympian which doesn’t happen every day.
“It’s just a really good fun day.”
Cobden Tennis will be holding a raffle at the gate, while Cobden Senior and Junior Football Netball Clubs will be running the canteen with Cobden Cricket Club behind the bar.
A coffee van, Bean Crazy, will also be available on the day.
“All the user groups are involved, which is really good, the proceeds go to continually upgrading the recreation reserve,” Mr Dwyer said.
“We’ve just had underground irrigation installed so the ground should be in the best nick possible for the event on the 25th.
“It’s a good weekend for the runners and a good opportunity for the locals to get out and have a look.
“We get athletes from as far away as Newcastle in New South Wales and guys that come from Adelaide so it’s bringing outside money to the area which is always good for a small community like Cobden.
“Get along and support a new event in your local community.”