WANDERING AUS: THE SHANLEY FAMILY

TOP TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL AND ENJOYABLE FAMILY HIKE

OUR recent weekender to Carnarvon Gorge in Central Queensland prompted us to have a think about all the walks and hikes we have done as a family. Mind you, we still have many more out there waiting for us. Brendan was often dragging us out of bed to hit the dirt nice and early, but we always thanked him later when we got to witness the best the Aussie bush has to offer. After doing a few hikes dotted across Australia, we decided to share with you some of our thoughts and tips for bushwalks.

GO EARLY

WE found on our trips that if we got up right on sunrise or sometimes even before, we seized the best part of the day and were privileged to witness some of the most beautiful sunrises. By going early, we avoided the heat of the day and would be back at camp by lunch to do some schoolwork and have a rest.

When we climbed Mount Augustus in Western Australia, we were up at 5.30am to hit the track by 6am. We had to start early with this one as it is a 12km return to the top of the largest rock in the world, and it took us (four adults, a seven-yearold and a three-year-old) seven hours. In this case, we were so glad to be up early to appreciate the most amazing views over the Gascoyne Region, and it was well-worth the 1200km round driving trip and big hike up the rock.

We got in to a good pattern in the Kimberley, getting up early for gorge walks. Despite being there in August, it would still get pretty warm in the middle of the day and it was nice to do these walks in the cooler mornings.