Hit your stride

Here’s our pick of the new Australian walks, hikes and tours that will make you relish being out and about in the natural world in coming months.

It’s that beautiful time of the year when the heat and humidity dissipate over much of the country, the sunlight’s gentler on our skin, and as winter sets in, walks in the great outdoors become much more of a pleasure than a test of stamina. “Anytime is a good time for a walk, if you ask me,” says Laura Waters, author of Ultimate Walks & Hikes Australia, “but in winter the cool air seems to enrich the scents of the land, and any rain only ramps up forest colours. It’s all extra rejuvenating after being cooped up indoors. Up north, winter is actually the best time to hike to avoid summer’s stifling heat and rain.”

There are lovely walks and hiking trails all over the world, of course, but Australia’s have a special quality (see Laura’s favourites, far right). “There’s nothing like the fragrant oils of the Aussie bush, the space of our vast beaches, and the spiritual energy of our outback gorges,” she says. “Our plants and animals are unique too. We’re very lucky to have this as our playground.”

Eco-therapy

We need to walk and move more. In February, the Cancer Council released the results of its study comparing cancer cases in 2015 to those in 2010. It found that more than three times as many cancers are attributable to physical inactivity than was previously thought, and that 4.8 per cent of all cancers diagnosed in 2015 were attributable to physical inactivity compared to 1.6 per cent in 2010.

Exploring green areas is good for our mental health too. “I love the peace and simplicity that comes with walking in nature,” says Laura, whose previous book, Bewildered, detailed her six-month hike on New Zealand’s 3000km Te Araroa trail. “It’s like a meditation where I can switch off from the stresses of life and connect with the earth. It makes me feel part of something much bigger than me and that’s a grounding feeling. Plus, it’s simply beautiful.”