The 2016 Stampede was launch at Taronga Western Plains Zoo on Tuesday morning, with excitement already building about this year's running festival which will take place on August 28.

Stampede president Tim Ferraro and his team have seen the event go from strength to strength with roughly 3000 participants taking part last year.

"It has become a very comprehensive running festival for Dubbo with the 5km, 10km, a half marathon and a marathon and all sorts of people from walkers to runners and everything in between and it really has been an outstanding event for Dubbo." Ferraro said at the launch.

"It's become a notable event on Australia's running calendar and we are very proud of it, it's a great event for Dubbo, a great part of the community and a great attraction for people to come and visit for a weekend."

Making this year even bigger and better is the fact some of the tracks have been changed.

While the races have always been set against the picturesque surroundings of the zoo and the Macquarie River, changes to the course this year means participants will be able to see even more.

2016 will be the first time that runners in the marathon, better known as the Rhino Ramble, get the chance to run a full lap around the zoo as part of their course.

"It's the only running event which takes part in a zoo anywhere in Australia and as far as we know it's the only comprehensive running festival in the world in a zoo," Ferraro said.

"There are a few fun runs but this is the only one which offers to half marathon and marathon.

"Most of the courses include aspects of the Macquarie River and there's the opportunity this year with some changes to the course to see more of the river around the new additions on the Tracker Riley cycle way.

"Changed for the number of the courses to take that in and this year we will allow our marathonners to have a full lap of the zoo."

Registrations opened on Tuesday to coincide with the launch, with huge numbers again expected for the ever popular 5.5km Dingo Dash.

The other races on offer are the 10km Cheetah Chase and the half marathon, the 21km Zebra Zoom.

Also in attendance at the launch was Western Plains Regional Council administrator Michael Kneipp, Western Plains Zoo manager Matt Fuller and a host of event sponsors, headlined by gold sponsor Wes Maas, of the Maas Group.

Kneipp spoke of his pride in regards to the event, claiming it is not only a fantastic tourist attraction but also something which is hugely beneficial for the health and fitness of local residents.

In further exciting news for the Stampede, Australian marathon legend Robert de Castella has jumped on board as a patron.

Most well known for his efforts on the international stage, namely his two gold medal winning runs at the Brisbane and Edinburgh Commonwealth Games, de Castella has made an impact in the local region recently through his work with the Indigenous Marathon Project (IMP).

A number of Dubbo athletes have been parts of the IMP, namely Nathan Riley, who ran in last year's New York Marathon as part of the project.

The Dubbo Stampede will be run on August 28. For more informtation and to register, visit www.dubbostampede.com.au.