GREAT NORTH WALK

[dandan91]

i plan on going on a long hike, 14-20 days, at the moment i have got the basics i.e knife, tent, backpack, first aid, survival kit, etc, would anybody be able to help me out as to, exactly bring as far as food wise and cooking utensil and how much clothing, im quiet new to this and i will be doing a few smaller hikes before hand but if anybody could give me a list of things to pack that would be ideal and i would be much appreciative as i need all the help i can get

[gayet]

A good place to start on this site is to look into the inventory systwm - http://bushwalk.com/inventory/

This will help you determine what you need, including food planning and amounts. You can edit as much as you like but for a good easy to use initiation into what to take, try it.
Cheers

[dandan91]

oh wow cheers

[Drifting]

A lot depends on where you plan to hike as well. Tasmania requires a different type of gear to most areas of the mainland.

[dandan91]

i can imagine tasmania would require different gear! the terrain and climate down there are so much more different, at the moment i plan on going on the great north walk of new south wales, this has a definite track for the majority of the journey unless u go off the beaten path

[Turfa]

A lot depends on where you plan to hike as well. Tasmania requires a different type of gear to most areas of the mainland.

Yes, because if you hike on the mainland then you can use one set of gear for everything......from tropical North QLD, to desert areas of SA, to the apline areas of NSW & VIC

But seriously, the Great North Walk is an excellent choice if this is you first long hike, as if you start off at the Sydney end, you are never far from 'civilisation' for the first 100km. So if you have any problems or any of your gear is not working, you have lots of options. There are many places you can find suggested gear lists, and if you search for 'lightweight' hiking you will find information on how to keep your pack weight down. A light pack can make a big difference to your enjoyment of your walk. Post your gear list on the forum & you will get plenty of comments & suggestions !

Good luck with your hike !

[dandan91]

A lot depends on where you plan to hike as well. Tasmania requires a different type of gear to most areas of the mainland.

Yes, because if you hike on the mainland then you can use one set of gear for everything......from tropical North QLD, to desert areas of SA, to the apline areas of NSW & VIC

But seriously, the Great North Walk is an excellent choice if this is you first long hike, as if you start off at the Sydney end, you are never far from 'civilisation' for the first 100km. So if you have any problems or any of your gear is not working, you have lots of options. There are many places you can find suggested gear lists, and if you search for 'lightweight' hiking you will find information on how to keep your pack weight down. A light pack can make a big difference to your enjoyment of your walk. Post your gear list on the forum & you will get plenty of comments & suggestions !

Good luck with your hike !

thank you! and thats why i have chosen it its so close to the cost so if anything goes wrong u can get to safety relatively quickly. apart from the great north walk do u know any other longer hikes around? thank you for the suggestion of searching light weight hiking!!!

[matthewgoodyear]

Does anyone know if there is any fishing opportunities along this walk?
thanks

[lifesydney]

A lot depends on where you plan to hike as well. Tasmania requires a different type of gear to most areas of the mainland.

Agree, since these days it is the time for the season change, actually the temperature is changable these days in Sydney from 26 to around 10. As it is getting cold, heavy clothing needed.

[Bluegum Mic]

Gday Matthew. Plenty of good fishing on the walk (especially the Sydney end). All around Berowra waters is fantastic (plenty of Bream and some monster flatheads around. Also good in the creeks you pass between crosslands and Berowra. Hawksbury/Brooklyn has some great fishing and patonga is good as you have the ocean side and then the river behind.

[under10kg]

Plan to take 700 to 800 gms of food a day. This is dehadrated food that does not weigh much.
I use accurate scales and pack each days food in a seperate plastic bag.
Most new walkers carry much too much weight.
If you got the cash for the latest light gear you can get your total pack weight down to 3 Kg for this walk.
With a light pack a lot of long distance walkers use runners rather than heavier boots.

[matthewgoodyear]

Gday Matthew. Plenty of good fishing on the walk (especially the Sydney end). All around Berowra waters is fantastic (plenty of Bream and some monster flatheads around. Also good in the creeks you pass between crosslands and Berowra. Hawksbury/Brooklyn has some great fishing and patonga is good as you have the ocean side and then the river behind.

Thanks for that. Ive purchsed a telescopic rod and reel that feels like it weighs less than my phone! So i might be able to catch some fish for my tucker...but seeing as i havent caught too many in my 7 years on the coast..im not too hopeful

[matthewgoodyear]

Plan to take 700 to 800 gms of food a day. This is dehadrated food that does not weigh much.
I use accurate scales and pack each days food in a seperate plastic bag.
Most new walkers carry much too much weight.
If you got the cash for the latest light gear you can get your total pack weight down to 3 Kg for this walk.
With a light pack a lot of long distance walkers use runners rather than heavier boots.

