Great Walks

When Alin Useriu (52) came up with the idea of the Via Transilvanica – to rival Spain’s Camino di Santiago – he didn’t know how much support he would get. “My only goal was to revitalise rural areas and all my friends were thrilled with the project,”

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

WELCOME to issue 107 of Great Walks. 2023 marks our 16th year of showcasing the country’s best walking trails. And you won’t get a better workout for your mind, body and soul – guaranteed! Bushwalking is so powerful for our health and wellbeing that

WE are walking along a narrow bush track following a jarrah forested ridgeline. I stop for a moment and take in the view near Djinang Koorliny Lookout. Winding through a steep valley is a rocky section of the Collie River. I sensed a warm feeling of

ALTHOUGH it is relatively small in stature, Baw Baw National Park punches above its weight. Covering 13,530 hectares of pristine alpine forests and heathlands, the park is located on the boundary between the Victorian Alps and Gippsland regions, just

“Taken from Roys Peak, Wanaka, NZ during sunrise following an arduous 3hr hike. I used a tripod, a ND filter to portray movement, and I asked the couple to remain still due to the 4 second exposure. The image shows the harmony between humans and natu

“An early morning sunrise flight over WA’s Purnululu National Park with the doors off. The warmth of the light draws me to Piccaninny Gorge and the stunning walk that takes you into the heart of this unique range. A sensational multi-day walk.” JUDGE

“YOU don’t take a photograph, you make it.” America’s most famous wilderness photographer Ansel Adams (1902-1984) knew what he was talking about when he said this. So much goes into a good image. It’s never just point and shoot. It’s picking the righ

THE Megalong Road pours itself out of Blackheath’s southern side, spilling over into one of the Blue Mountains’ most diverse valleys. As the narrow bitumen winds its way down, the sky disappears behind the verdant canopy of the Coachwood Reserve and

I STOOD by Kearvaig, a white-painted house framed by a turbulent seascape: foam-capped waves pounding black cliffs with seething fury. Exhausted, I dropped my backpack and pulled off my boots. Wet socks, sore feet – and no surprise – over three weeks

PRESENTED BY Jess Leeves, The Palms, Qld Camera: Samsung S20+Jess: “Hiked out of Kings Canyon filled with day trippers... to the solitude of the Giles Track. Amazing country.” Raghbir Kalsi, Brisbane, Qlds Camera: Samsung S20 PlusRaghbir: "Photo take

RENAI (45): “I met my dear friend and hiking buddy Pam at Orange Runners Club over seven years ago. We have walked many places, mostly in our beautiful hometown of Orange NSW, where we have wonderful trails on Mt Canobolas and surrounding forests. We

GOOD things do indeed come in small packages, as my wife occasionally reminds me. It took me a while to realise she was speaking less about my Welsh stature than giving hints about her appreciation of diamonds. The Banks Track might only be 31km long

GREAT Walks is currently exploring the Mount Hotham region for the best walks and as a precursor for the feature story in the next issue here are five great walks you should do over a weekend the next time you visit this stunning part of the Victoria

BOREDOM, confusion, denial over upcoming birthdays – sufferers have different symptoms, but they’re all signs of an impending mid-life meltdown. Instead of changing your job or buying that sports car, here are some walks that might help you deal with

The Good – After half an hour with this bison on my back (ref: Dances With Wolves), it was an easy call to make. This, I decided, was a comfy carry. The trampoline style back system offered sufficient ventilation without positioning the load too far

IF you’re going to take on Scotland’s Cape Wrath Trail (pg46) you need hiking gear that won’t let you down. Here are some of the items Andy Wasley took on his walk. Andy carried a Hilleberg Akto one-person tent. Weighing 1.8kg, the Akto is small and

IT couldn’t be more black and white. Two incidents involving an emergency in the wilderness where one person had the foresight to carry an emergency beacon and one person didn’t. Great Walks spoke to John Belanger (43) who, along with his son Judd (1

AS a 5-year-old, my parents took me to the Grampians when we lived in the southeast of South Australia. I remember walking with other families with lots of kids, jumping over fallen logs, watching water slide through Venus Baths and seeing a snake fo

Need to know: parks.sa.gov.au ■

AN early bushwalking memory is of going on a school trip and walking through Brachina Gorge in Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park. I remember the sense of amazement of being able to walk through places like that. There is something about walking thr

IN 1785 Robert Burns wrote a poem in which he stated “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry”. He had just ploughed up a field and unearthed a poor mouse building its home for the winter. Hikers are all too familiar with this scenario when