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Do I need to be a YHA member to go on a bushwalk?
Our walks are open to all - whether they are a member of YHA or not.
Non-members pay additional booking fee. YHA membership is
worthwhile if you are a regular walker. If you intend to join YHA to
walk with us, it is recommended that you try a few walks first before
paying the additional membership fee. For full membership benefits
and information, please visit
www.yha.com.au.
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How do I become a member?
There is no membership for the bushwalking club itself, but members
of the YHA receive a discount for every booking fee or may purchase
a trip card, excluding them from booking fees on all trips for
a year. YHA membership forms are available at
the YHA Membership and Travel Centre, 83 Hardware Lane Melbourne
or you can sign-up online using the
Membership page of the YHA Australia internet site. The cost
is $32/year plus a one-off joining fee. As well as cheaper booking
fees for our bushwalking trips, membership entitles you to other
benefits such as discounts at many outdoor activities shops and
popular tourist attractions.
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How do I book for a trip?
For most
Sunday day walks you don't need to book, just turn up at the meeting
point; see Types of Walks for
more specific information on what we offer. Please check the program,
however, as it is necessary to book on some day walks. For all other
types of walks, booking must be done at Clubnight
or by ringing the leader several days beforehand. Don't send booking
enquiries via email, as this may not be checked for several days.
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How do I get a copy of the latest program?
Our program is available online see the
Walks Program and Events Calendar. Note that our online program
does NOT include full contact details of the leaders. If you would like
a copy of our program with the phone numbers included, you can get a
copy at Clubnight , or by joining our
email mailing list .
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What is the club's average age group?
Other than the university-based clubs, YHA Bushwalking is
the only Melbourne-based bushwalking club with a substantial number
of their members in their 20's, 30's and 40's. The average age
is 30-35, with the typical range from early twenties through to
mid-sixties. There is no age limit for our activities; if you
are fit, agile and young-at-heart, then come along.
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What should I bring on a walk?
That depends on whether you are going on a
daywalk or an overnight trip. And it also depends on the
weather conditions and time of year. For details, see
What to Bring
.
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Am I really after YHA Victoria instead?
We are a bushwalking (hiking) club, run by volunteers with day
jobs elsewhere, not a commercial tour operator or travel agent. While
many visitors from interstate or overseas participate in our activities,
if your time in Melbourne is numbered in days rather than months, or
if you are looking for details on travel and/or accommodation in Victoria
or Australia in general, you are probably better off contacting
YHA Victoria or YHA
Australia. They can help you with YHA hostel accommodation,
or arrange tours or outdoor activities at the most popular areas of
Victoria.
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What are the best areas for bushwalking in Victoria?
This type of answer is always going to be subjective, however generally popular
spots are:
The Grampians (best April-October)
Wilsons Promontory (year round, although it gets crowded in
summer)
Alpine National Park (November-April, with July-Sept for snow-camping
and cross country skiing)
Close to Melbourne, highly recommended areas are the
Dandenong Ranges,
Daylesford/Wombat
state forest and
Kinglake
National park.
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Is there a minimum age limit?
We don't allow anyone under 18 on a walk unless accompanied by a parent
or guardian. Please be aware even then that our walks aren't designed
to be "family-friendly" and are not recommended for young
children. The most successful examples of under-18s on a walk are where
a parent is already a regular walker and then introduces their teenage
sons or daughters to the activity.
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Can I bring my dog on a walk?
No. Apart from many of the areas we walk prohibiting pets
anyway, if we allowed one person to bring their dog, we'd have
to allow anyone else who wanted to do the same, which would destroy
the amenity of the group. So, no domestic animals on trips, seek
out a dog-walking club instead..
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