Australian Hiker

There’s a well known saying many people would be familiar with and that’s ‘It’s about the journey, not the destination’. But is this the case? In this podcast episode we discuss this saying and came up with very different answers on what’s important. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Threads Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Youtube

In 2022 a new long-distance hiking trail opened and for once this wasn’t in the USA. This new track called the Hexatrek, solely based in France, joined up a series of pre-existing tracks and takes in 14 National Parks to create a 3034 km journey through some of the most amazing scenery that France has to offer. In this podcast episode we catch up with New Zealand hiker Claire McCall who undertook this walk with her husband James just after the track officially opened. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Every year Australian Hiker touches base with suppliers, importers and manufacturers of hiking equipment to find out what new and exciting products are on the market and well as to see how the industry is trending. This year the Expo was held in Melbourne over two days and provided a chance to catch up with suppliers face to face and to talk about the new gear and get up close and hands on. In addition we also caught up with a number of suppliers remotely as well as attending a travelling road show the week after. In this our second episode of this series we finish up with our supplier interviews, talk about some great new product that's coming onto the market and then go onto some notable trends in the hiking and outdoor industry. To get the best from this episode go to the Australian Hiker website on our episode page and go to the show notes to see images of what we are talking about in this podcast. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Every year Australian Hiker touches base with suppliers, importers and manufacturers of hiking equipment to find out what new and exciting products are on the market and well as to see how the industry is trending. This year the Expo was held in Melbourne over two days and provided a chance to catch up with suppliers face to face and to talk about the new gear and get up close and hands on. In addition we also caught up with a number of suppliers remotely as well as attending a travelling road show the week after. To get the best from this episode go to the Australian Hiker website on our episode page and go to the show notes to see images of what we are talking about in this podcast. In next week's episode, episode 285, we'll bring you the second half of these interviews and also talk about where we see the industry heading. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Threads Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Youtube

The 116km Malerweg Hiking Trail, also known as the “Painters’ Way” is located near Dresden/Pirnain Saxon Switzerland, Germany. In this podcast episode we catch up with hiker Mike Railton who undertook this walk in 2023 to find out about this multi-day European trail. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Threads Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Youtube

Valentine's Day, while once considered just another American holiday, is now firmly entrenched in Australian culture. The day is usually associated with chocolate, flowers and dinner out, but is this just lazy romance? Why not change things up a bit by thinking outside the box and blending hiking with Valentine's Day for a romantic date out bush! In this podcast episode we look at some of the considerations for combining hiking and romance. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Threads Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Youtube

This walk can best be described as an urban coastal walk and one that provides a great overview of the Kiama region of the NSW South Coast inlacing its Indigenous, European and geological history. While you can do this walk over two days it's best to think of this as a long day walk. Listen to this podcast and follow along in the write up to see how we went on the day. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Threads Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Youtube

If you do longer hikes, particularly ones that involve going off marked trails or if you hike in unfamiliar areas, you may be required to make some assumptions. The problem with assuming is you don’t always get it right and as the old saying goes, if you assume you can end up making an ‘ass’ out of ‘u’ and ‘me’. In this podcast episode we go through a multi-day example and look at the positives and negatives of making assumptions when planning your hikes. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Threads Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Youtube

In today’s episode, episode 279, we talk with Hannah James about her recent 5,000km journey down the east coast of Australia – a journey that came to be known as the Long Way South. This is one hell of a story so strap yourselves in! www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Youtube

The term staycation was first is thought to have been coined in 2005 and has now come into common usage and while there are a couple of definitions it essentially means taking a holiday with limited travel and staying close to home. In this podcast we discuss the concept of taking a hiking 'staycation' in your local area and at what options you have for getting out and about without necessarily having to break the bank. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

The intent of a shakedown hike is to try out new gear or new processes prior to a trip so you can iron out any bugs, familiarise yourself with new systems, balance your pack so that it’s comfortable, and assess your fitness in terrain similar (or worse) than what you have planned. But how many of us ever do them and should we really bother? In this podcast episode we look in detail why, and when you should do a shakedown hike. www.australianhiker.com.au Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

When we asked our community for some ideas for podcasts and articles one of the innovative topics raised was doing a hike where we only turn in one direction. Recently we put that into practice and while we thought that we would have a bit of fun with this walk we didn't expect to learn some things about ourselves and our hiking skills along the way. In this podcast episode we lay out the ground rules for this hike, bring you a series of short on trail recordings from the hike, and finish off with a 'Lessons learnt session'. For us this was unique walk and one that we were glad that we did. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

It’s that time of the year when you start to consider gifts for that special hiker in your life. In previous years we have looked at the full gambit of Christmas gift options covering every price range including some very high-end options. This year for the first time we focus on the lower end of the pricing range with gifts under $100, that fall into the 'stocking stuffer' category with something that everyone can afford. www.australianhiker.com.au  Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

On 11 November 2023 Australian Hiker celebrated its 7th birthday. In this episode we reflect on our past year, and look at where we are heading over the coming year. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

