Innehållsförteckning för April/May 2021 från Great Walks

THE Eastern Goldfields, 550km to the east of Perth, is isolated, harsh and dry with a small number of reliable and permanent sources of water. Over millennia, the traditional Aboriginal people of the region survived because of their knowledge of the land. They moved around the country crisscrossing between gnammas (rock holes) and lakes where they would find food and water, and camp for a few nights. Early prospectors who travelled to the region in the massive gold rush of the 1890s frequently failed in their endeavours because of their cumbersome camp equipment, and their lack of knowledge about the terrain and location of water. Many carried their worldly possessions in heavy, wooden long-handled wheelbarrows pushing their swags and gold pans along little more than dirt and sand tracks. I…

Mt Ossa, Tas Kathryn Vernham, Turners Beach, Tas Camera: iPhone 11 Kathryn: "This photo was taken on top of Tasmania’s highest peak, Mt Ossa. It was such a beautiful clear day with barely a breath of wind, which allowed me to capture an almost perfect reflection in the tarn on top. I took my time to soak in the stunning views all around me, in particular Frenchmans Cap which can be seen to my left in this picture."…

AUSTRALIA’S rugged beauty and remoteness are breathtaking but it’s also dangerous. I’ve seen the desperation of family and friends waiting for news of a loved one missing on a bushwalk. I’ve marvelled at the skills of professional and volunteer emergency crews responding to life and death situations. I love bushwalking and so do an ever-increasing number of Aussies. But I also know this: If I put my life in danger by being ill-prepared, I also put scores of others at risk. Every day our emergency services risk their lives for at least one bush rescue. Frustratingly, they’re often called back to the same location on the same day to save ill-prepared hikers, heading out into the bush without preparation, phone in hand and without a care in the world. Here’s…

THE only Japanese force to land in Australia during WWII was a small reconnaissance party that arrived in northern WA’s Kimberley region on 19 January 1944, to investigate reports of the Allies building large bases there. The party consisted of four officers on a fishing boat. They investigated the York Sound region for a day and a night before returning to their base on Timor. Upon returning to Japan in February, the junior officer who commanded the party suggested using 200 Japanese prison inmates to launch a guerrilla campaign in Australia. Nothing came of this as it’s likely the officer’s seniors looked at a map of the Kimberley and after realising it was three times the size of England, filled with deep gorges, miles of desert plains and rocky wilderness,…

CHALLENGE and Beauty is a company that publishes hiking and trail running guides to parks around the world. To research our book, Day Hikes Tasmania, we explored almost every trail in Tasmania, and here, we are excited to share our top 10 favourites. We rate all our trails using a score for challenge and a score for beauty (each out of 5 points), as we believe there is more to a trail summary than just its length or difficulty rating. These hikes might not be the most challenging or the most beautiful in our book (in some cases they are), but all these trails are unique, immerse you in their landscapes, and left a strong imprint on both of us. 1 Bishop and Clerk via Fossil Cliffs, Maria Island Maria…

If you think a trip to Japan only involves visiting futuristic cities and watching sumo wrestling, think again. Bring your hiking boots because some of the best views and experiences are off the beaten track, as Japan is a country of mountains. More than 70% of the volcanic archipelago is covered by towering volcanic peaks and snow-capped summits; and these mountains, which have traditionally held important religious and cultural significance, are a haven for hikers. A fine example of Japan’s lesser-known hiking trails is the walk to Mount Asahi (pictured), the tallest mountain on the island of Hokkaido, located in Japan’s largest national park, Daisetsuzan, known as the ‘playground of the gods’. In winter it’s a popular ski resort but in autumn it’s a hiker’s paradise filled with unspoilt wilderness,…

2021 marks the 21st anniversary since Park Trek was first launched in 2000 with a handful of walking tours. Over the years, the company has expanded to encompass a variety of destinations all over Australia. To celebrate this milestone Great Walks was invited to explore South Gippsland, one of Victoria’s favourite holiday destinations. Our lead guide for the walk is Dries ‘The Giant’ from Belgium who has the strength and power of a pack-horse. His 2IC is Mercedes from Spain. After five years of studying medicine, Mercedes made the brave decision to quit and follow her passion in the travel industry. Throw in five worldly and well-travelled ladies from various parts of regional Victoria and we had ourselves a very interesting and diverse group of walkers. Over five days we…

HOW many steps have you taken today? In this time-pressed, Fitbit period it seems the quantity of steps matters more than the quality. Contrary to fitness, this may not be the healthiest for our bodies – and our minds. Sometimes we need time away from the routine we’ve built for ourselves. Consider a long walking holiday if you’re thinking about taking time away. We find solace and substance on long walks, reach a deeper connection to the place, landscape and people, and find a deeper understanding of our own bodies and psyche. Humans have been doing so for centuries through pilgrimage walks – walks that share a story about a significant person, place and time so you can remove yourself from your daily life and place yourself in a new…

PEOPLE have been walking Europe’s iconic Camino pilgrim walks for hundreds of years and doing it in many ways – guided, independent, all in one go or over the course of their lives. Some people have the time, and need, to walk the whole thing, while others want to experience just a part of it. Some people are prepared to give up their creature comforts while others still value a good night’s sleep in a comfortable bed in a room of their own. It’s up to you how you want to do your Camino and if your choice is to experience it with the support of a walking tour company then check out these great brands that offer a variety of services. Utracks UTracks has been helping travellers achieve their…

