How Many of Australia’s Greatest Walks Have You Done?

Rising 875 metres above sea level, Mount Gower is Lord Howe Island’s tallest peak. The trek to the top involves rope-assisted climbing and vertiginous drops; it’s not for the faint of heart. But it’s certainly beautiful, taking in some of the island’s rare plants and animals along the 14-kilometre route.

Bring binoculars to spot migrating whales and birdlife on this eight-kilometre trail through the Bouddi National Park near Gosford on the New South Wales Central Coast. Winding from Putty Beach to MacMasters Beach over wooden boardwalks and past lookouts, it takes between three-and-a-half and four-and-a-half hours to complete.

For four or five days, walkers on this 65-kilometre trail traverse the coastline between Angourie and Red Rock in the Clarence Valley, witnessing wildflowers in bloom and wildlife in abundance. Stop to camp overnight or break the walk into segments and stay in the cute coastal hamlets along its length: Wooli, Diggers Camp and Minnie Water.

It’s one of Sydney’s crowning glories, a walk along the craggy coast line from one iconic beach to another with the ocean sparkling alongside all the way. The six kilometre trail in Sydney’s eastern suburbs has the views, parks, beaches, rockpools and cafe pit-stops to enchant even a reluctant walker.

You might not have heard of it but Australia has its own Grand Canyon and, may we say, it’s no less striking than that in the USA. Where the more famous canyon is a gargantuan open gorge, ours is a series of deep, dark, narrow ravines where waterfalls trickle and the air is cool and damp.

Marking Australia’s most easterly point, the Byron Bay Lighthouse serves as the pinnacle of the 3.7-kilometre Cape Byron Walking Track, a loop that winds through dense rainforest, across jagged clifftops, beneath Bangalow palms and across stretches of sandy beach.

Hugging the coastline, this Sydney Harbour walking track begins at the northern end of the Spit Bridge and finishes at Manly Beach. Along the beautiful 10-kilometre route, walkers will encounter 1000-year-old Aboriginal engravings, coastal heathland and sandy beaches.

A pleasant 2.5-kilometre loop that won’t wear out your sneakers, the White Sands Walk starts at the Greenfield Beach picnic area and heads south along Jervis Bay.

Be prepared to feel the burn on your way to the summit of Mount Kozciusko. The trek, beginning at Charlotte Pass, is 18.6 kilometres return and you’ll need a full day to complete it. It’s best undertaken in summer as in winter the track is completely snowbound.

Located in the Coffs Coast Regional Park, this 60-kilometre track takes three to four days but don’t rush it. There are beaches and rainforests to explore, little terns and white-bellied eagles to spot and dolphins surfing the waves.

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The Northern Tablelands area of New South Wales comprises eucalypt forest, Clarence River Valley Rainforest, wetlands, granite boulders – and this track that showcases it all. It’ll take three or four days to finish the 45-kilometre loop, and there are 13 adjoining routes along the way that walkers can add to make the trek up to 100 kilometres.

This 30-kilometre walk takes between two and three days in Ben Boyd National Park on the far south coast of New South Wales. Set off from Boyds Tower and pass through an ever-changing landscape of banksia woodlands, tea tree groves and heathland, all with sea views. 

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A challenging full day walk of 11 kilometres, what The Castle lacks in distance it makes up for in gradient: it’s an 800 metre climb to the peak of The Castle in the Morton National Park near Nowra. 

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Embrace the raw beauty of Mother Nature on this 48-kilometre hike, located in one of the southernmost corners of Australia. Follow the boardwalk, stone steps and gravel trails to explore the rugged outdoors by day, and by night relax in one of the cabins that promise all creature comforts.

Quickly becoming a favourite for trailwalkers across the country, this track meanders through 223 kilometres of distractingly beautiful landscape on its way from Alice Springs to Mount Sonder. If you don’t want to take on the whole trail, choose just a couple of the 12 sections, each varying between 9.1 and 31.2 kilometres. The best time to set out is between April and August.

Follow an ancient Song Line used by the Jawoyn people on this 62 kilometre trail through Nitmiluk National Park in the Katherine region of the Top End. Typically taking five days to complete the trail, walkers set off from Nitmiluk Gorge and set up camp under the stars on their way to Leliyn.

Covering 16.5 kilometres one way, this two- to three-day walk sets off towards Pat’s Lookout with stunning views of Nitmiluk’s second gorge along the way. Keep your wits about you on the quest for this view – you’ll scamper up steep sandstone cliffs via rock platforms and the shallowest of gullies.

Weave through the wilderness of Litchfield National Park, through woodlands, past creeks and some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the country. The walk is a circuit of 39 kilometres, best-suited to experienced multi-day explorers.

