After a 21 kilometre warm-up, entrants in the 28 kilometre Big Heart Hike found the final climb to the top of Cape Hawke Lookout a 'cinch'.
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Now in its eight year,150 online nominations were received for this year's fundraiser, held and conducted on Sunday, March 14 by Brian and Lori Belic.
This total is 30 more than the previous record.
The program will result in about $6000 being added to the Forster Surf Club Building Committee coffers which are being accumulated in order to fund the interior fit-out of the new structure.
Participants, with the first 100 entrants dressed in yellow T-shirts this year, could walk or run and could complete all or any sections of the course.
Encouragement from passers-by, horn honking and calls of "Go the yellow Wiggles", were common.
Facing the starters 'gun' from Black Head Surf Club at sunrise 6am participants made their way along Tuncurry's Nine Mile Beach before a barbecue breakfast on Forster Main Beach.
From there the walk continued along the Bicentennial Walkway to Bennetts Head, down the sand dune onto One Mile Beach and on to the Cape Hawke Surf Club.
The final out-leg went past Burgess Beach, through the Booti Booti National Park and up to the Cape Hawke Lookout.
This left a 7.5 kilometre walk back to Cape Hawke Surf Club for refreshments and re-hydration.
From atop the lookout tower, there were voices of amazement when participants looked at how far they had come from Black Head.
The first participant to complete the entire course, Karmen Reardon, did so in just under four hours while the final finisher of all 28 kilometres did so in eight hours - with breaks to attend to the needs of her young children who were being driven by her husband.
Walkers, on their first passing through the Cape Hawke Surf Club check point were amazed to see Karmen finishing.
One comment was: "I am not surprised that Karmen has already finished - she's a machine."
For the past two years, the Belics have said: "No more".
However, heartened by the success of this year's event, Brian has already relented somewhat by saying that a 2025 Big Heart Hike might have a different route.
He also mentioned now that Forster club members were aware what support the event requires, it will mean less preparation on his part.
Forster Surf Club president, John Quinn, expressed his gratitude to the Belics for offering the proceeds of the day to the club.
"Not only are the Belic family long term members of our club, in conducting this event, they have also promoted awareness of the surf life saving movement and have provided a wonderful social occasion which includes visitors from across Australia and with some overseas participants," he said.
A large number of entrants expressed their excitement in having completed the course, with the seascapes and landscapes they had past, the support provided and that they would be back with friends next year.