In this podcast episode we talk about unexpected and sometimes negative interactions with animals on the trail. The focus on this episode isn’t on snakes as people might expect but rather on those animals that are often described a 'cute and fluffy' and use that reputation to steal your food and damage your equipment. At some stage this interaction will impact on all hikers so what do you need to know to minimise this impact? This episode discusses just that. www.australianhiker.com.au Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Previously we’ve interviewed authors Andrew Grune and Evi O on their Sydney based books Day Trip Sydney 52 Nature Adventures, and Dog Trip Sydney 52 Dog Friendly Nature Adventures. These guidebooks provided simple and easy to understand guides to their respective walks all with some very great imagery. In today’s episode we catch back up with Andrew and Evi about the release of their new Melbourne guidebooks, Day Trip Melbourne 52 Nature Adventures, and Dog Trip Melbourne 52 Dog Friendly Nature Adventures that now cater for Victoria’s capital city. www.australianhiker.com.au  Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

In October 2023 Gill and I took part in the Kokoda Challenge at Lake Macquarie, NSW. The aim of the Kokoda Challenge is to raise funds for the Kokoda Youth Foundation’s programs and the great work they do. This episode consists of three segments with the first being an interview with the Kokoda Youth Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Johllene Elson who shares more about her organisation, the work they do and what the Kokoda Challenge is all about. The second segment of this episode involves a series of recorded interviews about our experience on the day of our Kokoda Challenge which includes interviews with other participants as well as with an event volunteer to get their perspective. And finally, Gill and I do a wrap up of the Challenge and talk about how we found the event and the organisation. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

I first fell in love with long distance hiking in about 2014 and surprisingly it had nothing to do with the movie ‘Wild’ that was released in the same year. I’m a goal-oriented person and the whole concept of hiking for multiple weeks or months was something I could aspire to, if I was allowed. The more I looked into the concept of long-distance hiking, the more I liked the idea of doing one of the well-known Triple Crown trails: Appalachian Trail Continental Divide Trail, and the Pacific Crest Trail In all honesty I don’t think I will get around to doing all three of these trails, but I can live vicariously through other hikers who have. In this episode we catch up with hiker Simon Morris and get a firsthand introduction to these three trails that make up the US based Triple Crown. www.australianhiker.com.au Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms  Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker LinkedIn Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

It's Saturday the 30 September 2023 and earlier this morning the Australian Hiker Podcast reached a major milestone passing the 1,000,000 download mark. Who would have thought when we launched Australian Hiker in November 2016 that we would get to this point? In this podcast episode we look back over the past crazy seven years and talk about where we're heading into the future.   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker LinkedIn Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Australia is a large continent with just about every type of environment and vegetation you can imagine ranging from coastal, forest, arid to semi-arid; and then there’s our sub alpine and alpine regions which make up less than 1% of the continent. The practice of planning hikes is the same no matter where you are however there are some specific considerations that hiking in Australia Alpine regions of Australia require. In this podcast episode we look at what these are. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

The Thin Green Line is a global not for profit organisation that exists to support park and wildlife rangers in their fight for conservation and is solely dedicated to supporting Rangers and their families in what can sometimes present them with life threatening challenges. In this podcast episode we catch up with Amanda Dudgeon to discuss her journey  "Walking the Thin Green line across Oceana" hoping to be a catalyst that initiates meaningful change for Oceana rangers. www.australianhiker.com.au

In this podcast episode we discuss our pre-trip expectations for the Western Australia Cape to Cape Track and compare them to the reality of the trip itself. This was very much a trip of two halves so we got more of an experience than we expected. In this episode we discuss how the trip panned out and make some recommendations that will help you get the best out of this experience.  www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Back on trail again on the Western Australian Cape to Cape Track. This episode includes recordings from the final 2/3 of this 128.7km trail and provides a real time overview of our on trail experience. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker LinkedIn Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

It’s August and for various reasons we’ve found ourselves having done less hikes than we usually would have so far into the year and believe me its not for lack of trying. While its easy for us to get out bush thats only because we live a few hundred meters away but due to both work and personal reasons we just haven’t had the opportunities to walk and review as many new hikes as we would like. In this podcast episode we look at what micro adventures are and how they be used to get you out bush even when you don’t think you have the time. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker LinkedIn Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

If you are hiking for any length of time get used to not being as clean as you usually would like. Having said that you do need a level of cleanliness and while you do need to clean yourself all over from time to time, there is a focus on areas such as hands, the face, armpits and groin are areas that will need more regular cleaning. In this podcast episode we discuss a simple option for keeping 'cleanish' on trail. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker LinkedIn Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Australia is a large continent with just about every type of environment and vegetation you can imagine ranging from coastal, to alpine, to forest; and then there’s our semi arid and arid regions which make up around 70% of the continent. While the practice of planning hikes is the same no matter where you are, there are some specific considerations that hiking in the semi arid and arid regions of Australia require. In this podcast episode we look at what these are. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker LinkedIn Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Most of us are very used to the concept of 'Use By Dates' or 'Best Before Dates' when we go shopping but many commercial outdoor foods also come with these labels. Due to COVID I ended up with a large number of 'out of date' meals and thought that I'd see how they went. Are these labels just cautionary recommendations or can you just ignore them?  www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker LinkedIn Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

The old saying of ‘early to bed and early to rise’ originated over 6oo years ago at a time where making use of the daylight hours was particularly important in a largely rural society. While this saying is still relevant in agricultural circles today, it’s also applicable to many other aspects of our lives, including hiking. Our sleep patterns are unique so this podcast episode looks at the are pros and cons to each type of sleep regime from a hiking perspective. So what are you? Night owl? Rooster? Or a bit of both?