If you’re visiting Watarrka National Park for a glimpse of incredible Kings Canyon, consider taking this track, too. You can start or finish the 22 kilometre trail at the landmark canyon, or at Kathleen Springs, the spring-fed waterhole that sits at the head of the Kathleen Gorge. Regardless of where you start, you’ll pass stone blades and stencilled art and petroglyphs left by Aboriginal ancestors long ago.

Once you’ve gotten over the fact you’re standing metres away from the spiritual heart of the nation, set off on a walk around its base. This is the closest visitors can come to Uluru after climbing the monument was closed permanently in 2019. Start early from the Mala car park and look to finish the 10 kilometre round trip before the hottest part of the day.

Tucked away within Kata Tjuta is a haven for animals and wildlife. This place is sacred to the Anangu people and, accordingly, must be treated with the utmost respect. Make your visit to walk the 2.6 kilometre trail in late winter to catch a glimpse of the pink daisies that bloom then.

Wander amidst ancient rock domes that have stood the test of time and are held sacred by the local people. This difficult walk is steep in places and takes 3-4 hours return. Keep an eye on the temperature – if the mercury passes 36 degrees celsius after 11am, the track will be closed.

Don full drag for the 500-step ascent to the King’s Canyon lookout if you’re so inclined but, you should know, it’s been done – by the cast of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert no less. This six-kilometre circuit offers some of the best views of outback Australia, including a collection of domes known as The Lost City.

Consider this an art gallery tour that requires a little more perseverance than your average stroll around a museum. This stroll and scramble of this 12-kilometre circuit takes you to the Nanguluwur art site, where you’ll find beautiful etching of spirits, ships and animals. It can only be attempted between January and October.

The Mount Sonder walk is part of the lengthy Larapinta Trail – though at almost 16 kilometres, it’s a fairly solid section and can be tackled as a separate excursion.  For the most spectacular views, start your trek across the red dirt at around 3am to perfectly position yourself for sunrise.

More of a wander than a hike, this pretty 6.6 kilometre return trail weaves through forest in the Dandenong Ranges. Towering Mountain Ash and Messmate Stringybark trees line the path and make a verdant home to a menagerie of wombats, lyrebirds, wallabies, echidnas and owls.

A long-distance walk that takes in three states and passes through more than five national parks, this 655 kilometre route (set aside roughly 5-8 weeks to complete it) is for hard-core hikers only.

There are a number of walks to discover here, from a one hour jaunt to those lasting several days. One definitely worth setting out for is the three hour Moss Garden track. With waterfalls and rich greenery that laces its way up sandstone walls, it’s a little bit of Eden right in the Sunshine State.

Connecting Noosa North Shore to Rainbow Beach, this is an impressive 102 kilometres trek. As you’d expect, the landscape changes throughout the course, from lakes and beaches to rainforest and heath plains. Depending on when you tackle it, you might spot migrating humpbacks, turtles, manta rays and wildflowers.

The name sells it well enough – oceanview walk – but weaving through coastal heath, grasslands and mangroves while keeping watch for migrating whales, white-bellied sea-eagles and other wildlife seals the deal. Depending on how many photo stops you make, the walk only takes half an hour and is handily located on the southern fringe of Burleigh Heads.

The only thing better than the satisfaction of tackling a tough walk through the rainforest, clambering up and down escarpments and tramping along ridgelines? The bliss of bedding down in luxury at a Spicers lodge, cabin or farmhouse. This challenging five day guided walk covers 47 kilometres of southeast Queensland wilderness, with stays in five exquisite properties along the way.

Begin this 4.9 kilometre, two hour return walk on the sand at North Shepherd Bay. Along the way you’ll skirt the Kirkville Hills and get the chance to see – or hear – scrub fowls and rainforest pigeons. Pack a picnic to enjoy at Cape Richards, the northernmost point of Hinchinbrook Island.

An hour out of Brisbane lies this rugged escape – a great day trip for experienced hikers. Expect to get wet as some parts require wading through water and after working up a sweat clambering over rocks, you’ll want to seek out the secluded  waterfalls and pools to cool off.

Only 12 kilometres northeast of Perth, this walk is made up of three separate coastal and bushland loops which you can combine and complete as a 7.3 kilometre walk. Along the way, signposts highlight historic events, the heritage of the local Nyungah people and native flora and fauna.

Located near the town of Mount Barker, this 5.5-kilometre loop is an excellent way to lose yourself in the middle of dense karri forests and moss-covered granite outcrops of the region. It takes about one-three hours to complete, depending on your speed.

For a real challenge, this grade-5 hike between Bluff Knoll and Ellen’s Peak in Stirling Range National Park takes between two to three days and is considered one of the most difficult in the country. Climbers are rewarded with spectacular views – and bragging rights.

