Indholdsfortegnelse for February/March 2019 i Great Walks

“WILDERNESS IS NOT A LUXURY BUT A NECESSITY OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT” – Edward Abbey AS I write this it’s Movember and men are growing crazy moustaches for mental health awareness. In Australia, 75% of suicides are men. And mental health issues are just as prevalent for women. This got me thinking about the health benefits of the outdoors. Researchers are finding more science-backed reasons why we should spend time outside. In her book, The Nature Fix, US journalist Florence Williams started investigating the health benefits of nature after moving from the mountainous terrain of Colorado, to busy Washington, DC. "I felt disoriented and depressed," she wrote. "My mind had trouble focusing. I couldn’t make decisions and I wasn’t keen to get out of bed." In an article for outsideonline.com…

File it away I have subscribed (or bought from the newsagent) Great Walks for many years. I recently sorted them into date order from little piles all over the house and realise I have two plastic storage boxes of them. I have seen in past issues that there is an index available that might help me find an article in one of these past issues. Would you be able to send a copy to me please? Fran Vaughan, via email Hi Fran, thanks for being such a long time reader! Yes we keep an up-to-date index of every story from every issue of Great Walks free to everyone. Readers can ask for a copy by emailing editor@greatwalks.com.au . – Ed Not happy, Jan I was very disappointed…

I STEP from the train whilst adjusting the straps on my bag, the sound of the train dominates the scenery, the doors close and with the distinctive whine of electric motors, the hunk of speed and steel pulls away dragging the cacophony of noise with it. I am left with the contrasting silence broken only by the quiet chatter of birds in the distance. Clouds of steam from my breath roll out and momentarily linger before me then fade away. My face feels the chill of the air and I am buoyed by the anticipation of a day in the bush. Crunch, crunch, crunch, my footsteps beat out a slow rhythmic beat on the dirt road, the orange gravel leads through haunting silent trees standing sentient with their discarded strips…

GARDENS of Stone NP, part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, is a dramatic landscape featuring stunning rock pagodas, sandstone cliffs, canyons and breathtaking scenic views. A standout feature is Pantoneys Crown, an isolated massif jutting out in the middle of the park which, for the experienced off-track bushwalker, offers three days of exploration and delight culminating in rock scrambles and the rarely visited summit reward. The top of Pantoneys Crown was the goal for myself, my wife, my brother-in-law and two other mates. We set off Friday morning and entered a 4WD trail at Ben Bullen station just where the road does a switch back over the railway lines. We drove in about 10km towards Baal Bone Gap campground, but since we didn’t have winches we decided…

FALLS Creek is arguably the most attractive ski village in Australia and definitely one of the most popular. Yes, it’s a winter wonderland and a snow-lovers’ paradise but it’s also home to a variety of summer adventures such as mountain biking, road cycling, altitude training, fishing, sailing, trail running, and hiking. The village has a thriving restaurant and bar scene with around half the village’s dining outlets continuing to trade through summer. A range of accommodation is also available; around 3,000 of the resort’s 5,000 bed capacity is open to visitors heading there in the warmer months. The region offers a range of walks to experience, from an easy short stroll to picturesque lookouts to more challenging day or overnight hikes. Here are a few of our favourite walks: “THE…

Mount Field NP, Tas Peter Wilson, Glen Iris, Vic Camera: Olympus OMD Peter: “On the waterfall circuit walk in Tasmania’s Mount Field National Park in March 2018 we came across this cascade just below the Lady Barron Falls. A small gem in contrast to the larger Russell, Horseshoe and Lady Barron Falls.” Maatsuyker Island, Tas Louise Morris, Sorell, Tas Camera: Sony a 3500 Louise: “We left the Southport jetty to make our way around the south coast with views of Precipitous Bluff, the Iron Bound Range, Louisa Bay, Dewitt and the Flat Witch Islands and as we neared our destination, Maatsukyer Island, the scenery was spectacular. We went ashore by dinghy, and toured the historic lightstation and buildings including the lighthouse.” Great Ocean Walk, Vic Marian Evans, via email Camera:…

WHEN we left the Hobart Bushwalkers in the last issue, the club was enjoying a stellar decade. In 1959, 90 trips were completed with a total attendance of 1,279. Here their story continues... The 1960s Members helped with the organisation of an A.E.B. Mountaineering Camp at Mt. Field National Park in January, attended by the Everest climber George Lowe. Together with walkers from many places in Australia, members assisted in the completion of the Charles King Memorial Hut at Port Davey. Extensive aid was given to a massive but unsuccessful police search on Mount Picton for missing schoolboy Guy Bardenhagen. The lessons from this search caused the police department to create an effective Police Search and Rescue Organisation under Inspector Tom Howard. Members helped with National Fitness Adventure Camps and…