When you first start hiking there are so many things to consider and often our focus is around things like gear selection, food or how to go to the toilet on the trail. While these are all important there are a number of other factors like getting a good nights sleep that come into play. Factors that impact our sleep quality include staying dry, protection from strong winds, and the site itself. Hikers with a lot of experience know what to look for but between spending your first night in a tent that you have put up yourself and gaining all that experience and there are often a lot of bad nights of sleep that everyone goes through to gain that experience. This podcast episode discusses setting up your tent at the end of the day to help with getting the best sleep you possibly can. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker LinkedIn Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Australian life expectancy has changed over the last century. In 1900 the average life expectancy for an Australian male was around 55 whereas now it's just on 80 years (women enjoy an additional four years). As I get older I’m becoming increasingly annoyed at societal expectations about how I’m supposed to behave. So while aging does impact on our physical endeavours is it a barrier to hiking? In this podcast episode we discuss the impacts of ageing on hiking. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker LinkedIn Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Living in Canberra I have a strong connection to the NSW south coast and since my late teens I have spent a lot of weekends walking along this part of the coastline as well as spending a lot of time both on, and under the water. So, while there is no end of shorter walks available on this part of the coast the newly opened 35km Murramarang South Coast Walking Track was one that just resonated with me, and we couldn’t wait to check it out ourselves to see what sort of experience that it would provide as a multi-day walk. In the first 1/3 of this podcast episode, we catch up with Tom Pinzone from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service to get and introduction to this newly created walk. In the second section of this episode, we bring you a series of on-trail recordings from our recent trip and what we thought as we progressed along the track. followed by our post walk review and what we thought about this trail. To get the best from this episode follow along with the written version complete with on trail images to provide some context. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker LinkedIn Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Over the years I regularly come across hikers who sets themselves a goal(s) around their hiking. Apart from planning and hiking specific trails, the two most common goals I come across include climbing all the local peaks in an area or doing a certain number of hikes over a defined period. In this episode we catch up with hiker Mike Railton to discuss his 2022 goal of doing 100 hikes in a single calendar year to see how he went. In the second half of this episode we use this interview to discuss goal setting and hiking and the impact that it can have. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker LinkedIn Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Hiking is a way to get to get out bush, or for that matter into your local urban area. Unless you are only travelling short distances you will more than likely be carrying a pack on your back. A pack is home to all those pieces of equipment that you may need on your adventure like a thermal jacket, rain gear, camera, phone and of course, water and food. If you’re doing overnight trips it will also hold your tent, sleeping bag, spare clothing and more food. But what happens if it rains? Or maybe you’re crossing an inlet. How then do you keep all your gear dry? In this podcast episode we discuss the options for waterproofing your pack and while its never a guarantee, I can safely say the contents of my pack has never been wet on any hike I have done and this includes some hikes in some pretty horrendous conditions. www.australianhiker.com.au

Over the past 7 years I have been focused on reducing the weight I carry on trail, chipping away here and there when I can but recently I have found myself adding gear and not choosing the lightest items. In this podcast episode I revisit my journey to becoming an ultralight hiker to see where I have landed on both my pack weight and my philosophy towards ultralight hiking. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker LinkedIn Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

In this podcast episode we briefly discuss our short trip on the Cape to Cape Track and why it came to a premature end. www.australianhiker.com.au

This podcast episode is the second in the Cape to Cape Track series and includes recordings from the first 1/3 of this 123km trail and provides a real time overview of our on trail experience. We ended up leaving the track prior to finishing and will explain why in the next episode. Never fear we will be back later in 2023 to finish this trail. We will do a write up of the trip to date which will be available by 17 April 2023 on our websites trail page. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

This is the first in a planned series of four podcast episodes in addition to a written trip review to be released over the coming weeks on our upcoming trip on the Western Australian Cape to Cape Track. In this episode we set the scene for our upcoming trip and provide some background on what we expect from our experience. We hope you enjoy. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Every year Australian Hiker touches base with suppliers, importers and manufacturers of hiking equipment to find out what new and exciting products are on the market and well as to see how the industry is trending. In this weeks episode, episode 250, we'll bring you the second half of the interviews from our recent trip to Sydney to attend the Australian Outdoor Adventure Expo. To get the best from this episode go to the Australian Hiker website and on our episode page to the show notes to see images of what we are talking about in this podcast. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Every year Australian Hiker touches base with suppliers, importers and manufacturers of hiking equipment to find out what new and exciting products are on the market and well as to see how the industry is trending. This year is the first chance we have had since 2019 to catch up with suppliers face to face and get to talk about the new gear face to face and get up close and hands on. to get the best from this episode go to the Australian Hiker website  and on our episode page to the show notes to see images of what we are talking about in this podcast. In next weeks episode, episode 250, we'll bring you the second half of the interviews. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

