Australian Hiker

In this podcast episode I discuss my pre trip expectations for the East Gippsland Rail Trail versus the reality of the trip itself. In many cases the trip panned out as expected but with any outdoor adventure there are always things that ended up going differently than expected. www.australianhiker.com.au

In this podcast episode I bring you a series of on trail recordings from my four day trip on the East Gippsland Rail Trail. These recordings will provide you with an overview of my trip, how I was feeling and the things that I was seeing in real time as I progressed which will hopefully provide some insight into this very different hiking adventure. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

In mid 2022 when I found my chosen hiking trail for my mid year trip ended up being closed for longer than was planned I needed to pivot and find a new adventure. I was looking for a roughly 4-5 day, 100k trip and also one that I could get to without it being a travel nightmare. Rail Trails have always been on my bucket list but after spending a bit of time searching for a replacement trip I came up with the East Gippsland Rail Trail in eastern Victoria to suit my needs. In this podcast episode, the first of three for this trail, we look at my expectations for this trip and discuss logistical issues prior to starting. Episode 221 will then bring you interviews from the trail and finally episode 222 with provide a final wrap up to see how my pre trip expectations and the actually reality of this trip matched up. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pint

I recently had to reschedule a multi-day hike for logistical reasons and after spending some time looking for a replacement trail, I decided to do one of Australia’s many Rails Trail. In this episode we catch up with Damian McCrohan from Rail Trails Australia to find out what you have been missing if you don’t consider these as part of your hiking adventures. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Socks are one of the smallest items of hiking clothing but just as important as the bigger more obvious pieces of equipment. Many people will use any pair of old socks they have in their sock drawer when they head out bush. If you put some thought into the decision about the socks you'll wear, will ensure a more comfortable and less problematic hike. In this episode we talk everything socks to help you choose the ones that will suit your individual needs. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

In every hobby or activity we do there is always an ‘unofficial uniform’ and with hiking it’s the down jacket. But did you know that sometimes the ‘down’ jackets we see, while looking very similar, are made with other materials, sometimes natural alternatives like wool and sometimes synthetic materials; which is why these jackets are often known generically as ‘puffy/puffer jackets’. In this podcast episode we look at the pros and cons of the different insulation options on offer when choosing a jacket for warmth and hopefully provide a bit more clarity in helping you choose a jacket. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

It's Easter 2022 and I was supposed to be finishing off the remaining section of the Hume and Hovell Track but things didn't go to plan. I discovered too late that a large number of Australians were travelling after three interrupted years due to bushfires and COVID and as such many of the campsites that I needed to use were booked out so a change of plan was required. Typically I like to do hikes that are a bit more secluded or at least not so crowded so I opted to swap my planned hike with a long distance urban hike that I had originally intended on doing in May. This hike falls into two categories. Firstly, this is an urban hike taking in my hometown city of Canberra. Secondly this hike is very much a Choose your Own Adventure rather than a formal trail. While I have been thinking about this walk for around 12 years for a number of reasons, I’ve never got around to it. After a prompt by another Canberra based hiker who undertook a similar journey and the desire to do something just that little bit differ

I first came across Nordic walking around 7 years ago and thought ‘what the hell is that’? This was also the same reaction I had when I first came across trekking poles over 15 years ago. Being an avid hiker, I saw the similarities, but also the differences between the two types of pole useage. When one of our followers suggested we look further into Nordic walking so I decided it was time to touch base with the Canberra Nordic walking community to find out more. In today’s episode we talk with with Kristen Pratt, the owner and lead instructor of Capital Nordic Walking to find out what’s involved. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Located on the far southern coast of NSW the 27 km Wharf to Wharf Walk which officially opened in mid 2021 is one that is still relatively unknown and undiscovered by many. Over the weekend just gone we chose to do this amazing walk in a single day but for most people a 2-3 day version is the norm. In this episode you can hear our on trail recordings of how our day went and at the end of the podcast we discuss logistical issues surrounding transport and accomodation and make recommendations on options that will suit all levels of hikers. We recommend that as you listen to this podcast you follow along with the written version of this walk that contains plenty of images of what we are seeing. The written version of this walk can be found here. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

For many people transitioning to overnight hiking or camping brings a lot of new considerations. Where do you go to the toilet? What do you eat? What additional gear do you need? While we will usually think about the big items like packs, tents and sleeping bags (the Big 3), the ancillary items like pillows often tend to be an afterthought. For many hikers, pillows tend to be considered a luxury but the ability to get a good night sleep depends on a number of factors and comfort is a big one. These days there are many pillow options available to us – which one you use is really going to depend on your desired level of comfort. In this podcast episode we take a beginners look at pillow options for hiking and camping. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

