August - September 2023

Great Walks

Australia’s ultimate walking magazine

Great Walks1 min read
Great Walks
Editor Brent McKeanP: 02 9213 8274brentmckean@yaffa.com.au Advertising Bobby ButlerP: 02 9213 8265M: 0405 594 303bobbybutler@yaffa.com.au Subscriptionswww.greatmagazines.com.auFreecall: 1800 807 760Email: subscriptions@yaffa.com.au Subscription R
Great Walks3 min read
Slice Of Heaven
"AFTER we had breakfast and prepared lunch we began our walk in the cool air. Any concerns we'd be battling the elements disappeared as we came out of another beech forest to clear blue skies," I wrote of my 5-day walk along NZ's Milford Track in 201
Great Walks3 min read
Alone Time
TOWARDS the end of my paternity leave I was very happy to be driving north from Albany towards the Porongorups (see page 26), as it was my first bushwalk since the birth of our third child. I was looking forward to some wife-approved time to myself a
Great Walks1 min read
View To A Thrill
We’re kicking off our New Zealand special with a spectacular North Island walk. The Pouakai Circuit is Egmont National Park’s premier 2-3 day bushwalk offering spectacular views of Mt Taranaki and the surrounding countryside. The 25km track passes th
Great Walks7 min read
Hiking In Style
WITH its dramatic landscapes, outstanding natural beauty, jagged mountain peaks, cascading waterfalls, and fascinating Aboriginal rock art, it’s little wonder Gariwerd (Grampians National Park) is one of Victoria’s most popular holiday destinations.
Great Walks6 min read
A Trinity Of Tracks
CLASPING metal hand grips and stepping up a six-metre metal ladder clinging to sheer granite rock face may not be everybody’s idea of fun. It certainly wasn’t for a nervous young lady ahead of us being coaxed to the summit by an encouraging “you can
Great Walks2 min read
Uniting For Trails
WESTERN Australia is known for its breathtaking natural landscapes and diverse trail systems that attract adventurers, and nature and outdoor enthusiasts from around the world. Behind the scenes lies a unique and effective governance structure for tr
Great Walks2 min read
Picture Perfect
JACK WINS A GUIDEBOOK OR INSPIRING TRAVEL MEMOIR Jack Stolp, Geelong West, Vic Camera: Nikon D610 Jack: "Taken at sunset on the 18th of March sitting atop the second highest peak in Victoria, Mount Feathertop. We spent three perfect days exploring s
Great Walks6 min read
A Knees-up In The Mountains
“COME on John, what have you got to lose?” I’d joined Laurence in a double pronged attack on his dad. An attack on his reticence to get his bung knee fixed. “You’re only 70 and it will ensure you can enjoy hiking and biking again,” chimed Laurence, d
Great Walks7 min read
All-weather Adventure
GREAT Barrier Island lies 90km north-east of Auckland, a 4½ hour ferry ride from the CBD or a 30-minute flight away. We arrive by ferry in horrendously, churning seas. Its return is cancelled. So are flights the following day when a storm hits overni
Great Walks2 min read
Island Life
PAIHIA in the Bay of Islands is the site of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and Museum, which deserves a full day to explore and take in all that it has to offer. An immersive and emotional day in its own right, however, there is also a lot more on offer
Great Walks3 min read
Fields Of Joy
ALAN (52): “I met Stephanie on an online dating site. I knew she was the perfect match for me because her username on the app was “Hiker Girl”. We’ve been all over Queensland and northern NSW, Carnarvon Gorge. the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and Gold C
Great Walks3 min read
Big Days Out
5-6hr, 7.5 km one way/Moderate to high level of fitness required/Steep and undulating Not far from the Bay of Islands, the Te Whara Track follows an ancient Maori trail from Ocean Beach to Urquharts Bay. Once you’ve climbed up onto the ridge, the tra
Great Walks2 min read
Experience The Arkaba Walk
THE Arkaba Walk is an exclusive opportunity to explore South Australia’s Flinders Ranges by foot, over four nights and three full walking days. One of the Great Walks of Australia, experience the sights, sounds, scale and space of outback Australia.
Great Walks1 min read
“The Finest Walk In The World”
Independent: doc.govt.nz, guided: ultimatehikes.co.nz ■
Great Walks2 min read
A Life In The Bush
WHEN it comes to my childhood I don’t have a specific first bushwalking memory but being raised by walkers there are plenty of memories of walking with the family, certainly a lot of the good memories come from standing on top of hills and mountains
Great Walks5 min read
MILES & SMILES
NOT everyone wants to organise their own walking holiday to New Zealand – there’s a lot to think about – transport, accommodation, safety … well, these tour operators want to take over that responsibility and offer you a guided or self-guided walking
Great Walks6 min read
My Bespoke Bushwalk
TO make the most of her New Zealand walking holiday Dori Leirens (36) wanted to combine multiple hikes that each offered a unique experience. She tells Great Walks how that all worked. GRW: You recently walked 400km in the South Island by combining f
Great Walks3 min read
Child’s Play
YOU might think taking a two-year-old on a walking holiday along New Zealand’s pristane hiking trails is too hard, Amanda Llyod (44) did just that and offers some sound advice for anyone wishing to do something similar. GRW: You took your two-year-ol
Great Walks3 min read
Food For Thought
EIGHT years ago, I was daydreaming about having a job where I could combine my love of hiking and my flair for marketing and business and finding that sweet spot of an outside job that also challenged my mind. After two years of living and travelling
Great Walks3 min read
Leaving A Legacy
GRW: What was the idea behind the Walk for Wild? As a passionate tour operator, we believe that operating in wilderness areas comes with a clear obligation in terms of preserving the natural and cultural integrity of these wild spaces. We have been f
Great Walks8 min read
Wet Weather Weapons
THE one essential factor required in the testing of rainwear is, you guessed it, rain. So, I was quietly praying for some decent precipitation when I embarked on a weekend overnighter along the Great North Walk with six waterproof jackets and two pai
Great Walks4 min read
Small Camera, Big Picture
OUR Wilderness Photographer of the Year, presented by Mountain Designs is well underway (greatwalks.com.au/wpoty) and we accept entries from all types of cameras including phone cameras. And let's face it pretty much everybody on the planet takes pho
Great Walks6 min read
A Healthy Dose Of Mother Nature
IMAGINE yourself by a waterfall. Standing in stillness, you watch as the river rushes over the edge, down the rockface, to pool below in a calmer collective flow. The roar is wildly striking, yet louder are the captive emotions arising within you, wa
Great Walks3 min read
How To Go Bushwalking In The Rain
BEFORE you grumble about a grey forecast, it’s worth remembering that giant pines, colourful wildflowers and grandiose canyons were all made possible by the relentless pitter patter of a billion raindrops. If you adopt the proper attitude, you can le
Great Walks3 min read
Rescue Remedy
Producer by trade, Caro started lotsafreshair.com to inspire people to get outdoors and remove barriers to bushwalking. THROUGHOUT history, storytelling has been at the heart of knowledge sharing, learning and evolving of cultures; written, drawn or
Great Walks7 min read
Swiss Bliss
A generous serving of rösti, still in the pan, lands on my table. The sizzling potato dish momentarily diverts my attention from the massive glaciers and snow-smeared peaks surrounding me. One is the magnificently isolated Matterhorn. Its summit is n

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