Hiking Articles, Guides and Insights for Australian Hikers

A creek on the map isn’t a guarantee of water. Why water planning fails less on bad maths and more on treating uncertain sources as reliable.

What to check at the trailhead, how to brief a group before setting off, and why the first twenty minutes of a hike matter more than people think.

Field test review of the Teva Women’s Hurricane XLT3 sandal, covering fit, grip and durability across a month of travel and day hiking in Italy.

Cold water shock explained: the gasp reflex that can drown hikers in seconds, why swimming ability doesn’t help, and what actually works in the first minute

What actually happens when you call 000 while hiking: automatic location sharing, any-network fallback, and where both quietly break down.

Explore the history of WA’s Bibbulmun Track, from Geoff Schafer’s 1972 idea and the 1979 opening to the ambitious rebuild completed in 1998.

What actually needs doing after a hike: closing the loop with your contact, gear care, reporting track issues, and sharing trip data responsibly.

Redundancy and overpacking look similar but work differently. This piece explains how extra gear can strengthen or quietly undermine trail safety.

The real history of Tasmania’s Overland Track, from Aboriginal land management through mining, hunting and guiding to today’s booked six-day walk.

What makes a good hiking dinner: homemade dehydrated meals, freeze-dried options, and building dependable, appealing dinners for the trail.

Federation Peak’s history: failed expeditions, an airborne food drop, the 1949 first ascent, and what recent coronial findings reveal about its risks today.

Repeated hikes on familiar trails can quietly reset how risk feels, even though the terrain and hazards themselves never actually change.

First aid for Australian marine hazards: blue-ringed octopus, cone shells, stingrays, stonefish, box jellyfish, Irukandji and bluebottle stings.

A state-by-state guide to Junior Ranger and nature programs for kids across Australia, with real costs, ages, and what to check before you book.

A practical look at hiking gear choices after 60, covering what genuinely helps with comfort, stability and safety, and what gear cannot fix.

Why the repetitive, feature-poor Australian bush makes it easy to drift off track without noticing, and how that drift turns into genuine disorientation.

Field test review of the Snowgum Merino 180 Merano Tee, worn for eight days on Italy’s Alta Via 2: fit, warmth, drying, odour and durability.

Why some risky decisions on trail aren’t drift or fatigue but deliberate choices, driven by anticipated social approval rather than risk itself.

A planning guide to Italy’s Alta Via 2: distance, rifugi bookings, best season, via ferrata gear, and safety tips for this demanding Dolomites trek.

Field-tested review of The North Face Ridgelite FUTUREFLEECE Wind Jacket: warmth, wind resistance, packability and where it falls short for Australian hikers.

Field-tested review of The North Face Valley View Jacket: rain and hail protection, breathability, pocket design and durability for Australian hikers.

Looks at how small, individually reasonable additions to pack weight accumulate and quietly reshape fatigue, awareness and decisions on the trail.

Explains why terrain, not weather alone, determines whether hikers keep options open or become trapped as conditions deteriorate.

Explains why an emergency beacon is a last-resort safeguard, not a substitute for navigation, water management and sound decision-making.