Australian Hiker is Australia’s premier hiking podcast as well as providing a southern hemisphere view on overseas hiking. We are Australia’s most downloaded hiking podcast with regular episodes being released every two weeks covering gear and trail reviews, hiking practice, recipes and skills. Bonus episodes will be released at least once a month and include interviews from the trail as well as with relevant industry and allied professionals. Let us do all the research for you.
Episodes
Wednesday Nov 28, 2018
088-The Great South Coast Walk
Wednesday Nov 28, 2018
Wednesday Nov 28, 2018
The Great South Coast Walk can best be described as Australia's greatest coastal walk that very few people have heard of. This walk starts on the outskirts of Sydney at Bundeena, NSW, and winds its way south finishing 660km later in the Victorian town of Mallacoota. In this episode we interview David Briese, one of the instigators of this walk and find out what's so special.
Wednesday Nov 21, 2018
087-Christmas Gifts for Hikers 2018
Wednesday Nov 21, 2018
Wednesday Nov 21, 2018
It's that time of the year again when you start to look for presents for that hiking fanatic in your life; or maybe its you. Shhhh we won’t tell anyone. Last year in episode 47 we discussed alternative hiking gifts that carry a lot more sentiment without the commercial crassness as well as identifying some commercial options. This year we focus on the best and brightest that most hikers would be glad to find under the tree ranging from the inexpensive to the grand gesture. Have a listen to see if you can pick up any ideas.
Wednesday Nov 14, 2018
086-Australian Hiker 2nd Birthday
Wednesday Nov 14, 2018
Wednesday Nov 14, 2018
On 11 November 2018 Australian Hiker celebrated its second birthday. Over the past year we have been building up our online resources to help us make Australian Hiker your 'Go to Hiking Resource'. We realise that we still have a long way to go. This episode is a reflection on our past year and where we are heading into the future. Gill and I would like to thank all our friends and supporters for helping us to greatly exceeded our expectations; we couldn't have done so without you.
Wednesday Nov 07, 2018
085-Australia's Iconic Hiking Trails
Wednesday Nov 07, 2018
Wednesday Nov 07, 2018
This podcast discusses seven Iconic Australian hiking trails under 150km in length that have so much to offer that they are known world wide. Whether it's the desert, mountains, lush foliage, or views there's just something about them that sets them apart, giving them an Iconic status.
Wednesday Oct 24, 2018
084-Hiking in hot weather
Wednesday Oct 24, 2018
Wednesday Oct 24, 2018
084-Hiking in hot weather by Gill & Tim Savage
Wednesday Oct 10, 2018
083-Care and Maintenance of Hiking Equipment
Wednesday Oct 10, 2018
Wednesday Oct 10, 2018
For many hikers care and maintenance of their equipment is limited to the occasional clean and maybe some hole patching but we can be doing so much more to extend the life of our gear and in the process making our hikes that much more enjoyable. This podcast discusses the basics of gear care and maintenance including how often we should be maintaining our gear.
Wednesday Sep 26, 2018
082-Bibbulmun Track gear wrap up
Wednesday Sep 26, 2018
Wednesday Sep 26, 2018
In this episode we briefly discuss the key pieces of equipment that I used on my recent Bibbulmun Track Journey and provide a broad overview of my reasons for choosing it. A downloadable list of my multi-day hiking equipment is now available on the show notes for this podcast (episode 82)on the Australian Hiker website.
Wednesday Sep 19, 2018
081-Bibbulmun Track Reality vs Expectations
Wednesday Sep 19, 2018
Wednesday Sep 19, 2018
In this episode we review Tim's recent Bibbulmun Track hike showcased in episodes 76-80 to discuss how the reality of the hike compared to the expectations prior to starting.
Friday Sep 14, 2018
080 - Week 5 Bibbulmun Track 2018
Friday Sep 14, 2018
Friday Sep 14, 2018
This is the final episode of ontrail podcasts on Tim’s 2018 Bibbulmun Track hike. Listen to this podcast as Tim travels from Dwellingup to Kalamunda to complete his 36 day, 1000km trip. Over the next two weeks I will be releasing two final podcasts to wrap up this trip as well as uploading two written articles so keep an eye out!
Thursday Sep 06, 2018
079 - Week 4 Bibbulmun Track 2018
Thursday Sep 06, 2018
Thursday Sep 06, 2018
Week four is now over, just a short one with a four day trip from Collie to Dwellingup. In this episode we discuss peoples perceptions on the trail and how this will differ depending on the context. We then go on to briefly discuss the trail amenities prior to our regular recordings and on trail interviews.
Saturday Sep 01, 2018
078 - Week 3 Bibbulmun Track 2018
Saturday Sep 01, 2018
Saturday Sep 01, 2018
Week three of my Bibbulmun Track journey and our longest ever podcast due to 8 days worth of podcasting as I undertake the biggest week of the trip. In this episode I discuss my typical days and how I make decisions about what I will be doing as well as a series of recordings including interviews of my trip over this period between Pemberton and Collie covering a distance of approximately 250km.