Part of the Heysen Trail of the Fleurieu Peninsula, this cliffside trail follows the curves of the coast for a few kilometres before cutting a swathe through the bush. Your reward after 11 kilometres? A peaceful beach and the chance to spot white-bellied sea-eagles.

Even the name sounds a little ominous. It’s recommended you plan your three-day adventure on the Black Range carefully, using a topographic map. Your efforts will be worth it, as you come across seasonal waterfalls, kangaroos grazing and views that only a select group of game individuals have seen.

Wrens and robins will become your friends as you make your way from the south-western edge of the natural amphitheatre down to the “Pound Floor” and back up the other side. Walking through the gap (around six hours return) offers spectacular views to the Elder, Chace and Druid ranges.

You’re close to residential streets but the Sturt Gorge trail is no walk in the park: the undulating path is classified as a “grade four, hard hike”. If you want just a taste, shorten the seven-kilometre circuit to a 3.5-kilometre loop that avoids the more challenging terrain.

This four-day experience is best tackled with a guide – Great Walks of Australia offers regular tours for groups of up to 10 people, including a charter flight to the start and luxury accommodation along the way. When you’re not indulging in post-walk creekside massages, you’re walking (and scrambling) along 45 kilometres of Australia’s most ancient landscapes.

Combine an incredible walk with one of the most iconic modes of transport in the country: a boat up the Murray. This four-day Great Walk melds 36 kilometres of hiking with 63 kilometres of cruising for a new way to experience the classic river.

There are more than 44,000 trees at the National Arboretum but the Himalayan cedars are among the oldest, with the first planted way back in 1917. The two-kilometre walk that winds through them should take you around an hour.

Expect ’roos, robins and rust-red earth on this four-kilometre urban bushwalk to Canberra’s south. Oh, and a Tardis. Actually a cunningly disguised water pump, it adds a touch of whimsy to this walk that also features the Carousel, another interesting construction that used to be the go-to restaurant for Canberra’s movers and shakers. 

You’ll only need an hour to complete this 2-kilometre track up to the Telstra Tower that rises 195.2 kilometres above the summit of the mountain. The tower offers some of the best views of Canberra; there’s also a cafe and bathroom facilities to avail yourself of before the journey back down.

Located in Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, Gibraltar Peak is a steep climb that offers excellent views each step of the way. Of course, the most impressive of all sights is afforded hikers who make it to the top: rolling hills, Black Mountain and the nature reserve. The 8.2-kilometre return hike takes between two and three hours, crossing fields where kangaroos graze on the way to the ascent.

Mount Ainslie towers 843 metres over the city centre, providing views of Canberra’s CBD, Parliament House, Lake Burley Griffin and Anzac Parade. It’s a 4-kilometre loop and you’ll need about an hour and a half to complete it, plus extra time for mountain-top contemplation.

Even the most amatuer artist will want to whip out a brush and canvas at the pinnacle of this uphill battle: from the lookouts in the Canberra Nature Park you can see Canberra and the Brindabellas laid out in front of you.

Woodlands of ghostly snow gums and forests of alpine ash are divided by enormous granite boulders on the hike up to the Square Rock Lookout, 1400 metres above sea level. The walk starts near the Smokers Gap entrance to Namadgi National Park and is 8.5 kilometres return. The granite outcrop known as Square Rock is an excellent spot to stop for a picnic lunch.

The Centenary Trail is a 145-kilometre loop that takes in Canberra’s iconic sites and lesser known charms. There’s 25,000 years of Ngunnawal history in these parts, visible in scarred trees, rock shelters and ochre quarries. The whole trail is a seven-day walk (averaging just a little over 20 kilometres a day) and links fire trails, walking tracks and pathways throughout rural and urban environments.

This six-kilometre walk in Namadgi National Park takes you to the only known Aboriginal art sites in the ACT, dated between 800 and 3700 years old. You’ll be out in the sun for around 2.5 hours so a hat won’t go astray.

On the eastern edge of the lake, these natural wetlands will delight twitchers and curious kids. You can explore yourself but guided tours are run several times a day for bird watchers – there’s even a twilight spider walk that seeks out the creepy crawlies.

Climb to the summit of Mount McDonald for 360-degree views out over the Murrumbidgee River, the Brindabella Range and Canberra city. There are two options to get to the top: via the 5.2 kilometre management trail (which you’ll share with cyclists) or the walkers-only Cotter Catchment Lookout Track (3.8 kilometres).

Amble along the eponymous Murray-Darling tributary for 27 kilometres or break your walk into smaller chunks depending on your ability: Casuarina Sands to Kambah Pool is classified as “very hard” and can only be done one way; Kambah Pool to Pine Island is a moderate 8.5-kilometre track; while Pine Island to Point Hut is a cruisy one hour stroll or cycle.