first time hikers

[leary393]

Hi all,
This is my first post here, my name is Cam.
i'm looking to find some information and ideas for a hike/ adventure i'm planning for me and my 2 brothers.
I live in Victoria and both my brothers live in Queensland. This will be like a a reunion type thing I thought we could all complete together. Looking for ideas and destinations that we should consider while planning.
We are all above average fitness and we are not looking for a guided walk or anything like a strole around town.
we are looking for something more adventurous and challenging with lots of memories to keep. Breath taking views, once in a life time opportunities, that sort of thing.
we are willing to put in some work before hand ei training, if need be, however we are not looking to climb everest.
I have looked into New Zealand and this looks like good value only the more info the better, if there are better places or better value to have, please feel free to share. we are willing to tavel international however we understand there is probably as much to expereince right here at our doorstep. we have no preference to sleep tent or cabin, however roughing it on the very first attempt might be to much to ask from my 2 brothers.
all info and ideas would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Cam

[Tortoise]

G'day, Cam, and welcome.

I've been thinking re your post - a bit hard to respond to without more info, and i'm a bit confused.

we are looking for something more adventurous and challenging with lots of memories to keep. Breath taking views, once in a life time opportunities, that sort of thing.

we have no preference to sleep tent or cabin, however roughing it on the very first attempt might be to much to ask from my 2 brothers.

I'm wondering why 'roughing it on the very first attempt much be too much to ask' from yr brothers, if they are fit and looking for something adventurous and challenging. What sort of age are they? What do you have in mind when you say 'roughing it'?

What sort of length of trip are you looking for? Have you had much experience bushwalking? From your post I'm thinking maybe not a lot. There are any number of brilliant walks here in Tassie, depending on what experience/gear you have or not. If you don't have much, then a guided trip might actually be worth considering, if cost isn't prohibitive. (Edit: if you can consider overseas, you could afford a guided trip.)

Eons ago, I dragged a couple of friends on a trip down the Franklin River, which was everything you seem to be looking for. None of us had experience rafting, and weren't likely to be in a position to get enough experience on our own to take on a trip like that. So we did a guided trip, and it was AMAZING.

Similarly, I did a guided trek in Nepal to Annapurna Sanctuary - again, seems to fit your criteria.

In contrast, my first bushwalk was the Overland Track, with an equally inexperienced friend. Despite bad mistakes and their consequences, it was still a life-changing trip. Just not once in a lifetime, because it only gets better! More experience means the capacity to get to more remote and more amazing places.

[Strider]

Do you have or can you acquire sufficient gear to walk unsupported/unguided?

[eggs]

I could recommend one of the "great walks" in NZ.
Huts are great - tracks are well maintained and lots of other walkers combined with amazing scenery.

"When" is a very important issue though.
In summer one drifts to NZ and Tas and perhaps the NSW Main Range as its generally too hot and dry elsewhere.
In winter you can think about Central Australia, Flinders Ranges and various spots around NSW.

[Scottyk]

Why not aim at doing the Overland Track next summer?
That would give you time to maybe do a couple of overnight walks do get som of your equipment sorted and make sure your brothers are up to "roughing it" as you say.
You'll soon find out that long trip take a lot of prep work, gear, fitness, food, motivated walking team etc.
The Overland Track is spectacular and a good challenge for those new to bushwalking. Lots of good info on this site.
A warning though, most of the info on this site involves "roughing it"!

[leary393]

Thanks for the fast replies and I'm sorry for the confusing post. I guess what I'm trying to say is well we have agreed that we'd all like to complete something, you know something we can look back on in 10 years time and be proud of.
Now I consider myself pretty comfortable roughing it. I have been a keen hunter for some years now and quite often put a backpack on and head bush for a week or 2 at a time, however my 2 brothers are a different story, I mean they say yeah that would be great, live out of a tent all that fun stuff when in actual fact I can't see them being able to go without amenities for more than a few days.
Now this has taken a push from me to get my 2 brothers motivated, so I can't really see this being a warm up for bigger trips, maybe a warm up for me but I can't really see my brothers having the motivation as I do to wanna move on to bigger and better trips. So I'm trying to hit the nail on the head the first time.
Our ages, me 27 and 29&30.
I am thinking along the lines of, bare minimum gear to keep cost down, somewhere there is some huts along the way but still require some camping out for a night or 2 before reaching the next hut. Some rafting would be great however neither of us have experience in rafting.
I may be totally wrong here, but following a road sized track with people all around going to the same direction is not really the right thing for us. Using a guide would only increase cost and I feel it would take slot of fun out of it.
Falling asleep now so ill write some more tomorrow when I wake

[GPSGuided]

If you "can't really see", then this undertaking is a massive guess with associated risks. How about talk to your brothers and get a better feel of their desires first?

[neilmny]

Cam,
What you can do has to be based on the weakest link. If you're brothers are not up to it you have to personally throttle back to something they can do specially since you had to push them to consider doing this trip. Here in Victoria the rule is you cannot rely on huts for accomodation they are for refuge, you must have your own shelter.

My mates did the OLT a few years back and definitely had a trip to remember for life. Every time we meet the stories and laughs role out. They did it with the right gear and some fitness. The sights they saw, the photos they took and the people they met, (specially the Swedish nurses) .

Read up all you can, plan it carefully and good luck with your project....... I reckon it's a fantastic idea.

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

I too would recommend the OLT.

