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| The YHA Bushwalking Club runs trips most weekends of the year.
We have walks to suit almost anyone from social strolls and day
walks to overnight weekend trips, base-camps, pack-carrys and more
challenging expeditions. If your unsure of what would best suit
your ability read on for more specific information on what to expect.
We recommend starting with something your comfortable with before
you move on to more challenging walks. After you know what kind
of walk your interested in check the
Walks Programme which has a month by month calendar of organised
events and walks. Transport is by private car with leaders arranging
car-pooling for those who need a lift or are willing to share a
ride. Fuel costs are shared in accordance with the club's petrol
policy. |
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Day Walks
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Sunday Walks:
- Sunday walks are our most popular type of activity, there
is no need to book or contact the leader beforehand just turn
up on the day.
- The Sunday walks are held in various bush locations within
a couple of hours drive from the city.
- Unless otherwise stated, we meet in the city at 8:45 to depart
at 9:00am returning to the city in the late afternoon usually
around 6-7pm.
- Starting from 4th June 2006, the meeting place is at the plaza in front of Flagstaff Station, at the corner of La Trobe and William Streets in the city. Click here to view the map.
- The Sunday walks are graded as easy to medium walking level.
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Saturday Walks:
- Saturday walks are never the same, as each team leader will
arrange the day to suit each particular walk.
- These walks tend to be further from Melbourne and thus leave
earlier and return later then the regular Sunday walks they
are also often set at a harder walking level.
- Sometimes they are specialised (ex. navigation practise).
- The day will often involve a meal in a country hotel or restaurant
on the way home.
- For all Saturday walks you must contact the leader at least
three days before the walk to be able to participate as the
leader will nominate a time, meeting point and arrange car pooling
in advance.
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Social Walks:
- Designed to be relaxed Social Walks are an event that can
be enjoyed by all.
- There is no need to book or contact a leader beforehand just
turn up at the meeting place.
- Short and generally easy walks through parkland and other
public places, generally within the Melbourne metropolitan area.
- Social walks usually run after work hours –Twilight
walks.
- May be followed by a BBQ or visit to a nearby pub.
- Please note as well as Social Walks we also have social events
check our
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Weekend Walks
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| Weekend walks can visit areas anywhere between 1 to 4 hours (100-350
km) drive from Melbourne. Leaving on the Friday evening they return
Sunday evening, except for some of the closer trips that leave early
Saturday morning; these are called "short weekends". For
weekend walks you must book either at Clubnight or by contacting
the trip leader by the Monday evening prior to the trip. The leader
will usually contact drivers involved in car-pooling by Wednesday
evening and those needing to be picked up can often be collected
from their door (although they may be asked to make their way to
a convenient pick up point). |
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Accommodated/Hostel trips:
- Accommodated weekend trips mean you have a roof over your
head and don't need to provide any camping equipment, just the
normal gear for a day walk.
- Accommodation is normally in cabins or YHA hostels.
- These trips are self-catered with the possibility of eating
out in the evening if good local facilities are available.
- These types of walks are usually rated between "easy"
and "medium" walking levels.
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Base-Camps:
- Base-camps are camping trips offered with the convenience
of being able to put your camping gear, food and clothes in
following vehicles.
- You are required to bring (or arrange to share) tents as
well as supplying your own sleeping mats and sleeping bags,as
most camps are a short distance from the vehicles lightweight
packing isn't an issue, although occasionally on some trips
the campsite may be situated a couple of kilometres from the
car park.
- The locations range from commercial campgrounds with plenty
of facilities, to designated vehicle-camping areas in national
parks where amenities are more basic.
- Base-camp walks are rated anywhere between an "easy"
to a "hard" walking level.
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Pack-Carry:
- These walks require you to bring your own pack and carry
all your food, clothing and camping equipment for all or most
of the walk.
- Pack-Carry trips are fully self-catered although stove (and
tent) sharing can often be arranged.
- These walks are rated between between a "medium"
to "hard" walking level.
- Occasionally there are introductory pack-carry walks in which
the walk to the campsite is no more than 2-3 hours over easy
terrain. The remainder of the walking can then be done carrying
only a daypack.
- These introductory walks are highly recommended for those
without prior pack-carrying experience.
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Extended Trips:
- Extended trips may be to less accessible areas in Victoria
or prime bushwalking regions interstate.
- Longer walking trips are often carried out over holiday periods,
(Easter, Christmas and New-Year) although regions where the
most appropriate season doesn't coincide with any major holidays
may require a week or two off during winter/spring.
- Extended trips can be pack-carrys, base-camps, a combination
of the two or fully accommodated; check the
walks programme to find out about planned extended trips.
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YHA MEMBER |
NON-MEMBER |
| DAY TRIP |
$5.00
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$7.00
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| WEEKEND |
$8.00
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$10.00
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| EXTENDED |
$10.00
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$12.00
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| YHA membership is $42 a year for members above 26 and $32 for
those below 26 years old.
