ONE of the best ways of appreciating Australia’s startling and diverse landscapes is by exploring on foot. Traveling as the indigenous Australians once did is the best way to experience the vast and rugged beauty of the continent from its high mountains to rugged deserts and beautiful oceans.
Australian Alps walking track (Photo: David Overton) Australian Geographic.
Here are some of the most popular of Australia’s great walks. They are all places you can get lost in, discover hidden beauties, corners, flowers, animals, rocks and rivers as if for the first time.
Overland Track, Tasmania
The Overland track is a 74km (plus side trips) trail that can be covered in 5-8 days through the Tasmanian higlands. Its beauty has made it suitably popular and some 8000 walkers tackle it each year. With the sheer mountains, wild rivers and alpine plains to enjoy you can’t blame them. Those undertaking the Overland Track do need to be completely self sufficient and take their own food, water, stoves, camping and hiking gear. But it’s all worth it. This walk has been compared to New Zealand’s Milford Track, so it’s in good company.
Two hours outside Melbourne, Victoria, the Great Ocean Walk allows walkers to make great strides amidst an abundance of stunning coastal views and remote heath. Pic: AP.
Great Ocean Walk, Victoria
The Great Ocean Road is well known as one of Australia’s great driving routes, but fewer know there is a walk located in the same area traversing similar ground. It stretches for 104 kilometres with campsites spaced at intervals of 10-15km making it possible to cover it in about eight days. Highlights include Apollo Bay, The Twelve Apostles and the Otway National Park – all are highlights on the drive but on the walk you’ll actually see coastline you won’t on the road. You should also see plenty of Australian animals both on land and off. The terrain does become more difficult the further into the walk you get.
Fraser Island Great Walk, Queensland
Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world and the Great Walk takes in some of its highlights. Covering 90km of the island, and tackled over 6-8 days, the landscapes cover coastal healthland, mangroves, woodland and rainforest. There are lakes to swim in to cool off, the sea to enjoy and wonderful sand dunes to explore and photograph. While the walk is fairly moderate you do need to come prepared, make campsite bookings and carry plenty of water.
Fraser Island, Australia. Pic: www.seefraserisland.com
Larapinta Trail, Northern Territory
This 16-20 day track takes you through the West MacDonnell Range in the Northern Territory. It’s a tough walk at 223 kilometres but you don’t necessarily have to do it all at once – and you can’t without food drops anyway. There’s good road access all the way along the track so it’s possible to do short sections. If you embark on any, or all, of the trail you will be rewarded with vistas of canyons, gorges, ghost gums, rock wallabies, rocks that reflect the sunset and all the wonder of Aboriginal sacred sights and the true essence of the Dreaming. This is a fabulous walk to get you in touch with the red centre. It is best walked between April and September.
Wilderness Coast Walk, New South Wales and Victoria
For a good taste of rugged and remote parts of New South Wales and Victoria consider tackling this 100km track. The track goes from Point Hicks to the Nadgee Nature Reserve. The track features a variety of coastal scenery from rocky headlands to coastal heathlands and river estuaries.
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