If you want an expert opinion on hammock camping then this episode isn't it! We've been playing with hammock gear for a couple of months and while we used them during the daytime for one reason or another we just couldn't get out and spend a night hanging from a tree. There are plenty of converts out there who have lots of experience in hammock camping but this episode has been deliberately recorded as a 'first timers' experience of what its like to spend a night in a hammock and for many people who try hammocks without a more experienced partner to show them the ropes this is how its done, the good and the bad. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

As hikers grow in their knowledge and ability they will often transition to overnight trips and the default setting for nearly all of us is tent camping.  Tents just seem to be the easy option and for many of us it harks back to family trips or play as children; it's just something that we understand and seems easy.  While tents are the most common camping option for hikers another alternative that is slowly gaining ground is hammock camping. Hammocks provide a degree of versatility over and above tents and while they won't suit all circumstances it may be a viable option for your outdoor adventures. In this podcast episode we look at what's involved in hammock camping including the pros and cons, the gear basics, and basic hammock practice to help you decide if this is an option for you.   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

When overnight hiking you have lots of additional things to consider; where to camp, when to camp, where to go to the toilet and what to eat are just some of them. Once you start doing multi-day and multi-week hikes these considerations multiply (no pun intended). Food is a big consideration in this planning process particularly because it often requires planning ahead weeks in advance and really thinking about what you may want to eat. In this article we discuss food requirements for multi-day and multi-week hikes that can also easily be used for shorter hikes. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

In this episode we bring you a series of recordings from a recent overnight trip on the Canberra Centenary Trail. While i've done plenty of one day trips this was my first overnight backpacking trip and one with some sharp learning curves that will make me rethink the way I not just ride in the future but also hike. At the end of this episode we discuss what I learnt on this trip and what I'd do differently next time I head out on two wheels. to get the best from this episode go to the Australian Hiker website and look at the show notes for episode 209 to see some on trail images www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube  

Bikepacking can best be considered as an allied form of backpacking and instead of walking your chosen route on foot you undertake your journey with the aid of a bike, travelling at a different speed, seeing the landscape in a different way. In this episode we provide an introduction to bikepacking and the opportunities it affords. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

This is the third and final podcast episode in the series of 3 on the Tasmanian Three Capes Track. In this episode we compare our pre trip expectations to the reality of the journey and based on our experiences make recommendations as to how to get the best from this trip. To get the best from this episode we recommend that you follow along with the written review if this trail that includes images and resources to help you out at Three Cape Trail Write Up

This is the second episode in the series of 3 on the Tasmanian Three Capes Track. This episode consists of a series of on-trail recordings from Gill and I as we progress along the trail as well as interviews with other hikers who share their views. In our third episode next week we compare our pre-trip expectations to the on-trail reality and based on our on-trail experiences, make recommendations on how to get the best from this trip.

This is the first in a planned series of 3 podcasts to be released over the next 3 weeks. In today’s episode we set the scene for our upcoming trip and provide some background on what we expect from this trip. We hope you enjoy. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Like most guidebooks Day Trip Sydney 52 Nature Adventures provides you with the basics you need to do these walking adventures but where it stands out is by not assuming the participants are keen hikers. In addition, the images used to highlight each adventure can best be described as hero shots that just invite you to visit. In today’s episode, episode 204, we catch up Andrew Grune and Evi O authors of the Book Day Trip Sydney 52 Nature Adventures to find out more about this book. www.australianhiker.com.au   Australian Hiker can also be found on our various social media platforms Australian Hiker Facebook Australian Hiker Instagram Australian Hiker Twitter Australian Hiker Pintrest Australian Hiker Youtube

Joe Bonington is the creator of Joe's Basecamp gym, Sydney’s Premier adventure training facility and over the past few years he has transitioned his training delivery into an online model and now has clients across Australia and New Zealand, Asia, and even back in his place of origin the UK. Joe developed his program to provide the inspiration, training, and support to help his clients achieve their bucket list goals, outdoor adventure and wilderness sports and activities. Joe doesn’t just talk training he is highly experienced in the fields that they train for with his main goal is to get people ‘out there and getting amongst it; to live large and tear chunks out of life’.  We first caught up with Joe Bonington in episode 32 in July of 2017 to talk about what you need to do to prepare for your hikes and other outdoor adventures from a fitness perspective. Today we catch back up to talk about getting back on trail after the long periods of inactivity that many of us have been forced into. www.australianhiker.