You can also purchase a Trip Card, highly recommended if you are a
frequent bushwalker. For $35 (members) and $55
(non-members) a year which covers booking
fees for all walks except fundraising ones. |
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| SOCIAL: Short day or evening walk suitable for most
people of basic fitness. Social also refers to a social event such
as a dinner or BBQ. |
| EASY: Easy walking, ample rests, mainly on tracks, with
not too many ups and downs. Suitable for most people in good health.
Walking time 4 to 5 hours, distance typically 10 to 15 km. |
| MEDIUM: Walking of medium difficulty. Ample rests, moderate
ups and downs, on tracks and/or off track in open or forest areas.
Suitable for people who are fitter or more experienced. Walking
time 5 to 6 hours, distance 10 to 20 km. |
| HARD: Hard consistent walking, moderate or longer ups
and downs, on tracks and/or off track in medium scrub or forest
areas. Walking time 6 to 8 hours, distance 10 to 20+ km. |
| VERY HARD: Very hard consistent walking in difficult
terrain, few rests, thick scrub, alpine or desert areas. Walking
time 8 to 12 hours, distance 5 to 35+ km. |
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It isn't difficult to go on an expedition to an outdoor shop
and come away with a few thousand dollars worth of equipment,
however the basic items needed for day walks should in most cases
be already owned or involve minimal expenditure. Even overnight
camping equipment can often be borrowed or shared. Come along
on a few walks first before making any new equipment purchases,
that way you'll know whether or not you are likely to continue
walking regularly to make the additional investment worthwhile,
and you'll get ideas and recommendations from other walkers.
ESSENTIALS (Day and Overnight Pack walks)
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A backpack, along with footwear is the item of equipment
that most affects your walking comfort, hence it is critical to
select one carefully.
Recommended capacity for a day walk is 20-30l, weekend
walks 50-70l, larger packs are only advised if you plan
doing extended trips of more than 4 days or more. You need enough
room to fit all your equipment inside (or the Australian bush
will shred or tear it off), but not too roomy so you are tempted
to load up with unnecessary weight.
Even for an easy day walk, a reasonable day pack is important
- anything that involves being carried by hand or just a single
shoulder strap is unsuitable.
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For weekend walks, a good pack will probably be your first major
purchase. Avoid "Travel-packs", even if you already
have one, as they are not durable or comfortable enough for distance
walking.
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Lightweight walking boots are suitable for
most conditions. Runners are OK on day walks provided the terrain
isn't rocky or slippery; check with the leader if unsure. They are
not advisable on overnight walks. |
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Walking boots, particularly the heavier leather ones, need to
be "broken-in", ie worn for short distances until they
have adapted to your feet and you feel comfortable in them.
To go with the boots, a moderately thick pair of wool-blend or
synthetic socks (avoid cotton). Some people find wearing
a thin pair of socks under a thicker outer layer helps prevent
blisters. A spare pair of socks, even on day walks, is another
aid against blisters caused by the first pair becoming damp through
sweat or wet conditions.
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| Clothing - Shorts or light poly-cotton/nylon
trousers in summer, warm long pants or light trousers + thermals
in winter. Avoid jeans as they get wet easily but dry very slowly.
T-shirts are fine, but many walkers prefer long-sleeved poly-cotton
shirts due to the extra protection they offer from sun, insects
and scratches. A thermal underlayer is essential in winter and
recommended at other times unless it is very hot due to its ability
to carry sweat away from the body.
A fleece-top or woollen jumper
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A rain-jacket made from a completely waterproof
but breathable fabric such as Goretex is preferred; avoid lightweight
spray-jackets as they are ineffective at keeping out wind and serious
rain.
A rain-jacket should be carried at all times when walking in alpine
areas (above 1300m), irrespective of the weather forecast. |
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Hat - Broad-brimmed for sun-protection and (in the winter
months) a beanie or balaclava.
Water - For day walks 1-2 litres (filled before you leave
home) is normally sufficient, however in hot conditions where
there are infrequent water sources you may need to carry more-
the leader should advise if there are any special water requirements.
It is possible to spend close to $100 on hydration systems that
allow you to sip continually from a tube, however for day walks
a simple plastic soft-drink bottle will suffice. More robust containers
are advised for longer trips.
Toilet paper and trowel - Even on day-walks there may
not be facilities anywhere along the route. A small bottle of
anti-bacterial hand-gel is more convenient and environmentally
friendly than soap.
Food - In addition to whatever main meals you need on
the walk, carry plenty of snacks (chocolate, sweets, nuts, dried
fruit).
For day-walks, lunch is whatever you enjoy eating and is practical
to carry and prepare!. See the "Overnight" section for
more about what food to take on longer walks
Sunscreen, lip balm & sunglasses
Personal first-aid kit - The leaders generally carry a
fairly comprehensive kit, but take along a few basics such as
band-aids and blister tape yourself.
A whistle for safety - carry it on you, not in your pack.
Spare clothing - left in the vehicle will often make the
ride home more pleasant.
