There are not many marathons that start and finish at a chocolate factory. The Cadbury Marathon does, run each January around the Cadbury site at Claremont on the shores of the Derwent in Hobart. The 2027 edition, its 44th, is on Sunday 3 January.
It is one of the first marathons of the Australian year, which makes it a popular early-season target. The course loops along the river and through the factory grounds, scenic with a few genuine rises rather than a flat time-trial. Distances run from the full marathon down through the half, 10km and 5km, plus a 1km dash for kids under 12.
A summer start in Tasmania is about as comfortable as January marathon weather gets in Australia, though it pays to be at the line early before the day warms. Claremont sits a short drive north of central Hobart, an easy base for a race weekend that pairs well with the city's food, art and waterfront.