NEW for 2019 from Swedish brand Hilleberg (‘The Tentmaker’) is the Allak 3, a three-person freestanding dome tent. Sitting between the Black and Yellow labels, Hilleberg’s Red Label range has a balance of weight and stability designed for general all-season use, and so is probably the most appropriate for the majority of Australian conditions, from coastal summers to Tassie winters. Once pitched (in an unhurried 13 mins) I found the Allak to be probably the strongest and most stable dome tent I’ve come across, outside of mountaineering trips. Its hexagonal design incorporates three solid pole crossings combined with universally durable components and six dual guy lines with attachment points for four more, ensuring that this should be a haven able to withstand any foul weather Australia can muster. It certainly…

AS one of the four points of Australia, Land’s End is dramatically known as the most southern tip of the mainland. It is also not the easiest point to reach involving a two-day hike and an overnight camp with no vehicle access. Located in Victoria’s oldest national park, Wilsons Promontory was discovered by sea in 1798 through an expedition led by George Bass. Geographically, the most southern tip is called South Point, however due to the spectacular view and heritage of the Wilsons Promontory Lightstation another 4km southeast, the lighthouse became a popular and favourable destination visited by many. Only reachable by foot, both South Point and the lighthouse overlook the Bass Strait showcasing a spectacular view of infinite ocean. Brimming with excitement, we set ourselves the challenge to reach…

KEN Duncan is one of Australia’s most famous landscape photographers and his latest coffee-table book Reflections – Australia Wide reinforces this. Here we showcase a bunch of stunning photos from the book.…

“WHERE CAN WE SAVE WEIGHT? LIGHT CLOTHING IS A GOOD PLACE TO START.” MOST of us start out by borrowing some equipment or buying cheap gear. In the outdoors, cheap usually means heavy and many of us have experienced this. Heavy tents and bulky clothing kept us warm and comfortable and often lasted forever, but being heavy were never ideal. Such equipment usually comes from vehicle camping where weight is not very relevant. However, we all soon found out that weight is a major factor when it’s being carried all day. The more weight you carry the less you enjoy the experience unless you are very masochistic. Even with that initial heavy weight, many of us got hooked and wanted to go again, but carry less. The first step is…

Great walks, great state Dear editor, I really enjoyed the Dec-Jan issue of Great Walks. There was an interesting mix of walking destinations from the Flinders Ranges camel trek (Outback odyssey) to the story of a mum and daughter walking the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail (Girls just wanna have fun) – two great South Australia destinations. Not that I'm biased! Sarah Flyn-Doyle Adelaide, SA Hi Sarah, thanks for your feedback. We love South Australia! It's such a dynamic state, filled with an amazing contrast of geography and walking destinations. If you know of any other SA walks we should feature give us a shout. – Ed…

THE national flag features a dragon, the natives breakfast on seaweed and cockles and speak an unintelligible language, and their ancient tales are the basis of Arthurian legends. Despite these oddities, a visit to Wales is sure to fill you with a sense of wonder and magic. This is especially true if you take a hike around ‘Ynys Mon’, the Isle of Anglesey. During our 220km hike we experienced wide tidal estuaries, beautiful sandy bays, isolated coves, tiny villages, green fields and peaceful woods, weather-beaten cliff tops and extensive sand dune systems. Interspersed with these were hedgerows laden with succulent blackberries, long stretches of boardwalks conveniently placed to carry us dry-footed over marshes and estuaries and sweeping sandy beaches begging us to unlace our boots and dip our feet. “AT…

Kala Patthar, Nepal John F Gibson, Ballina NSW Camera: Olympus OM-D 17mm John: “We were at the basecamp on the 21 November 2017. As a couple at 55 years old we were the ‘oldies’ by a long way on the trail. Being also a type 1 diabetic, I had some difficulty keeping my insulin from freezing. On the day I climbed Kala Patthar, there were two British ex-military guys on the track with me. Their electronic devices indicated the wind speed at the summit at 100km per hour and minus 20°C. No wonder I was bloody cold!”…