I've been hiking and camping for many years and I've found that my tastes in food have slowly  but steadily evolved, changing bit by bit which is to be expected. Recently however my on-trail diet has gone through a revolution rather than evolution which has changed the way that I hike. In this podcast episode we look at what's changed in my diet and the impact this has had. www.australianhiker.com.au Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

In late 2019 in episode 124 we interviewed musicians Mickey and Michelle just before they set out on their 3,000km adventure on the Te Araroa Trail in New Zealand. Their experience was a bit different than most as they planned to continue working as musicians as they went. COVID interrupted their trip and now a little over three years later they have finally completed their trip. In this episode we catch up with them to find out about their experience and what they thought of New Zealand’s longest trail. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

The 19.8km Cascade Hut Trail in Kosciusko National Park makes for an excellent longish day walk or a great overnight camping adventure. In this podcast episode you'll hear our on trail experiences as well as our recommendations for this hike to help make your experience better.  This trail is also a great option for bikepacking as well.   www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Previously, in episode 204, we touched base with authors Andrew Grune and Evi O, authors of the Book Day Trip Sydney - 52 Nature Adventures. In this episode we catch back up with them about their newest book Dog Trip Sydney - 52 Dog Friendly Nature Adventures to find out about dog friendly walks in the Sydney region. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Without a doubt one of the the most common discussions I hear in hiking circles both on-trail as well as in online forums is what type of footwear should I be wearing? In this podcast episode we look at options for hiking footwear to try to help narrow this debate and hopefully provide s starting point in particular for newer hikers. So what type of footwear should you be wearing? www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

When you start hiking you tend to have a picture in your mind about what a ‘hiker’ looks like. For many, the stereotype includes a broad brimmed hat, boots, kaki clothing, big pack, and of course, gaiters. By why do hikers use gaiters? They do more than just the obvious of 'snake protection'! In this podcast episode we look at the types of gaiters available to hikers today and provide guidance on when you should consider wearing them. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms at Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

In this podcast episode we discuss our pre-trip expectations for the Tasmanian based, 85 km South Coast Track and compare them to reality. While I had certain expectations of the trip, some of which panned out as expected, there were things that ended up going very differently. In this episode we discuss how the trip went and make some recommendations that will help you get the best out of this experience. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

In this episode we bring you the 2nd episode of our on trail recordings from Tim's 2022 journey on the Tasmanian based, 85km South Coast Track. In this episode we bring you a series of recordings from the second half of the trip. In our next episode, episode 242 will then discuss reality vs  expectations and make recommendations based on what we found on trail to help plan your adventure. In addition the write up of this trail will be released very shortly (prior to Christmas 2022). www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms at Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

In this episode we bring you a series of on trail recordings as well as some interviews with other hikers from Tim's 2022 journey on the Tasmanian based, 85km South Coast Track. In this episode we bring you a series of recordings from the first half of the trip with next weeks episode bringing you the second half of the trip in episode 241. Episode 242 will then discuss reality vs  expectations and make recommendations based on what we found on trail to help plan your adventure. In addition the write up of this trail will be released very shortly (prior to Christmas 2022). www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms at Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

This is the first in a planned series of four podcast episodes in addition to a full trip review to be released over the coming weeks on my upcoming trip on the Tasmanian South Coast Track. In this episode we set the scene for my upcoming trip and provide some background on what I expect from this trip. We hope you enjoy. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

For the past few years, I have been keenly following the creation of the 55-kilometre, 4-day Snowies Alpine Walk in Kosciuszko National Park in Monero Ngarigo Country.When it fully opens sometime in 2023, it will deliver a world-class, multi-day walk across the alpine roof of Australia In this week’s episode we catch up with Maggie Sutcliffe from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service to talk about the recent opening of one of the sections, Guthega to Charlotte Pass Walk, and find out about the creation of this trail. In the second half of this episode, we bring you a series of on-trail recordings from our recent walk on the Guthega to Charlotte Pass Walk. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

This podcast episode covers the key aspects of choosing rain gear for hiking. We deliberately haven’t gotten too carried away with the technical aspects because in all honesty, there’s so much technical information that you just don't need to know! So what do you need to know when choosing rain gear? Listen to find out Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

On 11 November 2022 Australian Hiker celebrated its 6th birthday. For many of us the past few years has been one of disruption and as an overactive planner this has driven me up the wall sometimes. In this episode we reflect on our past year, and look at where we are heading over the coming year. www.australianhiker.com.au Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

It’s that time of the year again when you start to consider gifts for the special hiker in your life. In this podcast episode we talk generally about gift options for that hiker in your life and identify some key options to consider including spending nothing at all! www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

