Australian Hiker

Most hikers will have an injury or two that they have collected over their lifetimes but when this goes beyond being just a minor issue and becomes a permanent disability the ability to continue hiking can be greatly impacted, or in some cases not even an option.  In this week’s episode we interview hiker Jenny Woodhouse who talks about hiking whilst managing permanent spinal disability. www.australianhiker.com.au

Most of us we start life reasonably fit and healthy and as we get older we start to collect various injuries and illnesses along the way. In most cases we aren’t talking about major medical problems that are going to stop us from hiking altogether but rather issues that may only be minor niggles but either in isolation, or in combination, they injuries can become more of an issue making life just that bit more difficult. In addition to these pre-existing issues we can also collect new ones when we hike. Dealing with these injuries can be a real learning curve but it’s worth being aware of what they are and how best to manage them, otherwise your enjoyment level will be greatly impacted. In this podcast episode we discuss the key considerations for hiking with pre-existing injuries as well as managing any new ones you pick up on the trail. www.australianhiker.com.au

If you are in the armed services, you will be familiar with the Soldier On organisation. However, if you’ve never had family or friends in the military you may never have heard of them. Soldier On’s mission is to enable veterans and their families to thrive and they do this by offering a holistic and integrated set of services to Defence personnel, veterans and their families. While this may seem to be an odd interview for a hiking podcast, you may be surprised to learn that one of the programs offered by Soldier On, March On, is all about doing hikes of varying lengths. In this week’s episode we catch up with Soldier On CEO, Ivan Slavich to find out about this organisation and their March On program. www.australianhiker.com.au 

When we think about hiking we create a picture in our mind of what the day looks like and if there is an overnight stay involved the camp forms part of the picture. The thing we need to remember is that hiking is different for everyone and there is no right view of  the image we create. How we come to hiking and camping will generate this mental picture. Are we life long hiking enthusiasts that started as part of a family activity? Are we new hikers who have only just started? Are we the occasional hiker who does an adventure every so often and wants to just turn up rather than doing any of the organising or planning? Or maybe we don’t fit into a single style of hiking and will choose our own adventure based on what we feel like. In this podcast we discuss what the common types of hiking/camping styles. Where do you fit? www.australianhiker.com.au

Australian Hiker is all about walking and when Jono Lineen, author of the book Perfect Motion, contacted me a few months ago to talk to talk about doing a review for his book ‘Perfect Motion’ it not only made sense to review the book but also to interview him for the podcast as well. As a keen long distance hiker this book resonated with me in so many ways, particularly in the way that I feel when doing my big hikes. Perfect Motion was the culmination of his journey that was set in motion with the death of his younger brother, Gareth, eventually resulted in a 2700-kilometre solo trek across the Himalayas. In this episode we talk to Jono about the impacts of walking and find out more about his amazing background, his trip though the Himalayas, as well as discussing his book Perfect Motion. www.australianhiker.com.au

In our last podcast episode, episode 158, we talked about snowshoeing in the Australian Alps. But for those that want to go a step further there are other options including skiing and snow camping. In this episode we catch up with Gary Tischer and find out about options for skiing, and snow camping away from the resorts. We talk about safety and logistics in the back country in general, including more than you every wanted to now about what to do with toilet waste in the snow! To round off this episode we catch back up with Bruce Easton from Wilderness Sports about options for getting a taster in backcountry. www.australianhiker.com.au

Hiking, bushwalking, whatever you want to call it is all about hiking outdoors in nature. While Australia doesn’t have the same sort of extreme winters as Europe and North America the Australian Alps are usually covered in snow and for many of us it means some of our favourite hiking destinations have gone to sleep and we need to look for other options. Buy why is that? Recently we tried snowshoeing to see if this ‘walking option’ provided an alternative to hibernation for accessing the alpine regions during the colder months. This three part episode consists of a discussion on the basics of snowshoeing, a series of recordings we made on the day of our snowshoe tour, and finally  an interview with Bruce Easton, owner of Wilderness Sports in Jindabyne. For more information read our write up here.

Physical preparation is a part of getting ready for any hike. For shorter easier hikes the training may be almost non existent while for longer and or more complex hikes you may spend weeks if not months preparing. Training for longer hikes involves many different physical aspects including cardio and weight training, as well as lots of walking/hiking both with and without a pack. In this podcast we talk about the do’s and dont's of pack training to help you get the most out of your hike. www.australianhiker.com.au

Over the past three years Australian Hiker has attended the annual Outdoor Retailer Australia Show. This show is a chance for Australia’s outdoor wholesalers and manufacturers to showcase their new and existing products to Australia’s outdoor retailers and allied media. Due to the pandemic, the show was cancelled for 2020 but rather than let the opportunity pass us by we managed to catch up with a number of suppliers for an update.   This is the second episode in this series in which we bring you a further three interviews. As a follow up to our discussions with the various suppliers, in the coming year we will be reviewing that will be of interest to you. The first episode in this series, episode 155, was released last week. www.australianhiker.com.au

