Terang and District Lions Club member and event organiser Kerrin McKenzie said Terang-Mortlake Road would be closed to all traffic from 6.30pm to make the event safer for participants. The road will reopen at 8.00pm.

“This is the first time that we have done this, this will be a total closure,” he said.

Buses will be available to take people to the start line from Terang from 5.45pm after they have registered for the event.

With between 400-600 people expected to participate in the run, Mr McKenzie said the event had gone from strength to strength since starting after the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires.

“It started as a way to bring the community together,” he said. “Now it is taking on an iconic status with community members who live outside the area travelling back to catch up with friends.”