The NSW mid north coast is a bit of an unknown for us and we are hoping to get up that way over the next 12 months to do some hiking and wanted to do a bit of preplanning.  This newly released guidebook, Best Walks of NSW MID NORTH COAST, by author Yvonne Everett is just the ticket providing an overview of some great hiking options in this region. In today’s episode we catch up with Yvonne and talk with her about hiking on the mid North NSW coast and her new guidebook. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

This may seem like a strange topic for a hiking blog but there are a number of walks both in Australia and overseas that involve close contact with the ocean. Recently we did the Great Ocean Walk on the Victorian coastline and discovered that practices we take for granted in walking along beaches and rock platforms, as well as crossing inlets, aren't always widely known. In this podcast episode we discuss considerations for hiking on the coast to help keep you safe as well as helping you enjoy your hike. To get the best from this episode follow along with the written version of this podcast for images, videos, and diagrams that will help put images to the words at https://australianhiker.com.au/advice/beach-hiking/   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms at Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Ottie Merino is a relatively new Australian outdoor clothing company and, as the name suggests, specialises in Merino garments which have been designed by hikers, for hikers. In this episode we catch up with Paul, one of the founders of Ottie Merino, to find out more about what makes this Australian adventure company worth looking at. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

A few months ago, I was contacted by adventurer James MacAlloon as he was just about to set off on the final leg of a unique adventure across Australia. The last section of his journey would take him 1745km from Alice Springs through to Broome crossing the Tanami Desert in the process. In today’s episode we talk with James about the larger trip and in particular this last segment that, for many people, will be hard to grasp let alone contemplate. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

In this podcast episode we discuss our pre-trip expectations for the Great Ocean Walk and compare them to the reality of the trip itself. In many cases the trip panned out as expected but as with any outdoor adventure there are always things that end up going differently than expected. In this episode we discuss how the trip panned out and make some recommendations that will help you get the best out of this experience. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

This is the second of our two on-trail episodes from our recent 100km Great Ocean Walk in southern Victoria. In this episode we bring you a series of recordings from the second half of the trip, starting on day 4, which follows on from the last episode, episode 228, that brought recordings from the first half of the trip. We also had the opportunity to record a short interview with a Belgium hiker who we met up with on this trip to get her feedback. In episode 230 will then discuss reality vs our expectation and make recommendations based on what we found on trail to help plan your adventure. In addition the write up of this trail will be released very shortly. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

This is the first of our two planned 'on trail' episodes from our recent 100km Great Ocean Walk in southern Victoria. In this episode we bring you a series of recordings from the first half of the trip with next weeks episode bringing you the second half of the trip in episode 229. Episode 230 will then discuss reality vs our expectation and make recommendations based on what we found on trail to help plan your adventure. In addition the write up of this trail will be released very shortly. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

This is the first in a planned series of four podcast episodes and a full trip review to be released over the coming weeks on our upcoming trip on the 100km Victorian Great Ocean Walk. In this episode we set the scene for our upcoming trip and provide some background on what we expect from this trip. We hope you enjoy.  www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

While many hikers worry about the physical aspects of longer multi-day/multi-week hikes perhaps the biggest issue for many is the mental aspect. Time with other hikers can be challenging let alone travelling by yourself and sometimes it's a struggle to maintain a degree of motivation that allows you to keep on hiking on those days when you just don't feel like it. So, how can you maintain a degree of motivation when you feel like calling it quits? www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Every year Australian Hiker touches base with suppliers, importers and manufacture of hiking equipment to find out what new and exciting products are on the market and well as to see how the industry is trending. In this years episode the pandemic is supposedly over but we are still doing these interviews virtually as we catch up with 4 of these suppliers.  www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

For many hikers and campers when we first start out it's common to go with an organised groups or club, or with a more experienced friend who can show you the ropes. Typically if there are any campsite bookings required these will often be done for you, magically happening in the background, and unless you look in more detail you can be forgiven for thinking that you can camp anywhere you like. However this is not always the case with Australia's various states and territories each having their own rules and regulations on where you can and can't camp and because they vary its hard to keep track of all the rule and regulations that apply to each state and territory particularly because there are always exceptions. While I've been camping as a hiker for many years and know the rules for my local area I often find that when I travel interstate I find my knowledge lacking and potentially I'm opening myself to a fine or to being moved on. The rules and regulations that apply in each state have been developed for good reasons, usually based around protection of the environment. In this podcast episode we provide a brief overview of the various state and territory rules and regulations to help with planning your overnight adventures. www.australianhker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

When I think of hiking in Australia and build a mental picture of what that looks like one factor that always comes to mind is the heat.  While a bit of warmth can make a hike enjoyable too much can reduce this enjoyment and even impact on our safety. Having said that it's not just the heat that we need to think about but rather all the weather extremes including the cold. While cold weather hiking is something we tend to associate with Europe or the USA, it is also something we need to consider in Australia.  In this podcast episode we look at hiking in cold conditions, what we can do to avoid it, and in the event that we do get cold what we should do to keep warm. www.australianhiker.com.au Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

In this podcast episode I discuss my pre trip expectations for the East Gippsland Rail Trail versus the reality of the trip itself. In many cases the trip panned out as expected but with any outdoor adventure there are always things that ended up going differently than expected. www.australianhiker.com.au

