What’s in a Name? Bushwalking and Hiking in Australia

I get asked fairly regularly why Trail Hiking Australia uses the words “hiking” and “trails” rather than “bushwalking” and “tracks.” Some people ask out of genuine curiosity. Others ask because they feel strongly that the traditional Australian terms should be used, and that “hiking” and “trails” are Americanisms that don’t belong here.

It’s a fair question and deserves a straight answer.

Why the Name?

When I built this site, my goal was to make Australia’s outdoor spaces accessible to as many people as possible. “Bushwalking” is a term that carries deep meaning for Australians who grew up with it, and I have enormous respect for that. But it isn’t universally understood. Someone arriving from overseas, a new migrant discovering the Australian bush for the first time, or a younger person who’s never encountered a bushwalking club will more likely search for “hiking trails near me” than “bushwalking tracks near me.” That’s just the reality of how people look for this kind of information.

“Hiking” and “trails” carry global recognition. Using them isn’t a rejection of Australian outdoor culture. It’s a way of bringing more people into it.

The name “Bushwalking Australia” was also already taken by an established and respected national organisation, which made the choice straightforward.

There’s also a practical dimension. “Bushwalking” works well as a descriptor for walking through bush and forested terrain, but it sits a little awkwardly when you’re talking about a beach walk, a desert traverse like the Larapinta Trail, or an alpine route in the Victorian High Country. “Hiking” covers that broader range more naturally. Trail runners, who use many of the same routes as walkers, also connect more readily with “trails” than with “bushwalking.” Inclusive language serves the whole community.

None of this means the two are in competition. I use both sets of terms interchangeably and will continue to do so.

The History Behind the Word

Bushwalking in Australia has roots that go back long before European settlement. Aboriginal communities walked the land across tens of thousands of years, maintaining deep spiritual and practical connections to country through movement across it. The concept of walkabout reflects a relationship with landscape that European settlers never fully understood and rarely acknowledged.

European exploration in the 19th century added another layer, with settlers and surveyors traversing the continent for discovery, science, and survival. But organised recreational bushwalking as we know it emerged in the late 1800s. The YMCA Ramblers, founded in 1889, are generally recognised as Australia’s first official walking club. By the 1920s and 1930s, clubs in Melbourne and Sydney had established bushwalking as a community-driven activity with its own culture, ethics, and identity.

That tradition is worth protecting. For a detailed account of how it developed, Caro’s breakdown at LotsaFreshAir is excellent reading.

Why Bushwalking Clubs Matter

If there’s one thing that will preserve Australian bushwalking culture over the long term, it’s clubs. Not terminology, not websites, not social media. Clubs.

Bushwalking clubs are where skills get passed on in person. Where a newer walker goes out with someone who’s been navigating the same ranges for thirty years and picks up knowledge that no article can fully convey. Where safety culture is modelled rather than just described. Where the social fabric of the outdoor community actually exists.

Clubs offer structured walks across a range of grades, leaders trained in first aid and navigation, and a genuine community of people who share the same interest in being outside. For newcomers especially, joining a club is the single most effective way to build confidence, develop skills, and find walking partners at the right level. Most clubs also run introductory events specifically for people who’ve never walked with a group before.

Finding and joining a local bushwalking club is covered in more detail here. The national body, Bushwalking Australia, maintains a directory of affiliated clubs across every state and territory.

Some of My Early Bushwalking Adventures

More Than Just Words

Whether you call it bushwalking, hiking, walking, or trekking, the words matter far less than what you do with them. Getting outside, building skill and experience, respecting the environment, and sharing that with other people — that’s what keeps the tradition alive regardless of what you call it.

I use “hiking” because it opens doors. I respect “bushwalking” because of what it represents. I don’t see a contradiction in that, and I hope you don’t either.