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ADDITIONAL ESSENTIALS for OVERNIGHT WALKS:
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Tent (& protective groundsheet)
- If you don't already have a tent, start by sharing (ensure you
let the leader know beforehand if you haven't arranged this yourself).
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Tents are one of the few items of equipment which it is recommended
you do purchase from a specialist outdoor store; a good tent may
cost a few hundred dollars, but a cheap one may be unsuitable
by way of being unnecessarily heavy, not very durable or not very
waterproof.
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Down sleeping bags are recommended as they
are warm but compact and lightweight. Synthetic ones are cheaper
but bulkier.
A "three-season" (0 degree rating) bag is suited for walks
in spring/summer/autumn.
"Four-season" bags are needed if snow-camping, but will
probably be too hot for most other times. |
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Foam sleeping mats are inexpensive, the only
disadvantage is that although lightweight, they take up a bit of
room. More expensive and compact options are the self-inflating
"Thermarest" styles. |
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A stove is another item that's very easy to
share. If buying one, the main options are:
- Gas (pictured); lightweight, easy to operate, although can have
problems in very cold conditions. |
- Methylated spirits ("Trangia"-type),
easy to operate, the least hazardous, but relatively heavy and not
as heat-efficient (uses twice the weight of other fuels to boil
a given quantity of water)
- Shellite (MSR), tricky to operate, not recommended to use near
a tent, but fast-heating and lightweight for both stove and fuel.
Oh, and don't forget fuel and waterproof matches.
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Torch - Any small model will do, but the LED head-torches
are the best; low weight and very long battery life.
Pocket-knife
Eating utensils; a mug and spoon is sufficient.
Personal toiletries
FOOD should be:
Light: You have to carry it!
Palatable: You have to enjoy eating it!
Nutritious: It must be good for you and provide energy and a
balanced diet.
Quick and easy to prepare: You may have limited time or utensils;
it may be dark or raining; you may have to prepare food in a tent
or vestibule.
Take food that will keep for the duration of the walk; this
will depend on the temperature. Fresh vegetables are fine for
a weekend trip (if you don't mind the extra weight).
Freeze-dried meals are suitable, but expensive. Nowadays it is
possible to put together lightweight, tasty meals for even week-long
walks from ingredients readily available in supermarkets.
Breakfast: Soaked dried fruit, muesli, cereal, breakfast
bars, or porridge (using powdered milk), plus a hot drink.
Lunch: Wholemeal bread rolls, pumpernickel, ryebread
or cracker biscuits, with cheese, dips, salami or other fillings.
Fruit, vegetables, cake, a drink.
Dinner: A hearty dinner is a must. Packet soup is a good
starter, especially in colder weather. For the main meal try pasta,
rice, noodles or couscous. There are many lightweight 'instant'
dinners available in supermarkets, although these are best with
the addition of extras such as fresh vegetables, tinned-fish,
pre-cooked meat, and a few of your favourite herbs and spices
for taste.
Try a packet dessert, fruit or chocolate for dessert. Include
hot drinks.
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OPTIONAL EXTRAS
Gaiters: Recommended if you are walking off-track through
thick scrub, although sturdy long-pants will suffice. Not normally
needed on Sunday walks.
Camera, binoculars
Compass, map ; the leader will always carry these!, however
regular walkers are encouraged to practice navigation skills.
Insect repellent
(and for weekend walks)
Water purifying tablets or filter; in Victoria natural
water sources are usually safe to drink, caution is only needed
in heavily used camping areas or downstream from farmland. The
leader will advise if water should be treated.
Light entertainment: Frisbee, cards, hackey sack....
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| YHA Bushwalking supports and adheres
to the 'minimum impact' bushwalking codes, including the following: |
| Litter |
If you carry it in, you can carry it out; this means
everything, including so-called "bio-degradable" articles
like apple-cores, banana peel etc. |
| Human wastes |
If a toilet is not available, dig a 15cm deep hole
at least 100m from camps, watercourses and tracks, and bury waste
and toilet paper. |
| Fires |
No fires in 'fuel-stove only' areas, alpine
areas and heavily used camping areas. If you want to make a fire
elsewhere, keep it small, use established fireplaces and conserve
wood. |
| Tracks |
To help reduce erosion, keep to established tracks. |
| Group Size |
From nearly all points of view a small party is better
(remembering that for safety reasons a minimum size of four is recommended).
Very large groups can be split up if possible |
| Do not Disturb |
Observe, but don't interfere with any wildlife, including
nests. All native flora is protected wtihin any park or reserve,
meaning don't pick the flowers. |
| Noise |
Keep it down. |
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Anyone who refuses to comply with the minimum impact code will
be barred from future participation in our actvities.
We respect and conserve the environment so that others may later
enjoy what we enjoy now. Conservation while bushwalking means
avoiding litter, waste, and other 'impacts', and generally trying
to leave the environment better than we found it.
Remember the saying 'take nothing but photographs, leave
nothing but footprints'.
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