In this podcast episode I bring you a series of on trail recordings from my four day trip on the East Gippsland Rail Trail. These recordings will provide you with an overview of my trip, how I was feeling and the things that I was seeing in real time as I progressed which will hopefully provide some insight into this very different hiking adventure. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

In mid 2022 when I found my chosen hiking trail for my mid year trip ended up being closed for longer than was planned I needed to pivot and find a new adventure. I was looking for a roughly 4-5 day, 100k trip and also one that I could get to without it being a travel nightmare. Rail Trails have always been on my bucket list but after spending a bit of time searching for a replacement trip I came up with the East Gippsland Rail Trail in eastern Victoria to suit my needs. In this podcast episode, the first of three for this trail, we look at my expectations for this trip and discuss logistical issues prior to starting. Episode 221 will then bring you interviews from the trail and finally episode 222 with provide a final wrap up to see how my pre trip expectations and the actually reality of this trip matched up. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

I recently had to reschedule a multi-day hike for logistical reasons and after spending some time looking for a replacement trail, I decided to do one of Australia’s many Rails Trail. In this episode we catch up with Damian McCrohan from Rail Trails Australia to find out what you have been missing if you don’t consider these as part of your hiking adventures. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Socks are one of the smallest items of hiking clothing but just as important as the bigger more obvious pieces of equipment. Many people will use any pair of old socks they have in their sock drawer when they head out bush. If you put some thought into the decision about the socks you'll wear, will ensure a more comfortable and less problematic hike. In this episode we talk everything socks to help you choose the ones that will suit your individual needs. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

In every hobby or activity we do there is always an ‘unofficial uniform’ and with hiking it’s the down jacket. But did you know that sometimes the ‘down’ jackets we see, while looking very similar, are made with other materials, sometimes natural alternatives like wool and sometimes synthetic materials; which is why these jackets are often known generically as ‘puffy/puffer jackets’. In this podcast episode we look at the pros and cons of the different insulation options on offer when choosing a jacket for warmth and hopefully provide a bit more clarity in helping you choose a jacket. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

It's Easter 2022 and I was supposed to be finishing off the remaining section of the Hume and Hovell Track but things didn't go to plan. I discovered too late that a large number of Australians were travelling after three interrupted years due to bushfires and COVID and as such many of the campsites that I needed to use were booked out so a change of plan was required. Typically I like to do hikes that are a bit more secluded or at least not so crowded so I opted to swap my planned hike with a long distance urban hike that I had originally intended on doing in May. This hike falls into two categories. Firstly, this is an urban hike taking in my hometown city of Canberra. Secondly this hike is very much a Choose your Own Adventure rather than a formal trail. While I have been thinking about this walk for around 12 years for a number of reasons, I’ve never got around to it. After a prompt by another Canberra based hiker who undertook a similar journey and the desire to do something just that little bit different this was the year and after a couple of months planning I decided to put to together a 3 day, 82km peak bagging trip taking in the key mountains and hills in the central Canberra region averaging around 27km each day. I ended up developing a route that hit 12 peaks, that could be connected in a logical sequence, and wasn't camping based. In this podcast episode we bring you a series of recordings from our three-day adventure and towards the end of the episode discuss logistical considerations as well as what we learnt on the way. To get the best from this walk follow along with the written article at here www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

I first came across Nordic walking around 7 years ago and thought ‘what the hell is that’? This was also the same reaction I had when I first came across trekking poles over 15 years ago. Being an avid hiker, I saw the similarities, but also the differences between the two types of pole useage. When one of our followers suggested we look further into Nordic walking so I decided it was time to touch base with the Canberra Nordic walking community to find out more. In today’s episode we talk with with Kristen Pratt, the owner and lead instructor of Capital Nordic Walking to find out what’s involved. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Located on the far southern coast of NSW the 27 km Wharf to Wharf Walk which officially opened in mid 2021 is one that is still relatively unknown and undiscovered by many. Over the weekend just gone we chose to do this amazing walk in a single day but for most people a 2-3 day version is the norm. In this episode you can hear our on trail recordings of how our day went and at the end of the podcast we discuss logistical issues surrounding transport and accomodation and make recommendations on options that will suit all levels of hikers. We recommend that as you listen to this podcast you follow along with the written version of this walk that contains plenty of images of what we are seeing. The written version of this walk can be found here. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

For many people transitioning to overnight hiking or camping brings a lot of new considerations. Where do you go to the toilet? What do you eat? What additional gear do you need? While we will usually think about the big items like packs, tents and sleeping bags (the Big 3), the ancillary items like pillows often tend to be an afterthought. For many hikers, pillows tend to be considered a luxury but the ability to get a good night sleep depends on a number of factors and comfort is a big one. These days there are many pillow options available to us – which one you use is really going to depend on your desired level of comfort. In this podcast episode we take a beginners look at pillow options for hiking and camping. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