Over the past three years Australian Hiker has attended the annual Outdoor Retailer Australia Show. This show is a chance for Australia’s outdoor wholesalers and manufacturers to showcase their new and existing products to Australia’s outdoor retailers and allied media. Due to the pandemic the show was cancelled for 2020 but rather than let the opportunity pass us by we managed to catch up with a number of suppliers for an update. In this, the first of two episodes in this series, we bring you two interviews. In our next episode, episode 156, to be released next week, we will bring you our remaining interviews. As a follow up to our discussions with the various suppliers, in the coming year we will be undertaking a number of gear reviews that will be of interest to you. www.australianhiker.com.au

Bungonia National Park is located in southern NSW near the inland city of Goulburn and is an easily accessible drive from both Sydney and Canberra. There are five main designated walking tracks located within the park and they all start from the short spine road that runs from the visitor centre, all within minutes of each other. This podcast episode consists of a series of recordings taken on the Red Track which as a walk under 6 km, ranks as one of the most physically demanding I have ever done; I've had 40 km days that have been easier. We talk about things to consider when hiking the Red Track before briefly touching on the other walks within the park. Read our written write ups on the Walks of Bungonia National Park Here

Peak bagging is the practice of climbing to the summit of a hill or mountain in an attempt to collect peaks in a particular region. I must admit that from my perspective the whole concept is just plain strange. My view on hiking is that I will follow the designated trail and if the trail goes over a summit, I will follow it but if it doesn’t, then there needs to be a really good reason to head up hill. In this podcast episode we look at the concept of peak bagging and discuss some Australian options for those of you who are into peak bagging. www.australianhiker.com.au

In episode 138 we talked with Craig Sheather who writes hiking guide books and in episode 135 we caught up with adventure photographer Danyal Taylor. In this week’s episode we continue the theme and talk with Gary Tischer about what it takes to be a contributor of both photography and written articles to the Australian outdoor magazines. Gary has been contributing to some of Australia’s best known outdoor magazines for nearly 40 years and while you may not know his name, chances are you have read his articles over the years. Today we find out how he became involved in writing and photographing for outdoor magazines, and how the needs of magazines have evolved over the years. www.australianhiker.com.au

It's now mid-June 2020 and at long last the restrictions around coronavirus are easing, seemingly at a rapid rate. Pending a second wave of the virus, the ability to travel, while not yet back to normal, has been greatly relaxed and we can now travel further afield and do some longer and more complex hiking. In episode 145 we discussed things we can do when we can’t hike, or our hiking has been greatly curtailed for any reason, but what should we be doing now we can get out and about? In today’s episode we discuss things to consider as you get back into some more serious hiking to ensure you enjoy yourself and stay safe. www.australianhiker.com.au

In 2004 Liz Byron undertook a 2,500 km journey on the 5,300 km Bicentennial National Trail. As Australia’s longest designated shared trail, her story would not be too unusual until you realise she did her trip with the assistance of two donkeys, Grace and Charley, who acted as her pack animals and her companions. In this podcast episode we catch up with Liz not long after the release of her book, The Only Way Home, that details her amazing journey. This is a great episode and one that provides an unique alternative on the traditional human powered hike. www.australianhiker.com.au

In today’s episode we discuss the Japanese Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Trail. This trail, which was included on the World Heritage list in 2004, is a network of several ancient pilgrimage routes that converge on Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine, in the mountainous heart of Wakayama Prefecture. Apart from the shrines, the landscape itself is one of the key highlights that everyone talks about. In today’s episode we combine a series of three interviews and each of our interviewees provide a different perspective on this amazing trail system. We hope you enjoy! www.australianhiker.com.au

Australia like most countries, has a series of legends and myths that form part of our cultural identity. While some of these are based on fact, and others have at least some basis of truth, there are a number that are just downright fabrications. Whatever degree of truth is involved is doesn’t stop us from talking about them and where possible, having fun at the expense of gullible people, mainly overseas tourists  The following myths and legends are Australia’s best known although I’m sure there will be some that you may never have heard of. www.australianhiker.com.au

One of the most common complaints I hear from hikers who camp overnight is the inability to get a good night's sleep. And while some of this can be put down to gear related issues, more often than not it can be a state of mind. The first time you camp in the bush, in particular by yourself, every little sound is magnified. The slithering or crunching just outside your tent, the movement of your tent when there is no wind, can all combine to make hikers a bit agitated. In this episode we discuss those issues that impact on our sleep on the trail, focusing on the non equipment related ones, and look at what we can do to get a better nights sleep. www.australianhiker.com.au

It's mid April 2020 and already this has been the the strangest year that we have had in a long time and we still have most of the year to go. In this episode we just wanted to provide a bit of an update as Covid 19 is in full swing about how some of the people we have been following, along with the outdoor industry in general, is going. www.australianhiker.com.au

It’s early 2020 and Australia has had a hell of a start to the year. First we had a summer full of bushfires that have impacted much of the country, destroying large sections of the bushland that we as hikers spend so much of our time exploring. If that wasn’t enough just as the opportunity to return to the bush presented itself we have the Coronavirus and with it, the ability to access many of our walks has again been curtailed but clearly for a different reason. There are so many other more mundane reasons within our day to day lives that prevent us from hiking. So when you find yourself unable to hike, what can you do to keep yourself engaged with the outdoors? Let’s look at some options. www.australianhiker.com.au