Feel your senses come alive as you follow scenic bushwalking trails all across southern New South Wales. Exult in a sense of freedom as you take craggy coastal tracks to endless ocean vistas, steep in Aboriginal history as you scale a sacred mountain or breathe in pristine air on a thrilling alpine day walk.
Go with the flow
Embrace the calming effect of burbling streams and waterfalls when you immerse in the Minnamurra Rainforest at Budderoo National Park, a 15-minute drive from Kiama on the NSW South Coast, or less than two hours’ drive from Sydney. Treat the family to a memorable walk on the Rainforest Loop Walk, crossing bridges over sparkling streams and weaving through rainforest filled with giant ferns and birdsong. Start the walk at the Minnamurra Rainforest Centre in the village of Jamberoo and follow 1.6km of paved trails linked by suspension bridges. Tackle the more challenging 4.2km The Falls Walk and you’ll be rewarded with great views over the rainforest canopy and of upper and lower Minnamurra Falls.
Plunge into an adventure
Greet the rising sun as you make an early start to the 2.5-hour drive southwest from Sydney to the adventure capital of the NSW Southern Tablelands, Bungonia National Park. Thrill to sight of the plunging cliff faces of Bungonia Gorge, and get the adrenaline pumping by abseiling, rock climbing, abseiling, canyoning or caving in this rugged national park, which was first declared a nature reserve in 1872. Or slow down and take in the scenery on a bushwalk such as the 6.7km Green Track, giving yourself 2.5 to 3.5 hours to complete the loop. Soak up the magic of this special place for longer on a guided and catered adventure trek with 100% Adventure.
Earn a never-ending view
Lace up your heavy-duty hiking boots and stride into the vast wilderness of Morton National Park, almost 200,000 hectares of bushland filled with waterfalls, rivers, rainforests and sweeping escarpments ranging from the Southern Highlands to the Shoalhaven region of the NSW South Coast. Experienced walkers can marvel at this majestic wilderness on the Pigeon House Mountain Didthul Track, which begins in the park’s south, an hour’s drive west of the coastal town of Ulladulla or 3.5 hours south of Sydney. Challenge yourself on the relatively short but steep trail as you weave through stately Pigeon House ash, heathland and lush forest, gaining 455m in elevation via slopes, steps and a series of ladders, and enjoying views across the Budawang Ranges to the coast.
Share the beach with kangaroos
Bliss out as you hike the idyllic Murramarang South Coast Walk, a new 35km multi-day trail connecting beachside villages to Murramarang National Park, a four-hour drive south of Sydney. Take your time exploring one of the most picturesque sections of the NSW South Coast, meeting the eastern grey kangaroos who hang out on the national park’s sandy beaches, such as Pebbly Beach, Depot Beach and Pretty Beach, as you follow tracks past ancient rock formations. Ease your tired legs in the comfort of a cabin at a campground within the national park or treat yourself to more opulent accommodation in nearby towns like the village of South Durras, which is nestled in the heart of the park. Or leave the logistics to someone else and simply enjoy the views when you join RegionX’s three-day Murramarang Great Coastal Walk.
Scale a sacred volcano
Gaze up at Gulaga (Mt Dromedary), a lushly forested extinct volcano soaring above the heritage village of Central Tilba, about a five-hour drive south of Sydney on the South Coast. Brace yourself for the challenging 14km self-guided hike to the summit of the mountain, a significant site for the local Yuin Aboriginal people, who regard it as a sacred place. Feel like you’ve truly understood Gulaga’s ancient heart on an Aboriginal-guided walk with Ngaran Ngaran Culture Awareness — a full-day hike on Gulaga is included in the Yuin Retreat on-Country experience.
See the light on a coastal walk
Take in views that’ll make your jaw drop and meet all sorts of local wildlife on the challenging multi-day Light to Light Walk near Eden, a six-hour drive south of Sydney on the Sapphire Coast. Weave through Beowa National Park from Boyds Tower to Green Cape Lighthouse, hugging the coastline where some 25,000 humpback whales pass by as they migrate between April and November every year. Wake up in your beachside tent as you tackle the 30km walk over three days, swimming at remote beaches and fishing for your supper, or join a fully supported hike with the Sapphire Coast Guiding Co.
Experience a mountain high
Embrace a new side to summer when you hike through the pristine bushland around Mt Kosciuszko, around a 5.5-hour drive southwest of Sydney. You’ll be surprised how accessible the terrain around Australia’s highest peak is even for intermediate hikers. Aim for the sky as you take the chairlift to the trailhead of the Mount Kosciuszko Summit Walk, near the village of Thredbo. Feel your legs burn as you keep an eye out for wombats, echidnas and wedge-tailed eagles along the 13km walk, which takes about five hours. Tackle an epic day walk by ascending to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko on the 22km Main Range Track, beginning and ending in the ski resort village of Charlotte Pass. Or explore the expanding Snowies Alpine Walk trail network with the recently opened Guthega to Charlotte Pass walk, which traverses Australia’s highest suspension bridge.
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