If you want an expert opinion on hammock camping then this episode isn't it! We've been playing with hammock gear for a couple of months and while we used them during the daytime for one reason or another we just couldn't get out and spend a night hanging from a tree. There are plenty of converts out there who have lots of experience in hammock camping but this episode has been deliberately recorded as a 'first timers' experience of what its like to spend a night in a hammock and for many people who try hammocks without a more experienced partner to show them the ropes this is how its done, the good and the bad. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

As hikers grow in their knowledge and ability they will often transition to overnight trips and the default setting for nearly all of us is tent camping.  Tents just seem to be the easy option and for many of us it harks back to family trips or play as children; it's just something that we understand and seems easy.  While tents are the most common camping option for hikers another alternative that is slowly gaining ground is hammock camping. Hammocks provide a degree of versatility over and above tents and while they won't suit all circumstances it may be a viable option for your outdoor adventures. In this podcast episode we look at what's involved in hammock camping including the pros and cons, the gear basics, and basic hammock practice to help you decide if this is an option for you.   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

When overnight hiking you have lots of additional things to consider; where to camp, when to camp, where to go to the toilet and what to eat are just some of them. Once you start doing multi-day and multi-week hikes these considerations multiply (no pun intended). Food is a big consideration in this planning process particularly because it often requires planning ahead weeks in advance and really thinking about what you may want to eat. In this article we discuss food requirements for multi-day and multi-week hikes that can also easily be used for shorter hikes. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

In this episode we bring you a series of recordings from a recent overnight trip on the Canberra Centenary Trail. While i've done plenty of one day trips this was my first overnight backpacking trip and one with some sharp learning curves that will make me rethink the way I not just ride in the future but also hike. At the end of this episode we discuss what I learnt on this trip and what I'd do differently next time I head out on two wheels. to get the best from this episode go to the Australian Hiker website and look at the show notes for episode 209 to see some on trail images www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Bikepacking can best be considered as an allied form of backpacking and instead of walking your chosen route on foot you undertake your journey with the aid of a bike, travelling at a different speed, seeing the landscape in a different way. In this episode we provide an introduction to bikepacking and the opportunities it affords. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

This is the third and final podcast episode in the series of 3 on the Tasmanian Three Capes Track. In this episode we compare our pre trip expectations to the reality of the journey and based on our experiences make recommendations as to how to get the best from this trip. To get the best from this episode we recommend that you follow along with the written review if this trail that includes images and resources to help you out at Three Cape Trail Write Up

This is the second episode in the series of 3 on the Tasmanian Three Capes Track. This episode consists of a series of on-trail recordings from Gill and I as we progress along the trail as well as interviews with other hikers who share their views. In our third episode next week we compare our pre-trip expectations to the on-trail reality and based on our on-trail experiences, make recommendations on how to get the best from this trip.

This is the first in a planned series of 3 podcasts to be released over the next 3 weeks. In today’s episode we set the scene for our upcoming trip and provide some background on what we expect from this trip. We hope you enjoy. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Like most guidebooks Day Trip Sydney 52 Nature Adventures provides you with the basics you need to do these walking adventures but where it stands out is by not assuming the participants are keen hikers. In addition, the images used to highlight each adventure can best be described as hero shots that just invite you to visit. In today’s episode, episode 204, we catch up Andrew Grune and Evi O authors of the Book Day Trip Sydney 52 Nature Adventures to find out more about this book. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Joe Bonington is the creator of Joe's Basecamp gym, Sydney’s Premier adventure training facility and over the past few years he has transitioned his training delivery into an online model and now has clients across Australia and New Zealand, Asia, and even back in his place of origin the UK. Joe developed his program to provide the inspiration, training, and support to help his clients achieve their bucket list goals, outdoor adventure and wilderness sports and activities. Joe doesn’t just talk training he is highly experienced in the fields that they train for with his main goal is to get people ‘out there and getting amongst it; to live large and tear chunks out of life’.  We first caught up with Joe Bonington in episode 32 in July of 2017 to talk about what you need to do to prepare for your hikes and other outdoor adventures from a fitness perspective. Today we catch back up to talk about getting back on trail after the long periods of inactivity that many of us have been forced into. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

On 11 November 2021 Australian Hiker celebrated its 5th birthday. When we started in 2016 we had no idea where we would be today. In this episode we reflect on our past year, and look at where we are heading over the coming year. We close this episode by answering the often asked question about how we got into hiking. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

It’s that time of the year again when you start to consider gifts for the special hiker in your life. In this podcast episode we focus on the best and brightest products including those released over the past year. Just because it’s Christmas doesn’t mean you have to spend up big, in fact you may not even have to spend any money at all. In this podcast episode we discuss gift ideas in price categories with something to suit all budgets ranging from not spending money at all through to some big ticket items. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

There are estimated to be approximately 2,000,000 podcasts in existence however many of these are no longer in production. Many shows start with a flourish but peter out after around 7 episodes once their creators realise the amount of work involved in getting an episode to air. Reaching 200 episodes is a rarity, particularly for outdoor podcasts with only a rare handful lasting this long. In this episode we discuss where the Australian Hiker podcast has come from, where we are heading to, and what we have learned along the way. Both Gill and I would like to thank everyone for their support in making this podcast a long term success and look forward to the next 200 episodes! www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