ON a sunny June morning, my husband and I are walking at a decent clip through Lamington National Park’s World Heritage-listed rainforest, our favourite place to hike. It’s our first getaway since Queensland’s initial pandemic lockdowns, and we feel emotional and grateful to be once again immersed in these enchanting, ancient forests. As we descend anticlockwise along the 21.8km Albert River Circuit track, about 8.5km from our starting point near O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, I step on a flat, damp, leaf-covered rock and proceed without issue. Tony, however, traipses on it in a slightly different place, slips, and hits the ground. “Are you ok?” I ask. Accustomed to at least one of us slipping or tripping at least once during just about every bushwalk we’ve done over the past 20 years,…

La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Mid wide La Sportiva is legendary for making great trail runners and hiking boots and here they’ve gone and combined the best of both worlds in this hybrid style. The Ultra Raptor II Mid takes the comfort and performance of one of the best trail running shoes and presents them in a MID! Wider than most of the La Sportiva range, the Ultra Raptor has a roomy toe box and super snug grip around the heel. La Sportiva has taken the impact brake system from their trail running design and partnered it with what I believe to be the standout feature of this mid – a mix of hard and soft lugs underfoot to grab onto any surface. Innovative tread and lug design is well…

On the land of the Kabi Kabiand Butchulla people, A great walk meanders up the coast, It’s tough and challenging in patched, But beautiful and rewarding for the most. From wildflower heath planes and beach, To mountain views and hills, A sea of blooming grass trees marks the way to Brahminy camp, Where rain and gusts bring chills. By then the shoulders ache, the feet are sore, Our bodies demand a rest, Though we hydrate, eat and retreat, It’s a short and restless night at best. The next day brings more hills and views, Spectacular to see, Then more sand – soft sand, and pain – persistent pain, Yet, still a great place to be. Over the Cooloola Sandpatch and along the Noosa River, Determination and humour help us along,…

IF you were to view an aerial map of the Pinnacles trail in Malaysia’s Gunung Mulu NP, you would surely notice one glaring omission: there are no switchbacks. Climbing directly up Gunung Api’s north-western flank, the route gains 1200m of elevation in only 24 kilometres. My partner and I had risen at 5.20am to tackle the climb with a group of three German friends and our local guide Nimrod. With the trail itself consisting entirely of rocks and tree roots, the climb was almost as taxing mentally as it was physically – every step had to be measured, and every foot placement carefully considered, lest we slip and land on one of the sharp rocks that littered the route. Somehow though, after a gut-wrenching slog that had me stripped down…

MY fiancé Graeme, and I walked our Camino from Leon to Santiago (over 300km) in September 2018 when we were in our early 40s. I wanted to take on a Camino as I have multiple sclerosis, with extensive damage to my spinal cord. This disability is slowly but surely affecting my movement. I cannot run but I can still walk without a stick. As an active person I wanted to show MS sufferers that with thought and planning you can take big adventures. I spent the year bringing awareness to MS, and with the help of MS Australia (msaustralia.org.au) I was able to have good quality of life. In the past I have travelled alone but this time I took my fiancé along for the walk, not knowing if I…

I AM from Brazil, but have been living in NZ for over 21 years. Brazil, being a very Catholic country, I have always heard about the Camino and met many people who have wanted to do it but never did, so it always sat in the back of my mind. I am not religious, but I love long distance walking. In 2017, I walked across Switzerland and loved it, so I was looking for another challenge and it just happened that my cousin moved to Barcelona and I was able to get away for two months in 2019. I had heard the Camino was over commercialised, over crowded and over hyped but I am so glad I did it. I loved every minute of it! I didn't do a lot…

I don’t mind a challenge. Multi-day walks for me often mean long days, maybe a handful of river crossings and a dash of wondering where the hell the track goes. They mean eating ramen noodles and tuna for dinner (because they’re light) and then falling asleep by 7pm in my little one-person tent (because there’s not a lot else going on.) It’s a simple life but one I love. So when Tasmania’s Three Capes Track opened in late 2015 I was sceptical. Luxury huts, a heavily upgraded track and a $495 price tag. How much?! And all for a four-day walk where you still have to carry your own pack and sleep in a bunkroom. Did the development of the trail squeeze out independent walkers from doing it for free,…

FOR about 18 months now, Saturdays have been my “adventure days”. First it was for a quick sweat session on our suburban, popular tracks, then eventually outings to higher peaks, longer distances and more isolated spots got my attention. Before I knew it, I was planning overnights and multi-days hikes. And living in Cairns allows me to get to a lot of them within a few hours. The first three Saturdays of January I have been going on hikes with friends who are new to the activity, building up their fitness and experience so we can all enjoy a weekend away in Magnetic Island, at the end of March. After two consecutive hikes in wet and humid conditions, I decided to go for an easy walk. On the 23rd of…

WHEN I was living in Airlie Beach I got bewitched by the untamed force that emanated from Conway National Park. A wild energy that strongly contrasted with the calm spell of the sea. I looked for the source of this magic from the top of Mt. Rooper to the shores of Coral Beach. At last, I found it at the Honeyeater Lookout Trail. At the start of the walk, I was welcomed by the tall wooden staircase of Kara Crescent Track entrance – which is a few minutes drive up Waterson Way and then up the hill on Lamond Street until you reach the end of the road. As I followed the steps up I gained a privileged view of Airlie Beach’s marinas. They led me to a dirt path,…