Great Walks

The Great Noosa Trail Walk is a 3-day/56km self-guided walking experience over the October long weekend. It traverses the country towns of Cooroy, Kin Kin, Cooran and Pomona via a series of dedicated trails through farmlands, forests and spectacular

IT’S the freeze that gives it away. Although in another few steps I would have seen it anyway. The echidna, right on the edge of the track. It’s almost comedic – one forepaw raised; an eye rolled toward me. A spikey outline against the dust. Unmistak

“LIABLE to unpredictable variation” – that’s the dictionary definition of the word “changeable” with respect to the weather. Why is this important? Well, the Victorian High Country is famous for its changeable weather, which in practical terms means

LONG distance trails attract walkers with the promise of challenge and discovery. The Heysen Trail, Australia’s longest dedicated walking trail, delivers on many levels through its diversity. It runs from the Southern Ocean to the arid north, followi

“WHAT have the Romans ever done for us?” To quote Monty Python’s Life of Brian, apart from the aqueduct, sanitation, roads, irrigation, medicine, education, and wine, what have the Romans ever done for us? Well, they also built a great big wall in th

Matthew: “My wife and I hired a motorhome and toured around California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado and Oregon. One of our favourites places was Bryce Canyon. We were there in May 2019, and it was a particularly long winter, so it was still snowing, whic

“My son and I enjoying a beautiful cloudless day after conquering the mountain. Tasmania has so many magnificent walks – crisp air, stunning views and opportunities to be truly alone in nature”. Bruce: “An overnighter to Neebs Waterhole on the Coolo

IF I was Kelly Slater, I would be frothing. On what is my first visit to Margaret River, I am blown away by the surf breaks that line the rugged Indian Ocean coastline. No wonder this part of the world is so revered by surfers far and wide. But I am

HIKERS think of the South Island when they consider a walking tour of NZ and yet there’s so much more to the country to experience on foot. Which is why we accepted Nature and Nosh’s invitation to experience their 7-day Coastal Charm walking tour sho

WHEN COVID-19 came to Australia, Phil and I were away on a hiking trip with friends in the Flinders Ranges. The threat of state borders closing sent us packing and hoofing it back into Victoria. The next couple of weeks were spent cancelling numerous

IF you are a fan of travel memoirs you would have heard of Billy Bryson, an American travel writer who loves to explore the more interesting and quirky parts of the world. His books are humourous, personal and always entertaining. Here are extracts o

FROM dense forests with prolific wildlife and waterfalls to panoramic clifftops overlooking pristine beaches, Southern Ocean Walk is a walk of outstanding beauty. As the name suggests the Southern Ocean is your companion as you follow the iconic Heys

IF you can walk you can snowshoe! Snowshoes are easy to use compared to learning to, say, putting on cross-country skis for the first time and learning to kick and glide. Snowshoes are wide, stable and won’t slip or slide from underneath you on downh

THE most famous national park in the world, Yellowstone, has just turned 150 years old. Signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), America’s – and the world’s – first national park was set aside to preserve and protect the scenery, cu

WITH our Wildness Photographer of the Year presented by Southern Ocean Walk well underway (see pg 23) we thought we’d give you a few pointers on how to improve your images and your chances of winning some awesome prizes including luxury guided walks,

AS a kid, one of my dad’s passions was mountaineering, and that meant it was something I did too – it was hard work, but the promise of sweets or a toy after we’d reached the summit and come back down was reward enough for a small boy! I was always c

IF there’s one good thing that’s come out of the La Niña double whammy, it’s been the perfect opportunity to test waterproofs. And since most of us have been using our rainwear all summer, there are bound to be a few jackets out there that need repla

Great Walks loves to see new outdoor gear coming onto the market and the latest product is the Japanese-designed and manufactured Zerofit Heartrub Ultimate baselayer. It’s coming here just in time for winter or any other time of the year when you’re

WHEN Mel Gibson bellowed, with blue painted face, the rousing battle cry, ‘They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!’, he may well have been referring to the Scottish Land Reform Act of 2003, instead of the 13th-century war of Scot

SOME hikers swear by walking poles while others can’t see the point. We spoke to walkers on a recent Park Trek tour – five out of the ten walkers were using them. Some used one, some used two, and each of them had different reasons and techniques. Le

WHEN the helicopter lifts off and disappears north over the sea ice and the only sound you can hear is the penguins, that’s when it hits – boy are we alone. The five of us, our food and gear has just been dropped off at Cape Denison, Antarctica; ‘The

WHO said you can’t hike in the outdoors well into your 70s, or beyond? Adventure, defined as undertaking an exciting experience which can involve danger and unknown risk, is no longer the prerogative of the young. Older Australians are becoming fitte

I remember how as a kid every bushwalk and every camping trip was an adventure. For me the great outdoors offered a world of possibilities and offered an escape from school, teen angst and a mother who was struggling with a recent divorce. In the for