A network of 13 magnificent Great Walks is being established in NSW national parks as part of a plan to transform our State into a bushwalking mecca, ready to rival other multi-day walks in Australia and beyond.
Launching the NSW Great Walks Strategy, Minister for Environment James Griffin said New South Wales is the best state in Australia to explore nature on foot.
"These 13 NSW Great Walks cover more than 630 kilometres, from our sun kissed shorelines, highest summits, and rainforests millions of years in the making," Mr Griffith said in a press statement.
"Our magnificent multi-day walks shouldn't just be for the more hardcore hikers, which is why we're offering many styles of walk and accommodation so visitors from far and wide can enjoy the diverse landscapes in our nearly 900 national parks and reserves.
"Hiking in nature is one of the most popular outdoor activities in the world, and our Great Walks will help bring more visitors to our rural and regional areas where they boost local economies."
"NSW national parks already contribute about $18 billion and 74,000 jobs to the state's economy every year, and 3 quarters of the economic benefits of national parks are delivered in rural and regional areas."
Visiting national parks is one of the top 3 things visitors do when travelling to a rural or regional destination, and more than 90% of people in New South Wales are interested in walking in national parks.
NSW national parks welcomed more than 60 million visitors annually prior to the pandemic, and visitation levels are growing.
The NSW Great Walks Strategy will help deliver durable walking tracks, protect environmentally sensitive areas, withstand severe weather, and provide infrastructure to meet future population growth.
The NSW Government is currently delivering the largest investment in national parks history, with $450 million dollars for more than 200 visitor infrastructure projects across the state over 4 years.
Where are the hikes? Currently, five of the Great Walks are already able to be hiked while another eight are in development or expecting to receive upgrades.
The hikes that are already able to be walked include;
- Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage Walk on the North Coast
- Yuraygir Coastal Walk on the North Coast
- Green Gully Track in the New England region
- Nadgee Wilderness Walk on the Far South Coast
- Grand Cliff Top Walk in the Blue Mountains
The other eight walks that are in development include;
Dorrigo Escarpment Walk: A 46km walk through the Gondwana World Heritage rainforest of Dorrigo National Park over four days and three nights.
Great Southern Walk: A 67km walk that links the Kamay Botany Bay National Park with the Coastal Walk of Royal National Park and then down the coast to Wollongong over five days and four days.
Murramarang South Coast Walk: A 34km along the beaches of Murramarang National Park on the South Coast over three days and two nights.
Snowies Alpine Walk: A 55km walk across Australia’s alpine rooftop through Kosciuszko National Park over four days and three nights.
Tomaree Coastal Walk: A 20km walk from Tomaree Head to Birubi Point in Tomaree National Park near Port Stephens over two days and one night.
Tweed Byron Hinterland Walk: A 36km walk from Mount Jerusalem National Park to Nightcap National Park in Northern NSW over four days and three nights.
Wollemi to Gardens of Stone Walk: An estimated 90km walk linking Blue Mountains, Wollemi, and the new Gardens of Stone National Parks over five days and four nights.
Light to Light Walk: This hike 32km on the Far South Coast is currently able to be walked but is expecting to receive basic hut accommodation in two places along the trail.