John Ford reviews a handy book for anyone who loves exploring the great outdoors, Ultimate Walks and Hikes: Australia.
Written by Caravan World travel writer and author Laura Waters, this practical guide book includes 40 of Laura's favourite walks and hikes around Australia. Caravanners can be an adventurous lot, so the book is an ideal companion for those keen to spread their wings in the bush. There’s a mix of trails to suit everyone, from the easy to more challenging, from just a few hours long to an extended multi-day epic hike. Plenty of the longer ones can also be broken up into bite-size sections, to be ticked off over time.
Laura discovered the joys of bushwalking with her family as a youngster in the Victorian landscape and recalls the joys of being surrounded by fern-filled forests and waterfalls, hearing the song of lyrebirds and the aromas of wildflowers.
It wasn't until her 30s that walking became a lifelong passion. As well as thousands of kilometres along most of our iconic tracks, Laura has hiked the 3,000km down the length of New Zealand and through Jordan, Patagonia and Nepal.
Laura says in a country that spans 7.6 million square kilometres, choosing the walks was no easy matter, and she makes no claim they are the best – there is no way to classify this. However, her aim is to showcase some of Australia's incredible diversity, from rainforest to outback, mountains to the coast.
Some, like the Bibbulmun Track and Larapinta Trail, are classic walks, but Laura brings insightful first-hand knowledge and helpful planning tips. You’ll find some hikes that are well known, for good reason, and hopefully some lesser-known trails you might have yet to consider. Some are easy rambles, while others are more challenging trails that anyone with a reasonable fitness level and the desire to get out there can achieve.
Laura told us that one of her favourite shorter walks is the Bondi to Coogee trek along the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and other lovely short treks can be found in Tasmania's Tarkine Forest. It’s inspirational enough to expand to a Bondi to Manly walk over three days, where you learn to appreciate all the secret spots and views of the harbour from a new perspective.
The 336-page book is flexibound for durability and includes hundreds of images, most by the author herself.
“You don’t have to travel far to feel the joy of hiking,” says Laura. “Even a few hours spent ambling in a misty forest, sun-drenched beach, or coastal clifftop is enough to revive the soul and inspire creativity.”
Ultimate Walks and Hike: Australia s is published by Hardie Grant and available from major booksellers at a RRP$45.
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