Bushwalk Australia

Hi Guys,

I have about 7 days spare during the Chrismas to New Years Peroid to complete as much as I can of the Great North Walk, I know I wont complete the whole thing but I want to get as much done in that time as possible.

My current plans is the start around Newcastle and walk back to Sydney.

Realistically, for a guy who is packing light, how much of this walk can I finish? I don't mind skipping some of the bits closer to Newcastle / Sydney.

Well for a gal who wasn't packing light (oh when we are young it's nice to pack the kitchen sink) we did hawkesbury to cessnock (I know the other finish point with ease in that time. Double check water availability as it can be hot at that time and I know not all the water sources were available ie the shop at sommersby was tank water and really doesn't want to fill your pack etc I think you will do it easily if packing light. The tracks very popular so it's usually pretty well trodden and easy to follow. We only encountered one tree we had to find a way around. Enjoy. It will be lovely. Hopefully the weather holds up for you.

Hi Kenny
Some good advice there from Bluegum Mic.
Starting from the northern end you could get to Yarramalong or to Somerby if you are really keen and fit. Advantage of summer is the long days so you can get lots of walking in, even with a good rest in the middle of the day. There is lots of water at the moment in the creeks, but much of that will dry up quickly. Long term forcast is for a hotter and dry Jan than usual.
Any reason you want to start at Newcaslte?? If I had seven days straight, I would try to tackle the cental seection on the walk, where access is more difficult. And leave the Northen and southern section for wekened trips. Think about the space between Wondabyne and Forestry H.Q. campsite. Just a thought.
We are updating all out GNW notes on wildwalks at the moment, in the next couple of weeks all the updates for north of the Hawkesbury should be complete.
Enjoy
Matt

Oooooo someone from wildwalks. Must say I loooove your website. I often peruse it to see where my next adventure could be (plus I love the terrain maps to see how much I'll need to suck it up during a hike top notch guys. Keep up the great work and thanks.

Bluegum Mic wrote:Oooooo someone from wildwalks. Must say I loooove your website. I often peruse it to see where my next adventure could be (plus I love the terrain maps to see how much I'll need to suck it up during a hike top notch guys. Keep up the great work and thanks.

Edit: sorry for the hijack but you might know is the loop walk that starts from kariong winds down under the mooney mooney bridge then back up and out through sommersby re-opened. I noticed a while back that the track was closed due to a property denying access in sommersby. It's a nice little walk for a weekender that I want to do. Cheers

I love your site Matt. But I always seem to miss out when your're are on the radio.
I did that walk earlier in the year http://greeniesgonebush.blogspot.com/2010/05/girrakool-mooney-mooney-somersby-loop.html. A good walk. With a few campsites near Mooney Mooney Creek.

Wow, hi Guys, thanks for your very kinds words, glad you like the Wildwalks.
I had a chat with Peter who managers the GNW, and the Somersby track has been closed with no plans to re-open it. Shame it was such a great link track. There is talk of a new track to 'replace' it, but running up through the NP rather than through private land. This is just talk at this stage, so no idea if it is viable. The closest link now is via Reserve Rd, from the large water tanks, this means more road walking along road.
Looks like Geenie got through just before it was formally closed, love you blog by the way Greenie, well done. Yeah the radio spot is a bit of fun, Friday just before the 2pm news, in theory at least it sometimes happens after the news.
We are having a Snowies book launch on Thursday night if either of you are in the Hornsby area, please some along be great to meet you.
Matt

I saw this track closure in the local paper. I don't understand why the land owners are now worried about this track. It has been going through there for a long while. Going via reserve road would add a lot to the walk.

I would love to come to your book launch, but unfortunately can't make it. I also missed the one you had on the Central Coast walks.

How much time do you spend on the site, including walking?

Matt I live in the Hornsby area. Where abouts are you having the launch? Not sure that I can make it but if I can slip away from mummy duties I will try pop by
cheers mic

Greenie wrote:I saw this track closure in the local paper. I don't understand why the land owners are now worried about this track. It has been going through there for a long while. Going via reserve road would add a lot to the walk.

The land owner reported that on a few occasions people walking through where harassing their dogs. Plus they had a few other concerns as well. There are quiet a few sections of the GNW that passes over private land. It is a shame that a few people can be silly and reck it for many others.

