What is your favourite mainland day walk in each state

[Tony]

What is your favourite mainland day walk in each state, and why.

My favourite NSW day walk is The Castle.

The best day walk that I have ever done is The Castle in NSW and I consider it a better day walk that the world renown Tongariro Crossing in NZ.
The Castle is located in the Morton National Park south of Sydney NSW, the walk has just about everything in it, with some easy walking at the start/finish, creek crossing, some very steep climbs (walking), some basic rock climbing, need to handle heights and some stunning views.

Tony


Some easy walking at start and end

Scrambling through the tunnel

Climbing lower down

last climbing to the top Plateau

View from Southern tip of The Castle

The trip down, with big drop off to the right.

[Marwood]

While I agree that the Tongariro crossing is a good walk but overrated, I disagree that there is any such thing as a "best" walk.

Fortunately, walkers have a range of fitness, capability, and preferences for distance, topography, flora and fauna, geology, history, water features, proximity, track type, access, etc, etc. Maybe the Castle is your favourite day walk in NSW at the moment (and one I'd like to do myself), but for my wife it would be a day in hell since she'd get vertigo on the scramble sections.

So maybe a better question is "what is your favourite mainland day walk in each state, and why".

[Tony]

Hi Marwood,

I take your point, I am in the same situation with my wife, I will change the title to your suggestion.

[johnw]

By "best" I suspect Tony does mean your own "favourite/best" walk. For NSW there are many I could choose from. I'm assuming that these are "standard" walks that are well documented and commonly done, rather than ones I've made up myself. That said, if I have to pick only one, for me it's hard to go past the Main Range circuit in Kosciuszko NP for the sheer breathtaking scenery. While I don't find it too challenging physically, less fit walkers may find it strenuous. Similar to Marwood's comments, my non-bushwalking wife did that walk with me many years ago and found it quite difficult. Her idea of a best walk would have no hills at all, be no more than 5km long and have a scenic view or a waterfall every 250 metres.

Really hard to pick just one walk though...
My recent Jamison Valley Traverse is a close contender, for different reasons.
http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=6846

[Tony]

By "best" I suspect Tony does mean your own "favourite/best" walk. For NSW there are many I could choose from. I'm assuming that these are "standard" walks that are well documented and commonly done, rather than ones I've made up myself. That said, if I have to pick only one, for me it's hard to go past the Main Range circuit in Kosciuszko NP for the sheer breathtaking scenery. While I don't find it too challenging physically, less fit walkers may find it strenuous. Similar to Marwood's comments, my non-bushwalking wife did that walk with me many years ago and found it quite difficult. Her idea of a best walk would have no hills at all, be no more than 5km long and have a scenic view or a waterfall every 250 metres.

Really hard to pick just one walk though...
My recent Jamison Valley Traverse is a close contender, for different reasons.
http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=6846

Hi John,

I also recently (18 months ago) did the main range walk with my non-bushwalking wife, we did it anti clockwise from Charlotte's Pass, this way the walk back on the road from Mt Kosciuszco is nearly all down hill which is great for for a not so fit person.

While the Main Range Track is a great walk with great scenery and views into the distance, and I always enjoy doing the walk, I do not get the same satisfaction from the Main Range Track as I did when I did The Castle, but then I like hard uphill walks and runs/races.

Tony

[Marwood]

I should have added I don't really have a stand-out favourite day walk in NSW as yet. Haven't been here long enough I guess. My favourite walks tend to include forests and views. Waterfalls are always a plus. Probably the day walk I've enjoyed in NSW most to date would be the circuit: Govett's leap, Braeside track, Neates Glen, Grand Canyon, Evans Lookout, Cliff top track, Govett's, and most importantly ending with fish and chips at Blackheath. Very civilised!

Probably my favourite one-dayer in Vic would be Mt Bogong via staircase spur, and in Queensland Mt Barney up the south-east ridge.

[johnw]

Hi John,

I also recently (18 months ago) did the main range walk with my non-bushwalking wife, we did it anti clockwise from Charlotte's Pass, this way the walk back on the road from Mt Kosciuszco is nearly all down hill which is great for for a not so fit person.

