by creeping_moses » Sun 17 Jun, 2012 2:00 pm
G'day Zane,
As another young bloke like yourself (I'm 19), I think there are plenty of people our age interested in bushwalking! I have met and become friends, often good friends, with a number of people around our age when out bushwalking. Many of my friends are very interested in walking also, and often ask for info on walks or ask if I and other walking friends I have am keen to do the Overland Track as a group (its always the Overland Track!). So I guess I've found that the best way to meet other younger people walking is to go out and do it!
My first ever proper bushwalk I did was when I was 16; over Easter, I and 2 other mates went out to Frenchmans. I thought we would be 3 young jokers surrounded by older and experienced groups but in the end we met up with a group of other guys and girls also from Hobart who were doing the same walk as us, to Irenabyss. It was an awesome time and we all became good friends; now I study at uni with one of the girls I met at Frenchmans, and another is joining us after deferring for a year to go travelling. Also of note on this trip was the kindness and friendliness of an older guy we met at Lake Tahune, who had done the walk countless times and was a classic hardman. He shared some great tales and advice on the area, and also showed us some interesting locations in the park to check out, which we have on more recent trips back to Frenchmans. As first time walkers back then, things like this were vital in ensuring we had a good time and remained interested in walking. Since then I and my mates have walked countless trips around Tas and gained much of our own experience.