Bushwalking Australia

Bushwalking is an Australian activity. You may know it by a different name such as hiking, tramping, hill walking, rambling or trekking.

Bushwalking covers a wide spectrum of walking experiences in natural or green areas.

A bushwalk might be a walk along a trail through urban parks or forest near where you live, sometimes called a Green Walk or it could be a full day walk in a national park or reserve.

It could also be a trip to an iconic natural area of Australia such as...

  • Wilsons Promontory
  • Kakadu National Park
  • The Blue Mountains
  • Queensland Rain Forests
  • South West of Western Australia

You can base yourself in a camping area or other accommodation and walk each day to explore the wonders of the bush.

At the far end of the spectrum a bushwalk can be a multi-day expedition where you are self-sufficient carrying a tent and your food.

No matter which option you choose it is all bushwalking and because Australia has such a great network of natural areas and a wide variety of land forms there are many opportunities to get into bushwalking whether it be on designated trails or in remote wilderness areas.

No matter what your ability you can bushwalk in most parts of Australia and experience a wonderful connection with nature in our unique “bush”.

Bushwalking Australia is the National body representing the interests of bushwalkers and other recreational walkers.

Some of the things Bushwalking Australia does include the following:

  • Provision of a portal for access to details of State bushwalking bodies and bushwalking clubs across Australia.
  • Promoting bushwalking and its numerous benefits at a national level.
  • Representing the interests of bushwalkers at national forums.
  • The development of policies in matters such as access to and management of public land, the importance of active recreation and the need to preserve natural areas.
  • Facilitation of information and experience sharing between States.
  • Dealing with issues that extend across State borders, eg. Federal Government policy on active recreation.
  • Provision of services to Members.
Australia Map

Bushwalking Australia is governed and managed by a Council comprising delegates from each State bushwalking peak body.

» Click here for more information on our governance.

Bushwalking Australia is a signatory to the International Charter for Walking that acknowledges the universal rights of people to be able to walk safely and to enjoy high quality public spaces anywhere and at anytime.

Bushwalking Australia has endorsed the Healthy Parks Healthy People philosophy to protect the earth’s two most important assets – nature and people. Read the HPHP Communiqué.