While the Main Range Track is a great walk with great scenery and views into the distance, and I always enjoy doing the walk, I do not get the same satisfaction from the Main Range Track as I did when I did The Castle, but then I like hard uphill walks and runs/races.

Tony

Hi Tony,
We also did the MRT anti-clockwise on that occasion, but my wife found some of the steep walking up from the Snowy R and beyond towards Kosi a bit much. Going down the road to finish did help but the total distance was more than what she was conditioned for. She completed it OK but was exhausted. Yes, I also enjoy similar strenuous activities including some harder walks, distance running, MTB trail riding etc. I think you would like the Jamison Traverse if you haven't done it. I'm grateful that, nearing 57, I can still comfortably do those things when I see a lot of people much younger struggling with them. Fitness is something that I've worked hard at for some time.

[Tony]

Hi Tony,
We also did the MRT anti-clockwise on that occasion, but my wife found some of the steep walking up from the Snowy R and beyond towards Kosi a bit much. Going down the road to finish did help but the total distance was more than what she was conditioned for. She completed it OK but was exhausted. Yes, I also enjoy similar strenuous activities including some harder walks, distance running, MTB trail riding etc. I think you would like the Jamison Traverse if you haven't done it. I'm grateful that, nearing 57, I can still comfortably do those things when I see a lot of people much younger struggling with them. Fitness is something that I've worked hard at for some time.

Hi John,

I am a little older than you 57 and after my last 12 months or so I am very grateful that I can still do mountain running, bike riding and hard bushwalks. (had my 12 month checkup yesterday, good news still C free, 4 more years to go).

My wife also struggled with the walk out of the Snowy R, but to her credit she kept walking, but she was also very tired at the end of the day. Toward the end of the walk it looked like it was going to rain, she picked up her pace so much that after taking photo of the coming rain I had to really push to catchup.

I have not done any real walking in the Blue Mountains, the only one was just over 12 months ago with my wife and we did the National Pass Trail, top short half day walk, it was raining and there where lots of waterfalls. I have plans to do some Blue Mountains walks in the near future.

Tony

[johnw]

Hi John,

I am a little older than you 57 and after my last 12 months or so I am very grateful that I can still do mountain running, bike riding and hard bushwalks. (had my 12 month checkup yesterday, good news still C free, 4 more years to go).

My wife also struggled with the walk out of the Snowy R, but to her credit she kept walking, but she was also very tired at the end of the day. Toward the end of the walk it looked like it was going to rain, she picked up her pace so much that after taking photo of the coming rain I had to really push to catchup.

I have not done any real walking in the Blue Mountains, the only one was just over 12 months ago with my wife and we did the National Pass Trail, top short half day walk, it was raining and there where lots of waterfalls. I have plans to do some Blue Mountains walks in the near future.

Tony

Tony, it's great that you are still C free and remaining so active after such a major health issue. Your strength and determination in doing that is a great credit to you. Far less serious, I had a skin cancer removed from my right temple two weeks ago. I'm going back to the specialist tomorrow to have the stitches removed and get the results of the post-procedure biopsy. Fortunately it was a basal cell carcinoma and not melanoma, so hopefully will not cause further problems.

The National Pass is one of my favourite short walks. I often create longer walks around the Valley of the Waters that include it as one of the legs.

[michael_p]

Very hard to nominate a single favourite so here is a short list (not in any specific order):
Grand Canyon - BMNP.
Coastal Track (any section) - RNP.
Ahearn Lookout (Nattai NP).
Myuna Creek, Kingdom Come (starting from Waterfall) - Heathcote NP.
On and off-track exploring Dharawal SCA. Always interesting to find out what's in your own backyard.

[michael_p]

...good news still C free, 4 more years to go...

This is good to hear.

[johnw]

On and off-track exploring Dharawal SCA. Always interesting to find out what's in your own backyard.

+1. I really need to get there more often as parts of it are virtually just down the road. Also great that the current NSW government looks like it will make good on its election promise to make it a national park.

