Bushwalk Australia

Hello

New to the forum and hoping some of you could help me out.
I have 14 days free at the end of September and was thinking of doing a solo hike in NSW or Victoria.
As this will be my first solo hike, I would prefer to have some contact throughout the hike with people/villages or towns but also areas where there are none of the aforementioned

Also, my map reading skills are a work in progress so a clearly marked trail would be good!

I have hiked the Alpine region in Victoria and done a lot of hiking in Arizona USA and the UK but not so much in Australia
Thank you for your input
K

Part of the AAWT would work well, provided you can work out transport or make a circuit walk. It's not hard to link up various track sections from Round Mountain or Kiandra or Thredbo too make a walk that's as easy or as hard - and as long or short - as you want.

north-north-west wrote:Part of the AAWT would work well, provided you can work out transport or make a circuit walk. It's not hard to link up various track sections from Round Mountain or Kiandra or Thredbo too make a walk that's as easy or as hard - and as long or short - as you want.

That was my original thought nnw but end of September potentially means snow in a fair bit of knp and the Victorian high country plus winter road closures limiting access.

I was also thinking of things like Katoomba - Kanangara or though to Yerranderie.

Kelly - it is quite hard to have contact with villages when you walk in Australia. Think more Arizona rather than the UK.

A suggestion: starting at Katoomba, do the 6 foot track over 3 days - this is all very well marked, a lot of it is in fact on dirt roads past farmland so some on this forum may find it a little tame, but would certainly be fine way to build up your confidence.
The 6 foot track ends at Jenolan Caves. From there you can do 1 big day (or 2 small days) also on a road to Kanangra Walls.
From Kanangra Walls there is a fairly well known (but sometimes indistinct) route over Cloudmaker back to Katoomba - what Mark F refers to as the 'Kanangra to Katoomba'' which is often done as a 3 day walk.
So whole loop could be done over about 8 days. You would need to either carry food for the whole trip, or arrange a food drop at Kanangra as you don't go past any towns, however there is a restaurant at Jenolan Caves.

Another suggestion - you can zig zag down Blue Mountains linking up a few multiday walks between towns
Start at Mt Victoria and go to Blackheath via the Blue Gum Forest - 2-3 days

Then get train (or walk 10km along a track next to the highway) to Katoomba and do Katoomba to Wentworth Falls via Mt Solitary - 2-3 days-

Then get train to Faulconbridge and do Faulconbridge to Blaxland via Victory Track - 2 days

jonnosan wrote:Another suggestion - you can zig zag down Blue Mountains linking up a few multiday walks between towns

That also give you the opportunity to overnight at Katoomba - wash clothing, shower and resupply.

jonnosan wrote:A suggestion: starting at Katoomba, do the 6 foot track over 3 days - this is all very well marked, a lot of it is in fact on dirt roads past farmland so some on this forum may find it a little tame, but would certainly be fine way to build up your confidence.
The 6 foot track ends at Jenolan Caves. From there you can do 1 big day (or 2 small days) also on a road to Kanangra Walls.
From Kanangra Walls there is a fairly well known (but sometimes indistinct) route over Cloudmaker back to Katoomba - what Mark F refers to as the 'Kanangra to Katoomba'' which is often done as a 3 day walk.
So whole loop could be done over about 8 days. You would need to either carry food for the whole trip, or arrange a food drop at Kanangra as you don't go past any towns, however there is a restaurant at Jenolan Caves.

Big step up going from the six foot track to doing Kanangra to Katoomba though. Good nav skills required, PLB and would need to be mindful of water levels at the time.

Your second suggestion is a great one. Mt Vic to Blackheath. then katoomba to solitary to wentworth falls. then falcon bridge to blaxland. can stop at the mtn villages for a bit of sightseeing in between!

The Great North Walk could be a good option. http://www.thegreatnorthwalk.com/

In Victoria you could do the Great Otways Walk. It's around 6 days. You can organise a bus to pick you up/drop off from Apollo Bay.

I second the Great Ocean Walk.

Another option in Vic is to do half of the Great South West Walk. Depending on your pace you may be able to do it all.

For the half-walk:
Get yourself to Portland then arrange for one of the “Friends of the Walk” to take you to Nelson (for a donation to the Friends).

Walk back to Portland via the coast or inland routes depending on your preference.

You’ll pretty much have the place to yourself at that time.

Wow, so many suggestions! Thank you

So would this work?

Mt Victoria > Blue Gum > Blackheath > Katoomba > Mt Solitary > Wentworth Falls 4 days

Train from Wentworth to Faulconbridge - Can you resupply in Wentworth?

Faulconbridge > Victory track > Blaxland 2 day

Thank you for your help !
K

That's a nice itinerary linking up a set of shorter walks. Not sure what food shops there are in Wentworth Falls but there is a bakery near the station. The best bet for resupply would be Katoomba with a full supermarket and all services.

Kelly wrote:So would this work?

Mt Victoria > Blue Gum > Blackheath > Katoomba > Mt Solitary > Wentworth Falls 4 days

Train from Wentworth to Faulconbridge - Can you resupply in Wentworth?

Faulconbridge > Victory track > Blaxland 2 day

For someone who is fast and confident in navigation - that would work. At least some of these walks are described in http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking-an ... ackheath-/

I'd have at least a spare day in there for getting lost (sightseeing ).

I would probably book a backpackers or motel for the 2nd night at Katoomba.

By the time you get to Blackheath it will be late afternoon. Then you need to get a 10 min train to Katoomba, trains are at least an hour apart often more in the late afternoon from Blackheath.

Then buy food etc in Katoomba. Also don't forget sightseeing. The sunset over the 3 sisters from echo point in Katoomba is worth a look (warning lots of tourists).

So by the time you do those things it will be dark. You could walk in the dark to golden stairs and camp near the fire trail but there is no water and its messy (no toilets) up there as many campervans use it for a free night close to Katoomba.

Better to start off in the morning from Katoomba and walk down fubar steps towards solitary following Federal pass.

Also you dont need to stop at blaxland. You can go all the way to Glenbrook from the victory track go up to lost worlds lookout -> bunyan lookout trail -> saint helana ridge track -> stop at duck ponds for a swim then take the track up to glenbrook station.

Note you need topo maps and open street maps to see these routes/trails. While there is a track the entire way, you need the maps to see what trails go where. (up to lost worlds ive only ever done a offtrack route but i beleive there is a trail as well according to open street map)

You have all been so helpful, thank you.

Looking forward to it now and I will take wildwanderer's advice and book a room for a spot of sightseeing!
Probably be in touch nearer the time for more advice