Join us on YouTube
We have the perfect URL to help you re-visit your recent adventure, or add fuel to your dreaming about the next walk to be ticked off your bucket list… if you’ve not already joined us YouTube, we’re excited to share that our Great Walks of Australia channel has recently been updated with the latest videos from our 11 walks. With a showcase playlist that will take you on a journey to our exquisite walk destinations across our great land – all you need to do is sit back in a comfy chair and enjoy.
Whether you’re discovering a destination for the first time, or reliving your experience from a recent journey – our walk videos offer breathtaking panoramas and picturesque insights into the day to day life of luxury guided hiking.
Come with us on a virtual journey that we believe will ignite something within, and whether it’s a possibility to experience this for yourself next week, next year or next decade – we look forward to sharing some incredible experiences with you as a great walker soon.
So what are you waiting for? View the Great Walks of Australia YouTube channel now.
P.S. While you’re there don’t forget to subscribe to receive updates as new videos are added to our channel!
The intriguing world of ‘bush tucker’ is a unique part of the Classic Larapinta Trek in Comfort, Murray River Walk and The Arkaba Walk experiences, and adding yet another layer to the story of the spectacular lands these walks explore.
Native bush tucker tastings on the Classic Larapinta Trek in Comfort. Photo courtesy of Kungkas Can Cook
Also known as bush food, bush tucker is native fauna and flora used for culinary or medicinal purposes, and has been used for thousands of years for sustenance by Indigenous Australians.
Our walks in the outback regions of Northern Territory and South Australia provide rare opportunities to experience these fascinating elements of Australian traditional cuisine, and enables walkers to further connect with the lands they are exploring through the tastings of native fruits, plants and seasonings.
On the Classic Larapinta Trek in Comfort in the Northern Territory, Rayleen Brown from Kungkas Can Cook has started visiting guests at the exclusive semi-permanent Nick Murcutt’s camp to provide an informative talk on native local bush food. Rayleen’s bush tomato and quandong (Santalum acuminatum) dishes tantalise the tastebuds of eager hikers. The popular desert quandong is a tart, highly nutritious fruit that contains twice the vitamin C of an orange and is the perfect addition to a savory or sweet dish.
After a session of talking and tasting, guests are then encouraged and supported by expert guides to identify bush tucker as they continue to explore the captivating scenery of the Larapinta Trail.
Native lemon grass (Cymbopogon ambiguus) on The Arkaba Walk
Further south, on The Arkaba Walk in South Australia, the daily menu is enhanced by local bush tucker. One of the highlights for many guests is a Salt Bush kangaroo – whereby the kangaroo is smoked using local red gum and Salt Bush, a sprawling grey-blue shrub which is naturally salty. The menu also boasts a Lemon Myrtle Poached Chicken Maryland, which is infused with foraged native lemongrass (Cymbopogon ambiguus), an attractive blue-grey leaved grass with fluffy silvery flowerheads and an aromatic foliage.
Walking hosts will also prepare damper in a settler’s camp oven – baked traditionally over coals, accompanied by Salt Bush pesto and native spiced dukkha. Sitting back next to a campfire being fed from ingredients sourced from the native flora and fauna around you is a truly rejuvenating experience, and helps to illustrate the way of life for those who trod the earth before you.
Lemon Myrtle, the unsung hero of the Yabbie Bisque on the Murray River Walk
On the banks of the great River Murray, the team from the Murray River Walk are also taking advantage of local bush food.
Partnering with renowned native food specialist, Andrew Fielke, each meal includes a native element, some of which are collected while on the walking route by the expert guides. As guests explore the river land, guides share with them the array of plants that are safe for consumption, nibbling on salt bush and collecting the succulent samphire to fry up for a seafood meal garnish, there is always something new to try.
Native river mint can be found growing amongst lignum on the banks of the Murray River. This delicate herb has an aroma like that of spearmint and is used to create a river mint yoghurt, a unique accompaniment to the walks’ roast garlic and lemon lamb dish.
Lemon Myrtle is also a popular native ingredient used, with a creamy aroma of lemon and lime it is the unsung star of the signature Yabby Bisque, a rich and refreshing entrée using native yabbies, and delighting guests time and time again.
With the taste of the native flora and fauna still dancing on your taste buds as you walk, the stories of the land will come to life. We trust you will enjoy this unique way of connecting to the land and its people on your next Great Walk adventure.
Find out more about the Classic Larapinta Trek in Comfort, Nothern Territory
Find out more about The Arkaba Walk, South Australia
Find our more about the Murray River Walk, South Australia
Great Walks of Australia is all about spectacular scenery, intimate encounters with nature, luxurious indulgences and exceeding expectations – and with this in mind, the dining experience at the new Rustico’s at Hay Shed Hill is truly worthy of place on the Cape to Cape Walk’s itinerary.
On day two of the four day Cape to Cape Walk along the iconic Margaret River coastline, you’ll now be treated to an exclusive five-course dinner with matching wines at this award-winning restaurant, listed in the Top 5 restaurants in Margaret River on Trip Advisor.