SUMMER is well and truly here and with it, courtesy of global climate change, the latest rise in an upward temperature spiral that is sure to spell increasing discomfort for outdoor enthusiasts. In such an environment, fabrics that wick away perspiration and cool the skin are becoming ever more necessary. Fortunately, Great Walks has prepared this handy guide to help consumers understand which textiles, both natural and synthetic, to rely on during this season’s sweltering sweat-fest. Natural Fibres Many avid bushwalkers insist that one can’t go past natural fibres to help shield us from the elements, and indeed there is much to recommend them. First and foremost, they are far more sustainable and produce less post-manufacture pollution than synthetics, although they generally wear out faster. But do they perform as…

THE last couple of years have seen a huge growth in the trend for pack-free multi-day walks. Sure, this style of walking opens up opportunities for people who for various reasons don’t want to (or can’t) carry a full pack for days at a time, but my big hope is that it doesn’t stop people from picturing themselves moving self-sufficiently through the bush, moving from campsite to campsite on epic multi-day journeys. The rewards these types of trips can bring are enormous and touch on not only the obvious sense of achievement in reaching a goal, but is also deeply connected to the things that are really important in life… away from clutter, connectivity, consumerism and our addiction to stuff. Carrying an overnight pack shines a light on our basic…

SPRINGBROOK National Park, located in the Gold Coast hinterland, is World Heritage-listed as part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia (see breakout), and spectacular waterfalls are a gushing draw. So, as long as you can handle slippery rocks, muddy tracks, fallen trees, creek crossings and sheer cliff edges, make sure to set out on the park’s longest and most waterfall-rich walk, the 17km Warrie Circuit. The Warrie trailhead is located on the 900m Springbrook plateau, one of four sections in the 6197ha park – the others are Natural Bridge and Numinbah to the west and Mount Cougal to the east. To reach it from Brisbane, take exit 69 off the Pacific Motorway, follow Nerang-Murwillumbah Rd, turn left onto Pine Creek Rd, and then follow signs for Springbrook and Canyon lookout.…

I AM a walker at heart. It all began years ago in my childhood in the 1950’s. I grew up in Sydney in the days when a lot of the northern beaches bushland was unexplored. I had a bush track leading from my house to just about everywhere I wanted to go – school, tennis, friend’s houses, the beaches. My favourite walk was to Manly Dam to visit my grandfather who lived there in a little tin shed. He was one of the workers building Manly Dam. I have fond memories of creeks, waterfalls, water holes, bright orange-red Christmas bells, purple orchids, and egg-and-bacon flowers. Many years later I rediscovered the pleasure of walking. But, surprisingly, it was in Switzerland. My daughter has lived in the alpine ski resort town…

READERS may be familiar with the film Tracks (2013), adapted from Robyn Davidson’s 1980 memoir. The book and film recount Davidson’s 2700km desert walk from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean, accompanied by four camels and a dog. Further afield, Cheryl Strayed trekked 1700km of the Pacific Crest Trail, and wrote a book that became the movie Wild. (These films feature in our top 10 travel films – see pg 80). Less glamourised, but as impressive, is the Bicentennial National Trail (BNT) in eastern Australia. The BNT was conceived as a horse-riding route to rival America’s iconic Appalachian Trail but the story of its donkey-loving trekkers is relatively unknown. Donkeys are rightly famed for their ability as pack-animals, and walkers prize their stoicism and reliability. What is the BNT? The…

Part of the 'Via Alpina' – one of Switzerland's national trails – this walk in the Grindelwald region showcases the country's iconic beauty. As this photo attests, mirrored lakes reflect alpine peaks and the 360° vistas will take your breath away – if the steep trails haven't already! The Via Alpina crosses 14 beautiful alpine passes and continues through the northern Alps of Switzerland. Besides classic walking trails, there's plenty of culture, food and, of course, wine to appreciate along the way. You have a great choice of accommodation from 4-star hotels to tranquil mountain huts. More info: myswitzerland.com/hiking…

ON a recent long weekend I went to the Blue Mountains with my husband and some friends. We hired a beautiful house near Blackheath with the intention of doing some bushwalks, and enjoying some good food and wine. We arrived mid afternoon on the Friday and enjoyed the views over a cold glass of Rosé. We planned on a relaxed morning followed by the fairly easy Pulpit Rock walk starting from the Govetts Leap lookout, a grade 3 walk suitable for most ages and fitness levels. I thought I'd be able to handle the 7km return track having just recovered from an inflammatory arthritic episode. I was wrong. We awoke on Saturday to a glorious cool day and headed to Govetts Leap around 11am. It's about a 3 hour return…