Sorry, but how do you do this?!

the swag im looking at is about a kilo..the matress..about the same..clothing weighs a bit.
You dont mean 3kg for the who 250km walk do you?


Also
anyone ever used one of these? http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/220981247371 ... 1423.l2649

Would use it to power my iphone and maybe take along a tablet that weighs 500g for when it hits 6 oclock and there is bugger all to do.

[under10kg]

3kg is doable if you want to spend some cash on the lastest light gear.
I would only do this is you love walking or have a good bank balance!
The pack and tarp tent is ordered from the USA.

Down Sleeping bag 500g
Neo air matress 450g
Frame less Pack 450g
Tarp tent 850g (Can go to 450 gms with a tarp or expensive cuben tent)

Thats 2.2 kg for the basic gear and the rest brings it up to 3 kgs or so.
Pm me if you want some links and I can send you a total gear list that I plan to use on the 14 day larapinta trail.

backpackinglight.com is an excellent resource for going light.
Take note that most light gear is not for scrub etc

[anotherwalker]

If you wanted to practise overnight lengthed walking you could try the "Six Foot Track", u can get there by train to Katoomba and either walk to the start or catch a taxi (under $10 last January).

From the explorers tree you can walk all the way to Jenolan Caves 43 kms 2 1/2 days.

Or you can do less and walk back out to Katoomba again. Or do the whole thing and return 86 kms with 5-6 days.

There are 4 campsites along the way
Old Ford Reserve, Pit toilets creek water
Cox's River Pit Toilets, Rain Tank, Creek Water.
Alum Creek Reserve NO Toilets and creek water
BlackRange Campground, Pit toilets , Rain Tank.

That way you could try out your gear, food, clothes etc for as long as you want and get some idea of what works and what doesn't before taking on a 14 day challenge

The track is very easy to keep on with no real navigation required (after all the majority is 6 foot wide) Probably a great track for people who want learn to do overnights or longer.

You have mobile reception for at least 1/2 the walk.

Hope this helps.
AnotherWalker

[matthewgoodyear]

all great info here!

what mobile reception like on the gnw?

[anotherwalker]

Matt,

I've only done from Sydney to Mt Wondabyne.

Which is about 1/3 of the entire track.

I generally found mobile reception to be about 7 or 8 of 10. (And I'm on Virgin/Optus network, I'm sure Telstra would be heaps better).

After all you are never really far from civilisation except for the odd valley or 2.

How is the Mobile Reception for the rest of the track from Mt Wondabyne to Newcastle ?

Thanks
AnotherWalker

[forest]

Most of the ridges on th GNW will have phone service. After all, it's not that remote.
A lot of the valleys north of Somersby, right through to Freemans Waterhole will have no phone service
Yarramalong didn't have any until I climbed the ridge back into the Watagans/Onley SF, but there is a pay phone near the store.

Don't forget the Watagan's can get a little chilly over winter. Generally 3-7°C colder than the surrounding locations you can look up a weather forcast for.
That's just been my experience as I'm local and up there all the time.

If you got the cash for the latest light gear you can get your total pack weight down to 3 Kg for this walk.

I think that's laying a little false hope. I'm a bit of a UL'er and cannot get 3kg's (Jealous)
Don't forget clothes (yes, everyone has some spare, extra warm gear etc), Cook gear, first aid etc.
But I guess money will get a lot of really light gear now. Just make sure it's functional and you know how to use it.
Most would not be comfortable with only 3kg's, including me. Add a kg, maybe 1.5kgs to that and yeh, It could be a lot more enjoyable but still a bank balance killer.

I agree this is a great walk and recommend doing it, experienced or not. Plenty of start finish options. Just chip away at it a few days at a time. Or smash it all out in one go.