[Tony]

Tony, it's great that you are still C free and remaining so active after such a major health issue. Your strength and determination in doing that is a great credit to you. Far less serious, I had a skin cancer removed from my right temple two weeks ago. I'm going back to the specialist tomorrow to have the stitches removed and get the results of the post-procedure biopsy. Fortunately it was a basal cell carcinoma and not melanoma, so hopefully will not cause further problems.

The National Pass is one of my favourite short walks. I often create longer walks around the Valley of the Waters that include it as one of the legs.

Hi John,

That is good news that it was a basal cell carcinoma, I hope it is the last, good luck tomorrow. I too over the years have had a few bits cut or burnt off me, I am paying for the care free days of sun baking in the 50's, 60's and 70's. I had my yearly skin cancer check last week and for the first time for a long while I did not need any thing removed.

Tony

[johnw]

Hi John,

That is good news that it was a basal cell carcinoma, I hope it is the last, good luck tomorrow. I too over the years have had a few bits cut or burnt off me, I am paying for the care free days of sun baking in the 50's, 60's and 70's. I had my yearly skin cancer check last week and for the first time for a long while I did not need any thing removed.

Tony

Thanks very much Tony,
Yes I was relieved about that. Unfortunately it's possible that many of us in the baby boomer category will have some health problems associated with our earlier years or childhood.

[north-north-west]

Queensland: Not really done a great deal of walking up there. Maybe the Shipstern Circuit out of Binna Burra. Or wandering around one of the larger towers near Chillagoe, finding caves and doing a bit of scrambling/crawling.
Northern Territory: Rwetypme. Or one of the clifftop tracks in the Gregory.
Western Australia: Again, not a lot of walking. Stirling Ranges have some good stuff. But Fitzgerald River is better - far fewer people, for one thing.
South Australia: St Mary's Peak circuit out of Wilpena Campground.
New South Wales: Wollumbin or the Summit Circuit track out of Thredbo, via the river and Merritt's.
Victoria: Probably Howitt and the Crosscut. Or the north face of MacDonald. Or Bogong via Eskdale. Or Mt Stapylton.
ACT: Namadgi VIC to Bushfold Flats via Mt Tennent.

[under10kg]

Mt Barney is mine in Queensland.

[hikingoz]

I like the Main Range Circuit as well. I assually go and jog it clockwise atleast once a year in summer and quite often walk it with friends and family. Last year there was still quite a bit of snow in summer and I was hurdling knee deep drifts in some parts.

I like the size of the landscape up there. It makes me a bit euphoric. I'll also take any excuse I can get to stop off at the bakery in Jindabyne :

[Hallu]

Strange that this topic hasn't got more popular. It's also a good show of who's done every state thoroughly. I've mainly done Tasmania and Victoria, so for the other states it's gonna be limited :
VIC : probably Briggs Bluff in the Grampians, or a big Mt Dunn circuit in Mt Buffalo NP that I did. It's tough because I have other favorite areas such as the Pink Lakes in Murray-Sunset, or Croajingolong as a coastal area, but the walks there are less fun, it's mostly about the landscape.
WA : The gorge walk at Kalbarri. Other areas of the state can be more impressive (the red beaches of Francois Peron, the coastal cliffs of Kalbarri) but as a walk it was this one.
TAS : the walk up Mt Jerusalem. It's not about the peaks, it's about the valley.
SA : well I've only done Kangaroo Island, and this wasn't the best bushwalking trip... So I'll pass.
NT : The Gubara Pools walk, followed by Gubara Rocks (closed to the public, you need to go with a tour guide) was very nice, but the best was a scramble down Umbrawarra Gorge, pretty unknown part of the Top End, except to locals.
NSW : same, I haven't done much, only the Broken Hill area and the Sapphire coast/Morton. I reckon that when I'll do the Castle walk in Morton, it's gonna be up there on my list, but amongst the little I've done, it's probably the Steamers Beach circuit in Booderee NP. Great combination of beaches, cliffs, coastal vegetation, a lake, and some wildlife. The West Rim walk at Fitzroy Falls is great for the views, but limited in terms of walking fun.