Fromer Greens Senate candidate Sissy Austin was half-way through her run in a western Victorian state forest over the weekend, when a man allegedly attacked her with a makeshift weapon.
The 28-year-old Djab Wurrung woman and Indigenous activist was running through the Lal Lal state forest on Saturday afternoon when a man reportedly knocked her unconscious with a rock tied to a stick.
Police say the attacker was believed to be a Caucasian male wearing black jeans, a cap and no shoes or shirt.
According to the ABC, Austin later regained consciousness and woke to blood streaming down her face, before running four kilometres back to her car and calling the police.
"It was terrifying trying to find my way back through the tracks to my car," she told The Guardian.
"After I woke up on the ground, the whole bush was spinning."
Ambulance services later took her to Ballarat hospital for a CT scan.
Police said the 28-year-old suffered non-life-threatening facial injuries.
In a post on Facebook, Austin, who was a senate candidate for the Greens in last year's federal election, wrote that she simply "went for a run on a beautiful day" when she was knocked out.
"Home now from hospital but in shock with a massive throbbing headache," she wrote alongside before and after photos of the attack.
"Women should be able to safely go for a f***ing run in this colony."
Victoria Police Detective Senior Sergeant Tony Coxall said police currently believe it was a "random attack on a jogger".
"Nothing like this has occurred in that area in my recent memory, and that’s going back 15 years," he said, as per the ABC.
"We've got police combing the area today, they'll be further investigations over the next few days."
Coxall said police are "hopeful of identifying this male" and suggested "in the short term [that] people run in twos".
"I give the re-assurance that local police are upping patrols and with the community's help we'll solve this."
Austin has been recovering since returning home from hospital on Sunday.
"I will come back strong and won't be sitting in any sadness or fear," she wrote on Facebook.
"For now just cuddling my dogs."
Police urged witnesses or people with dashcam footage in the area from Saturday evening to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or log onto www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
- With AAP.
Feature Image: Facebook@sissy.austin1