Mike Gore, the founder of Questacon, is credited with coming up with the idea in memory of close friend and passionate navigator, Jason Ryan.
Ryan is considered to be the 'first' to have embarked on an unmonitored journey through the surrounding Canberra bushland, after setting off in the early hours of the morning on Friday the 17th of August, 1962.
The exact reason for the trip has been placed under immense scrutiny, with some reporting that Ryan could hear noises when he was sitting in silence, and thought a run such as this could straighten them out.
This plan, along with a new dialogue of consultation with ANU administration, state and federal authorities, local councils and landholders meant the event returned in 2009 and has since successfully continued.
Each team was required to carry an EPIRB Distress radiobeacon, a satellite phone and a 3G mobile telephone (in a sealed envelope).
Organisers now use a comprehensive radio network across the region, 4WD recovery vehicles and first aiders to ensure competitor safety.