Time: 15 days including a rest day | Distance: 220km | Grade: easy to strenuous Day 1: Moel y Don to Beaumaris: 17km/6hr moderate Day 2: Beaumaris to Llanddona: 18km/6hr moderate Day 3: Llanddona to Moelfre: 14km/5hr moderate Day 4: Moelfre to Lynas: 20km/7hr moderate Day 5: Lynas to Cemaes Bay: 15km/7.5hr strenuous Day 6: Cemaes to Church Bay: 20km/8hr strenuous Day 7: Church Bay to Holyhead: 22km/7.5hr moderate Day 8: Holyhead to Trearddur Bay: 19km/7.5hr strenuous Day 9: Rest Day Day 10: Trearddur Bay to Four Mile Bridge: 15km/6hr moderate Day 11: Four Mile Bridge to Rhosneigr: 12km/3hr easy Day 12: Rhosneigr to Newborough Forest: 20km/7hr easy Day 13: Newborough Forest to Llyn Rhos Ddu: 15km/5hr easy Day 14: Llyn Rhos Ddu to Moel y Don: 12km/5.5hr easy…

BUSHWALKING is something you can do at any age and the only that may change as you get older is choosing your walking tracks more wisely. It’s great for your bones, your brain and your social life but how do you do it as you head into your twilight years? Great Walks spoke to a group of bushwalkers around 70 years of age to see what was the secret to their long term hiking success. Lorraine Thomas (68) How long have you been bushwalking for? Twelve years since retiring. I hadn’t thought about it during my working life and thought pack walking was for the elite sportsperson. I was never very sporty. I love walking for fitness and was looking for places to walk other than the beach, where I…

AS a volunteer with the Bibbulmun Track Foundation in WA, I am often asked to give advice to walkers about gear they need to undertake a longish walk in the bush. Requests for information come from walkers of all levels, ranging from the highly experienced to the absolute beginner. Clearly a number of factors will determine the relative importance of different pieces of equipment – the time of year, the weather conditions, the remoteness of the area being walked – but there are some fundamentals that should always be adhered to. So here is a list of items I would always take with me, whether I am walking for a couple of days or undertaking an end-to-end walk on the Bibbulmun Track, which could take six weeks. 1 Backpack There…

“THE GRAND HIGH TOPS IS RENOWNED FOR ITS WILDLIFE AND VISTAS OF RUGGED VOLCANIC LANDSCAPE.” AS I approached the ancient landscape of imposing rocky buttresses, deep wooded valleys and the primal beauty of the 21,000-hectare Warrumbungles National Park, clusters of jagged volcanic spires jutted out into the skyline, visible for many kilometres before I reached the park boundary. The jewel in the Warrumbungles crown, the Grand High Tops, is renowned for its wildlife and vistas of rugged volcanic landscape. Prior to 1939 the area’s significance was known only to a core of hardy bushwalkers, climbers and local landowners. The region came into prominence when adventurer and photographer Frank Hurley made the region the subject of an illustrated magazine article turning the Breadknife into a widely recognised Australian icon, and the…

THERE’S nothing like sitting in a cinema, munching your popcorn and watching an inspiring movie about someone’s travels in exotic locations. Well, actually travelling to those exotic places yourself is probably more inspiring! Still, you have to start somewhere, so here we present 10 of the best movies that will have you booking your next adventure as soon as the credits roll. The Trip to Italy Where it takes you: Liguria, Tuscany, Rome, Amalfi and ending in Capri. The fictional Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon team up again for a second restaurant tour, this time in Italy. The characters eat at some of the finest restaurants and beautiful hotels across the country from Piedmont to Capri – following the footsteps of romantic poets Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron. It’s…

“Airplane travel is nature’s way of making you look like your passport photo.” – Al Gore “HOLIDAY CALORIES DON’T COUNT.” “BUSHWALKING IS NOT A HOBBY – IT’S A POST APOCALYPTIC LIFE SKILL.” “MOUNTAINS AREN’T FUNNY. THEY’RE HILL-AREAS. . .” “I’VE BEEN TO ALMOST AS MANY PLACES AS MY LUGGAGE. – Bob Hope” “When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money.” – Susan Heller “Brain at 3am: I can see you’re trying to sleep in this tent, so I would like to offer you a selection of every memory, unresolved issue, or things you should have said or done today – as well as in the past 40 years!” “SOMETIMES THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED IS LESS TRAVELLED FOR A…