However, as some others have eluded to, gear costs can be more than transport costs in a situation like this.

If it is likely to be a one off for your brothers, you might find a guided tour to be similar cost wise.

To get a basic kit together for the OLT (sleeping bag, sleeping mat, waterproof pack, hiking tent, waterproof clothing and shoes being the main items) could see you all spending $1000 to $1500 easily. Buying second hand gear here on bushwalk.com might help you get this down again.

So to do the OLT they would be looking at minimum $1000 for gear, plus plane travel, and accommodation, and transfers... Well over 2k each.

You could look at buying gear for yourself if you intend to keep at it, and if they are just doing it as a once off they could look at hiring equipment.

My wife and I did the OLT as our first multi day walk, and fell in love immediately with what walking can offer. Maybe your brothers will be the same??

Good luck.

[leary393]

Great some more info on this OLT sounds great. Should I search OLT or is there a un abbreviated term?

[Tortoise]

Yes, we do use lots of abbrevs here! The OLT is the Overland Track that I mentioned - Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair.

Be assured it's rarely a road-sized track, and keep an open mind on the people. You don't have to stay in huts full of people, there are awesome side trips where you probably won't bump into anyone, and the advantage of everyone walking in the same direction is that you don't keep bumping into people coming the other way. In fact, many days you could work it so that you rarely see other people.

[neilmny]

Great some more info on this OLT sounds great. Should I search OLT or is there a un abbreviated term?

It's the Overland Track in Tassy Cam.
There's a whole thread on it. http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=25

OOPs the tortoise was faster than the hare

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

There is a sub forum dedicated to the Overland Track.

From the forum home page, go to the Tasmania sub forum and then from there go to the Overland Track and Cradle Mountain sub forum.

Also lots of info available at the official website overlandtrack.com.au

[walk2wineries]

I agree that supported walks - and I would absolutely recommend Cradle Huts (for the Overland Track, cam) can be cost effective particularly if flying in, and/or not already owning stuff, and/or ITS A ONE-WAY walk with transport to be arranged at each end!
Its worth pointing out that Cradle huts now offer 3 different walks - the standard 6 day with optional Mt Ossa, a four-day which exits to Arm river and an 'adventure" alternative for the fitter group than guarantees Mts Ossa plus several other side tracks, see http://www.cradlehuts.com.au/adventure/ which might fit your needs. Checkout the cost of transfers etc done independently, remembering that this can make a difference to, for example, the number of nights you need to spend an an hotel before/after flights. I think its good value. You might also consider doing one of these, even the 4-day and then doing, say, Walls of Jerusalem in the same area, or staying at Pine River Hut near Lake St Clair (southern end of OLT) and day walks. But the cost of staying at the Lake St Clair chalets is very reasonable. I did OLT last year with extended family and thoroughly enjoyed it - I think if we were in tents, arguing about who forgot the bottle opener, it might be a lot less fun!!
A shorter option that yr QLd brothers could get involved in is the Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk. The BOrder walk which is day 1 is usually in the "Best 20" of Australian walks. Haven't done the middle day but although it meets criteria for spectacular scenery its not a difficult walk. I would strongly incline to stay at O'Reilly's but that's me. Where in Qld? I love the Mackay Great Walk starting from Eungella, again not difficult - and I reckon its closer to 2 or 3 days than the gazzetted 5! but spectacular scenery and rarely too hot.
you didn't actually say what time of the year? Obviously if its summer holidays Tasmania or the Alpine walks are the places to be although I did the Great Ocean one Feb and it was okay. GOW btw gives a huge range of options from camping to luxury lodges with a minibus to the trail each day.
enjoy! and do feed back - I'm trying to persuade my lot to do another walk

[beachcruiser]

Have a look at the Green Gully Track in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, it has well equipped huts and the track is part easy fire trail walking and part off-track walking requiring some navigation plus a fantastic day walking along the Green Gully Creek, you have to book and pay a small fee for using the huts and numbers are limited so you are guaranteed a stretcher in the hut at the end of the day and you probably won't see anyone else even if the track is booked out unless you happen to pass another party on the first/last 10km which you cover on the way in and out.
Located in Northern NSW it is in-between your 2 locations, you will need to drive there, your cars will be securely parked inside a locked gate while you are walking.

http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/greengully

There is lots more walking in this area and other huts so if you want to take on something more adventurous you could plan a longer route in this area, the Bicentennial National Trail passes through this area too.

[madmacca]

If you are looking at some really iconic multi-day walks in Australia, I'd recommend:

* Larapinta Trail
* Great Ocean Walk
* Overland Track
* AAWT - Kiandra to Thredbo via the Main Range of the Snowys (all of Australia's 2000M + mountains)
* AAWT - Mt Hotham to Low Saddle via The Viking and Crosscut Saw

The first 2 are more forgiving in terms of skills (although not fitness), and have good facilities in terms of shelters, tank water, toilets.

The last are all alpine walks, and would be more demanding in terms of skills and equipment. There are some emergency huts for options 3 and 4, but option 5 is much more wilderness.

In terms of keeping equipment costs down, start with clothing and footwear, as that is very personal. Sleeping bags can be a good LT investment, as they can be used for car camping, music festivals, etc. In terms of the rest of your gear (tents, sleeping bags), consider renting, borrowing or 2nd handing to keep costs down.

It's worth doing a bit of research as to equipment you think you would need, then posting a draft gear list here, and let people critique/suggest alternatives.