Thursday Aug 23, 2018
077 - Week 2 Bibbulmun Track 2018
Thursday Aug 23, 2018
Thursday Aug 23, 2018
At the end of the second week I have reached Pemberton which means that 40% of the trail is done. I’m actually a day ahead of schedule but am not taking that for granted and now have seven days up my sleeve. In this episode I discuss the camp infrastructure as well as my journey from Walpole to Pemberton.
Friday Aug 17, 2018
076 - Bibbulmun Track Week 1 2018
Friday Aug 17, 2018
Friday Aug 17, 2018
On 9 August 2018 I started my journey on one of Australia’s premiere long distance hiking trails, the Bibbulmun Track. Travelling 1000km between Albany and Perth. This podcast provides an overview of a typical week on the trail completing 210km and travelling between Albany and Walpole. Listen to what I and other hikers go through in what has been some extremely taxing conditions. Over the next 4-5 weeks I will focus on different aspects of this journey to provide you with an overview on what to expect and to hopefully encourage you to consider hiking this amazing trail.
Wednesday Aug 08, 2018
075-Bibbulmun Track here I come
Wednesday Aug 08, 2018
Wednesday Aug 08, 2018
In this episode we will be discussing my expectations, my apprehensions, and my hopes for my upcoming Bibbulmun Track thru hike which I start on 9 August 2018 in what is forecast to be heavy rains. Tomorrow I spend the day on planes heading to the trail head in Western Australia. Over the coming weeks I will be walking my way back to Perth and as part of the experience I will be recoding a weekly podcast. I will also be interviewing other hikers doing the track as a thru hike, known as an ‘end to end’ on the Bibbulmun, as well as those doing shorter sections to hear how they are going and what they think of the track. So if you thinking about doing this walk listen over the next 6+ weeks to the 'on trail episodes' as well as the round up episodes at the end once I am home.
Wednesday Aug 01, 2018
074-An interview with the Bibbulmun Track Foundation
Wednesday Aug 01, 2018
Wednesday Aug 01, 2018
The Bibbulmun Track is one of Australia’s premiere long trails stretching 1000km (621miles) from Kalamunda on the outskirts of Perth to Albany on the southern western Australian coast. Given the distance covered there is a wide variety of ecosystems represented on the trail from coastal sections in the south through constantly changing forests that highlight some of Australia’s most spectacular flora and fauna. In this episode we will be talking to Steve Sertis from the Bibbulmun Track Foundation about how the track came about, the role of the Foundation, and some key takeaways on hiking this spectacular trail.
Wednesday Jul 25, 2018
073-A journey towards ultralight revisited
Wednesday Jul 25, 2018
Wednesday Jul 25, 2018
In episode 002 of the Australian Hiker podcast we discussed the concept of ultralight hiking and my goal to greatly lighten my load from my 'traditional' heavy gear. It's now been 18 months since we released that podcast and in this episode we revisit this journey just prior to me commencing a 1000km/ 5-6 week hike on the Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia to see how I have gone.
Wednesday Jul 18, 2018
072-Getting fit for hiking
Wednesday Jul 18, 2018
Wednesday Jul 18, 2018
Whatever type of hiking that you do being fit will ensure that you enjoy what you are doing in addition to keeping happy and healthy on the trail. But what does being fit for hiking mean? This episode provides a brief introduction to hiking fitness and identifies the key aspects that you need to consider.
Wednesday Jul 04, 2018
071-Planning a long distance hike
Wednesday Jul 04, 2018
Wednesday Jul 04, 2018
Planning a long distance hike is really no difference from a shorter hike, isn’t it? In theory the concepts are the same but in reality there are a number of other factors that come into consideration. In this episode I will use my upcoming thru hike of the Bibbulmun Track (1,000km) in Western Australia to provide a broad guide to what you should consider when planning a long distance hike. Once I have finished my journey towards the end of September I will report back on how I went including how well my planning did, or didn’t, pay off.
Wednesday Jun 27, 2018
070-Outdoor Retailer show 2018 part 2
Wednesday Jun 27, 2018
Wednesday Jun 27, 2018
On 17-19 June 2018 the Outdoor Retailer Australia Show was held at the Moore Park Exhibition Centre in Sydney. This annual 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. This podcast is the second recorded at this show and contains a further 6 interviews. If you want to hear the first series of interviews go to episode 069.
Wednesday Jun 20, 2018
069-Outdoor Retailer Show 2018 part 1
Wednesday Jun 20, 2018
Wednesday Jun 20, 2018
The 2018 Outdoor Retailer Australia Show was held on 17-19 June 2018 at the Moore Park Exhibition Centre in Sydney. This annual 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. This is the first of two episodes.
Wednesday Jun 06, 2018
068- Weather and hiking
Wednesday Jun 06, 2018
Wednesday Jun 06, 2018
Every time we head out into the bush for the day the one factor that we must deal with on every hike is the weather. Good or bad, the weather can make or break a hike and if we fail to pay attention to extreme weather conditions it can also present safety concerns. This podcast discusses factors to consider when planning your hike as well as what to look for during the hike itself.