For many hikers getting to the start of a hike typically requires a car ride either in your own vehicle that you return back to at the end of a hike, or a drop-off and pick up by friends or family. Other forms of public transport such as buses and trains may fit the bill depending on the options of getting to a trailhead. But what about when you travel interstate or overseas and need to transport yourself, and all your hiking gear, on a plane? Travelling by plane creates a whole new set of logistical issues that you need to consider to get both you and your luggage to the trailhead with a minimum of fuss. In this podcast episode we discuss considerations for hikes that require plane travel and provide tips to help you get the best out of not just your hike but the journey as well. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Unless you camp in exactly the same location, with the same soils, and the same environmental conditions, it’s unlikely that you’ll get away with one particular type of tent peg for all your hiking needs. Choosing the right pegs and your tent should stay put in almost any conditions, chose the wrong pegs and you may find yourself shelterless at the most inconvenient times. In this podcast episode we look at a range of different tent pegs types used for hiking tents, talk about when to use them, and make suggestions based on what we use. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Urban hiking is a self explanatory term which implies that instead of hiking in remote, or not so remote, bushland you instead take the opportunity to hike through your local urban areas. Depending on where you live this may be through totally built-up town or city infrastructure with hardly a tree or shrub in sight through to areas that include local parkland or if you are lucky enough, through areas that include adjacent bushland. But is this ‘real’ hiking or just a poor alternative? In this podcast we discuss some key considerations of urban hiking as well as identifying how to get the best out of your urban experience. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

The 80km Bondi to Manly Walk is one of Sydney's hidden gems that many people don't even know exist. In today's episode we catch up with author Tara Wells to chat about her new guidebook for this amazing trail The Bondi to Manly Walk : The Definitive Guidebook. This book will help those who are keen to plan and complete this walk. www.australianhiker.com.au Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

The Australian Hiker podcast turns five years old at the end of 2021 and is Australia's longest running and most downloaded hiking podcast. But what hiking and outdoor related podcasts does Australian Hiker listen to? In this episode we provide a brief overview of what's on Tim's podcast listening queue that covers a range of different styles. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

In this podcast episode we wrap up Tim's 2021 Tasmanian Trail trip and while it ended prematurely it provided me with a great overview of what's on offer outside of the very well known Tasmanian National Parks. In this episode we provide a wrap up of this trip and provide some suggestions about logistics and timing if you are keen to do this walk. To get the best out of this episode, follow along with our write up of the Tasmanian Trail to see images as well as detailed information.

This podcast episode consists of a series of recordings from Tim in his second week on the Tasmanian Trail. In addition to his on trail recordings Tim also discuss Trail towns.This podcast episode consists of a series of recordings from Tim in his second week on the Tasmanian Trail. www.australianhiker.com.au

This podcast episode consists of a series of recordings from Tim in his first week of the Tasmanian Trail. It’s been an interesting and challenging week that has forced some route changes to due environmental conditions. Www.australianhiker.com.au

In February of this year I decided that my long distance hike for 2021 was going to be the 1200km south Australian Heysen Trail and part of my decision for bringing this trail forward a year was that I wanted a trail that was based in a single state and unlikely to be impacted my COVID related issues. It didn’t quite work out that was and as a result I had to pivot to another trail and my choice became the 480km Tasmanian trail. In this episode we discuss the trail itself, and my upcoming trip including my concerns and expectations. If everything goes to plan this will be the first in a series of 5 episodes including this episode, 3 from on trail, and 1 post trail episode. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

In 1820 Irish thief, Alexander Pearce, was sent to Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) to serve a seven year sentence for stealing shoes and if the story ended here, it wouldn’t be particularly noteworthy, but rather than just one of many similar stories. Where is becomes interesting is in 1822 when Pearce and seven other convicts escaped from their penal colony in western Tasmania and made their way eastwards  across some of the most rugged and inhospitable terrain in Tasmania in a break for freedom. Starvation pressed the party into a series of grim decisions including cannibalism with Pearce being the sole survivor of the group. In 2008, 6 hikers recreated this walk, covering 170km in 23 days on an amazing journey. This trip from Coal Head in Macquarie Harbour to Ouse, closely retraced the 1822 footsteps of Alexander Pearce across what is now the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. In today’s episode we catch up with one of those hikers, Paul Le Fevre, to find out about this unique journey and why he and his friends chose to undertake this trip. This really is a choose your own adventure. To get the best out of this trip go to our show notes for episode 190 to see images, map, and elevation chart to show you just how difficult and how amazing this trip was.   Australian Hiker Social Media Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube   Contact us info@australianhiker.com.au

In today’s episode we talk with author Inga Simpson about her latest book and first children's book, The Book of Australian Trees. Trees tell stories about places and Australia has some of the tallest, oldest, fattest and most unusual trees in the world. As hikers, trees are our constant companions on many of our hikes. While this book is aimed at children, it will also please adults as well and makes a great coffee table book. www.australianhiker.com.au