[matthewgoodyear]

I'm inexperienced, but im spending hours..wayyy to many hours, per day reading everything and talking to as many people as i can about this. I have 9 weeks to go before i leave. June 25th. I live at San Remo and love walking around the local national parks. Sure i get tired, im a big unit after all. Im doing it to prove to myself that i CAN do something like this and to all the people who think us larger blokes are lazy..well, i will show them. SOme might say im doing it for the wrong reasons, but to me i dont see it as wrong. Im not going to be stupid about it either. I've organised a spot tracker to let my missus and friends know where i am at all times. If i feel at anytime im not gonna make it then i will climb the nearest tree with my mobile and tell the boss lady to come get me. I aim to not fal and thats why im over researching. I might get out there and find out that i hate this thing and never go back, but im gonna have a good crack and im not going in blind

[under10kg]

I suggest to do a 2 or 3 day walk before hand if you do not do a lot of multi day walking. It is amazing what you learn about gear when walking and what to take and what to leave behind!!!

[Bluegum Mic]

Ill second that. They can be fairly long days (well depending on how you choose to walk it). I know when I did it we covered 20-30km a day. So it will be a good idea to get a feel for what your walking (and make sure you've got your full 14 days gear in your pack to get used to it). Perhaps take the train to wondabyne and do a few days from there. You'll get a good feel for the track and how much ascent/descent etc. Also if you've got new boots give them a good break in before loading yourself up
The Sydney end of the walk is very easy to follow as sections of the GNW are almost a highway with the volume of people on the track (especially training for oxfam). The walk as a whole is pretty clear, well sign posted and generally easy to follow. I know when we walked it last some large trees had fallen in the less walked sections creating some good time wasting but otherwise its good walking. As said in previous posts you may not always have phone reception but you do often pop back out into suburbia every once and a while. I know we were able to get an injured walker out near yarramalong so phone reception is often found heading high etc. Your spot will also be good for keeping in touch. You can also set your spare button to a message to come pick you up and it will give your coordinates on a Google map for her to know where you are.

And enjoy your fishing. I've certainly walked sections of the walk with my 3 piece rod in my pack.

[matthewgoodyear]

got told at work to not to bother going fishing on the first time, just concentrate on getting through this thing alive and then do the other stuff next time.
I dont know if a few people at my work are over dramatizing...i dont think anyone ever died doing this...but i am preparing the best i can.
funny you should mention the wondabyne thing..i planned on doing exactly that in two weeks for a weekend. will try a couple other sections before i do the entire thing, I want to test out wether a swag is going to be good enough or wether i should just get a tent. Set up my swag today and it felt a bit like a coffin..but i could get used to it.

Had some guy bragging to me at work last night saying he did it a few months ago and it took him 14 days and there was no way i could do it on my own in less time than that. now this guy is one of these super fit people who thinks they are top sh*t.
Ive seen reports from old people who have done it quicker..but im not in a race, im out to prove the people who discrimate against me wrong. They think because im a bigger bloke i cant do anything...sod them.

[Strick]

I hiked the GNW in 2005, a while ago, I know, so I'm hardly a font of up to date knowledge on the subject.

At that time I had the impression the trail was a Bicentennial project that had been allowed to fall into disrepair. Some of it was really well maintained and some of it was virtually a bushwack. However, navigation was rarely a problem and it was pretty well marked. I didn't sense that many people did the whole thing in one go, I think I only met one other group that were doing a very long section.

I recall thinking that it was a shame more people weren't out for the long haul as it passes through some beautiful country and it's amazing how wild it gets so quickly from Sydney.

[Sparx]

You should tell the super fit guy at work that 2 girls did the whole thing in 55hrs!!

[forest]

I don't think there is any bragging rights to completing this walk in 14 days. That sounds like a normal walk time to me. Sounds like old mate is a bit of a

Get out there and enjoy it for what it is. Don't matter weather you do it quicker than him anyway.
You will enjoy it regardless.

Just tell him you did it in 13 days when you get home.... regardless of the time it does take

You never know. It's been known for a walker hits his stride mid walk. You might just smash this over quicker than you think.

[matthewgoodyear]

I'm just used to people thinking i cant do something because im a big boy.
Bah.
I know most of my work people wouldnt even contemplate trying.

[Lindsay]

Good luck Matt. Keep us posted on how you are going.

[anotherwalker]

There has been some bad things happening on the track in the last few months.

One person was stabbed to death up near Wondabyne.
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/camper-dies-o ... 1q2pk.html

And then yesterday a girl was almost kidnapped at knife point at Thornleigh.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/t ... 6340809216

Its a bit scary for people like me who enjoy walking solo on such a lovely track.

[Bluegum Mic]

Whilst scary the poor bloke at near wondabyne may have killed himself ie knife in the pocket and slipped etc. I hope there's no crazies out there on the track.

[colinm]

anyone who carries an open or unsheathed knife in their pocket is crazy.