Greenie wrote:I would love to come to your book launch, but unfortunately can't make it. I also missed the one you had on the Central Coast walks.

Shame, but not stress, there will hopfully be another chance next year

Greenie wrote:How much time do you spend on the site, including walking?

Full time for the past few years. About 1 day in the bush (20-30km) each week and the rest in the office writting, mapping, coding and keeping other stuff ticking over. Cool job hey
Matt

Bluegum Mic wrote:Matt I live in the Hornsby area. Where abouts are you having the launch? Not sure that I can make it but if I can slip away from mummy duties I will try pop by
cheers mic

Hey Mic
Thats funny I live and work in Hornsby, we are having our party at the RSL, you can see all the details here.
http://www.wildwalks.com/office/newsletters/november-2010.html
Please feel encouraged to bring your kid(s). There will be a small contingent of kids. We have a young lady coming along to help the kids play, there is a space at the back of the room where we will set up a few things for the kids to play. I believe that bushwalking is something that should be accessible to all, so I think it only fair that they be encouraged kids to come along to an event like this.

Matt

Thanks Matt. Little man heads to bed round 7/7.30 so he won't be up for the fun but I'll try and swing by the rsl once he's down.

I'm planning some walks in the snowies in march so I'll definitely add the book to my reading list. If I don't make it on thurs I'll buy it off the website after. Thanks for this.
Cheers mic

Yes it is a cool job. If you never need an assistant..!

Could I ask for a feature request? A date on when the walk was last done. I know it's on the end of the PDF but not on the site that I can find?

Greenie

Bluegum Mic wrote:Thanks Matt. Little man heads to bed round 7/7.30 so he won't be up for the fun but I'll try and swing by the rsl once he's down.

Cool Hopefully see you there, but see how you go.
Feel free to grab the book, never want to discourage any one from buying. Do know that all the walks that are in the Book are also on wildwalks. Some people just like the feel of a book.
Matt

Greenie wrote:Yes it is a cool job. If you never need an assistant..!

Cool, I have one guy working with me part time (4 days) at the moment, but will keep you in mind. Not the sought of job that pays enough to buy a Sydney Harbour home on, but happy to chat next time I am looking I have had a couple of school students doing the placements over the last month

Greenie wrote:Could I ask for a feature request? A date on when the walk was last done. I know it's on the end of the PDF but not on the site that I can find?

Always love to get feature requests. I have a very long to do list, but I love adding to it. More love ticking them off as I go.
The date on the PDF, is the last time the PDF was updated in anyway, not always the last time it was walked. The goal is that all walks will be re-walked within every three years. Part of the issue is that when we walk a 'walk' we don't always walk it it one go. For example part of the Mount Solitary walk was updated 2 months ago, and another part 2 years ago. I plan to do the other part next year. So my thinking is to add a comment like "most of this walk was updated 3 months ago and the oldest part is 2 years ago" or something to that. But the other thing that confuses it is that we also make some updates when a walker reports a change, if I can verify it with a ranger or some other way. So in short, yes it is planned, but not sure when or how I will actually do it.
Thanks
Matt

Thanks for the all the information, how accurate is the water notes on the wild walks site? is there any way to verify the sources of water?

I'm rethinking and will most likely start further away from newcastle and finish before sydney

Damn @#$%^! I wish I had read this thread earlier. I live in the Hornsby area and would have loved to have attended the book launch. Ah well, maybe next time. I can only echo the others Matt and say what a fantastic job you do on the Wildwaks site.

cheers

Lindsay.

Lindsay wrote:Damn @#$%^! I wish I had read this thread earlier. I live in the Hornsby area....

Hey Lindsay
Thanks for your kind (and quiet vocal) words .
Shame you missed hearing about the book launch. Drop me an e-mail or give me a call one day, be happy to go for a hot chocloate or wander down to Fishponds. (sorry if that sounds a bit stalkerish, but I love to meet other walkers).
I am working on another book and hope to have another party at the Hornsby RSL mid way through next year, so there will be another chance anyway.
These books are a lot of fun to do. I love working on the website, but there is something about packaging the 'best of' into a book that you can hold in your hand.
Matt