Five National and State Park hikes to try out on your next day trip
Fresh air, beautiful views, and good old fashioned exercise. Hiking in one of the country's many state and national parks is the perfect weekend activity to accompany a short drive out of town.All hikers have beards, khaki shorts, eat raisins, carry 45kg backpacks and are very boring to converse with, right? Well no, not if that person is YOU (probably). Grab some good shoes, a hat, water and some friends and if you head to one of Australia's excellent state or national parks, these five relatively easy walks are for almost anyone.
Werribee Gorge Circuit Walk, Pentland Hills, Victoria
Not to be confused with the town of Werribee, this gorge is further afield (about an hour’s drive west of Melbourne) in densely wooded and hilly countryside. The 10km circuit walk takes about four hours, mainly because what goes down into the gorge must come up again! The rewards are stunning vistas, and the banks of the Werribee River cutting into bare rock are serene even if you have to scramble at times.
Crater Lake Circuit, Cradle Mountain, Tasmania
If you’re driving the west coast of Tasmania you’ll want to stop at Cradle Mountain National Park. And the best way for beginners to appreciate this ancient landscape is to complete the Crater Lake Circuit. It’s a 5.7km two-hour loop that takes in boardwalks, a climb to the lake itself (formed by glaciers and not a volcanic crater at all), through rainforest and past the Crater Falls cascade. The weather can turn cold, so pack a coat and don’t wander off the well-marked trail.
Castle Rock and Granite Skywalk, Porongurup, Western Australia
The Granite Skywalk is a steel platform (or platforms) bolted to Castle Rock, a pinnacle in the Porongurup National Park, just north of Albany in WA’s southwest. The engineering is spectacular and the views are amazing from these rounded boulders but to get there, you’ll have to walk. Fortunately, the trek from the Castle Rock picnic area is only about two kilometres through forests including the mighty jarrah. Be prepared for the hill, plus a scramble up a six-metre ladder to the skywalk.
Royal National Park, NSW
It’s amazing that the Royal National Park’s beautiful wilderness is only just south of Sydney. With rugged cliffs on the Pacific shoreline and cool forests within, it’s a great place for moderately strenuous walks. One of the best is Wattamolla Beach to Eagle Rock, a return trail where you’ll see the spectacular Curracurrong Falls spill into the ocean and the Rock itself juts out above nothingness next door. It’s about nine kilometres and 2-3 hours and, if you have time, take in the Figure of 8 Pools, another 6.4km walk to a beachside shelf with its symmetrical eight-shaped rock pools.
Tanglewood Walk, Noosa National Park, Queensland
Noosa Heads might be about beaches, boats and cocktails but the nearby national park offers respite and pleasant walks away from the crowd. The coastal path is a treat in itself with secluded bays, rocky outcrops and speccy views. Follow it out to Hell’s Gates and you then head inland on the Tanglewood walk past banksias, scribbly gums and towering rainforests back to where you started. Or keep going to Sunshine Beach and stop at the excellent surf lifesaving club for a coldie and prawns before Ubering it back to Noosa.
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