Set in a magical setting overlooking the vines, the winery is yours for an intimate dinner. With a Mediterranean style fare; the balance of flavours and unpretentious attitude of the food was recently noted by food journalist Fluer Bainger, as “bites of delight” and, with Head Chef, Mike McAllister moving from the original and famous Rustico’s at Rockingham Beach venue in Perth, the menu will continue to showcase a wide variety of quality Australia produce with simple but bold flavours.
With another delicious meal and paired wines on the cards, we have no doubt this culinary experience will be just another of the highlights that awakens your senses when you explore the Margaret River on the Cape to Cape Walk.
View the full Cape to Cape Walk itinerary, image gallery and booking details here.
If you’re looking for a way to escape in peace with your children this school holidays, we have the answer – take them on the awe inspiring Arkaba Walk this July – for FREE!
This four-day private hike in the iconic Flinders Ranges, South Australia, is only available from 6 – 9 July 2017 and is dedicated exclusively for like-minded families. The added bonus is your child will walk for free when accompanied by an adult, saving you $2,400 per child!*
Traversing through a 600 acre private conservancy, your family will have the opportunity to share quality time surrounded by nature and wildlife. Exploring on foot, you will learn how to track wildlife using their habits and behavioural cues and hear of stories about early pioneers in one of Australia’s oldest landscapes.
Camp under the stars in Wild Bush Luxury’s signature star beds (we promise neither the adults or kids will complain about this type of camping!), enjoy delicious local produce including some intriguing and fun bush tucker, and explore the historic Arkaba Station homestead on the last night. There’s truly no better way to take in the sights and sounds of the outback.
If you’d like the perfect way to enjoy family time, provide your children with a memorable life experience and gain some peace all at the same time – book now for the Arkaba Walk departing Adelaide 6 July 2017, we know you and your children wont be disappointed!
To make arrangements for your family to join us on the Arkaba Walk, please call 02 9571 6399 to speak with a Wild Bush Luxury Specialist today – places are limited.
View the Arkaba Walk itinerary and image gallery
*$2,400 per adult twin-share all-inclusive. Up to two children aged between 10-16 years free of charge with our compliments when travelling with two adults.
With a passion for sustainable local cuisine, the recent addition of 12 Apostles Lodge Chef Lizzy Payne is elating walking guests as she nourishes them with her memorable creations.
Originally from Gippsland, Victoria, Lizzy has worked in some of Victoria’s finest restaurants and wineries, and with a lengthy list of celebrity chefs including: Matt Moran, Maggie Beer, Manu Feildel, George Calombaris, Miguel Maestre and Australia’s leading eco chef, Matt Stone. Her extensive experience has also seen her feature as a regular chef on regional ABC radio and providing cooking demonstrations at trade food shows across Australia.
With this depth of experience, Lizzy’s focus for the 12 Apostles Lodge Walk is managing an ecologically responsible kitchen and she is excited to use the horticultural skills learnt from her grandparents to further build the lodge’s herb and vegetable garden.
Walkers will be treated to a menu that integrates local, seasonal produce with a variety of flavour combinations aimed to inspire a greater connection between walker and the environment. Chef Lizzy’s ability to reinvent the combination of ingredients day after day is surprising and impressing guests, adding just another layer of luxury and enjoyment to an already incredible walking experience.
Whether it’s the tastiest light Asian noodle salad you’ve ever eaten in walking pants, a raw-food slice placed in your weary palm with a knowing nod, a nutritious and generous dinner of delicate prawn canapes, local beef, teamed with a micro-brew and a wowing desert, or waking up to a delicious low-GI breakfast that’ll keep you marching out on track long after you anticipated the first pangs of hunger; the addition of Chef Lizzy to the 12 Apostles Lodge Walk is something to cherish.
Find out more about the 12 Apostles Lodge Walk for the upcoming walking season
Book for the renowned Freycinet Experience Walk before 30 June 2017 to receive one FREE night at The Old Woolstores Apartment Hotel, Hobart.
With acclaimed galleries, restaurants and incredible Australian landscapes to explore Hobart, Tasmania is proving to be a destination loved the world over. And with the world renowned Freycinet Experience Walk showcasing Wine Glass Bay and surrounds just a short boat ride away – there’s no doubting why this beautiful region is securing a world-class status.
The Old Woolstore Apartment Hotel is a historic Hobart institution, that was a wool store and treatment facility at the turn of the 20th century. It’s prime location will allow you time to explore more of this intriguing part of Australia. The hotel is located within a stone’s throw of Hobart’s city centre and just a block away from the waterfront.
With the Freycinet Experience Walk departing by boat from Hobart to Coles Bay for 4 days to explore remote and rarely explored corners of the Freycinet National Park, you will be in the perfect position to be submerged into the most stunning coastal wilderness areas on the Earth.
With beautiful beaches, unique marine and wildlife to explore the Freycinet Experience Walk offers exclusive accommodation at the Friendly Beaches Lodge that is home to a collection of fine artworks and books. During your stay you will be served delicious meals using the best of Tasmanian produce, premium Tasmanian wine and cheese – all the elements needed for those looking to unwind in true style.
With walks departing every Tuesday and Friday from October through to April – be quick and book now to make the most of this fabulous free night’s accommodation. And don’t forget to mention this offer when booking as places are strictly limited!
Don’t miss out – view the full itinerary and book to claim your free night now.
Please note: Bookings must be made by 30 June 2017 to claim this offer and are subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.