Wednesday May 23, 2018
067-Hike your own hike
Wednesday May 23, 2018
Wednesday May 23, 2018
In episode 067 of the Australian Hiker podcast we discuss the concept of Hike Your Own Hike (HYOH). Each of us enjoys hiking in a way that is unique to us and when we vary from this pattern the enjoyment can drop off. What does HYOH mean for you?
Wednesday May 09, 2018
066-Technology on the trail-staying in touch with family and friends
Wednesday May 09, 2018
Wednesday May 09, 2018
In episode 066 of the Australian Hiker podcast we discussTechnology on the Trail, specifically options for staying in touch with family and friends at home while on a hike. This topic is one that I have been thinking on for well over a year as I decide what I will use for my own Bibbulmun Track though hike later this year when I will be out of cellular range on a number of days on my 5-6 week hike.
Wednesday May 02, 2018
065-99 days to go....
Wednesday May 02, 2018
Wednesday May 02, 2018
In this episode I announce announce my first long distance Australian thru hike, and also first thru hike and provide an overview on : * My reasons for doing a long distance multi week hike; * Why I picked the trail that I did; and * An overview of my logistics and what I need to consider before I go. Over the coming weeks I will be releasing further podcasts on my upcoming trip as well as episodes released on the trail. I looking forward to sharing this journey with you.
Wednesday Apr 25, 2018
064-Australia's Long Distance Hiking Trails
Wednesday Apr 25, 2018
Wednesday Apr 25, 2018
While many hikers, and non hikers may be aware of trails such as the Pacific Crest Trail and the Appalachian Trail in the USA, or the Camino de Santiago in Spain you may not be aware that Australia has its own long trails and while they may not have the same international media profile (yet) they are progressively making a name for themselves and gaining in popularity. This podcast episode provides an overview of some of Australia’s better known long distance hiking and multi-use trails (cyclists, horse riders and hikers) over 200km in length.
Wednesday Apr 18, 2018
063-Physical maintenance on the trail
Wednesday Apr 18, 2018
Wednesday Apr 18, 2018
This week we will be talking to Jacqui Ambrus-Bonazzi from Canberra Fitness Centre about the physical maintenance that we as hikers SHOULD be doing each day on the trail to ensure we maintain our fitness and reduce injuries, something that many hikers take for granted at best, or more typically don’t do at all.
Wednesday Apr 11, 2018
062-Personal safety on the trail
Wednesday Apr 11, 2018
Wednesday Apr 11, 2018
For new hikers it seems like there is so much to worry about. Getting lost, snakes and will you be warm enough are just some of the issues that can all be managed reasonably easily with a bit of practice and development of on-trail skills. For many new hikers their biggest concern is one of personal safety. How safe will you be when out hiking and do I have to worry about my car at the trail head. This episode discusses these issues and offers some suggestions for minimising personal safety risks on the trail.
Wednesday Mar 28, 2018
061-Hygiene and hiking
Wednesday Mar 28, 2018
Wednesday Mar 28, 2018
Personal hygiene is one of those practices that we are all taught early in life; wash your hands, bathe on a regular basis, and always wear clean underwear. We are used to doing these things in our day to day life and the same rules apply in the bush that apply at home surrounding personal hygiene if we want to ensure that we have a trouble free adventure. However when we go bush we loose all the modern conveniences and with them the flexibility we have at home and have to adjust how we do things. Most practices that relate to hygiene are based around common sense but why then do so many people ignore them when they hike? This article discusses the hygiene basics nessesary to ensure that we have a healthy enjoyable hike. Alternatively you can read the written version of this podcast here.
Wednesday Mar 21, 2018
060-Happy feet
Wednesday Mar 21, 2018
Wednesday Mar 21, 2018
Issues with feet and lower limbs tend to be a problem that plagues all hikers at one time or another. These issues can be relatively minor and annoying on short hikes and crippling on longer more difficult hikers. Either way they stop us from enjoying our outdoor adventures. In this podcast episode I talk with Canberra based Podiatrist Matthew Hotchkis from Podiatry Professionals about some of the more common lower limb issues that can cause problems for hikers and discuss ways to minimise their impact as well as prevention and treatment.
Wednesday Mar 14, 2018
059-Geocaching
Wednesday Mar 14, 2018
Wednesday Mar 14, 2018
The best way to describe Geocaching is as treasure hunting with a GPS/smartphone. Sometimes the kids, or you for that matter, just need that extra little incentive to get outdoors and go hiking and what better incentive than to go treasure hunting! This podcast provides a basic overview to help get you into Geocaching and hopefully outside more often if you really need an excuse.
Wednesday Feb 28, 2018
058-Navigation on the trail: an introduction to maps and compasses
Wednesday Feb 28, 2018
Wednesday Feb 28, 2018
The level of navigation skills that you will need as a hiker will vary with the complexity of the walks that you do. If you never leave well marked trails the skill requirement you need, may, but not necessarily, be minimal. The advent of mobile phone apps, as well as the availability of high quality consumer level GPS including some watches has changed hiking forever. Gone are the days when you had no choice but to use a map and compass however having a good grounding in their use should be something we all aspire to. This podcast episode provides a basic overview of map and compass use that will hopefully add your you kill level as a hiker and inspire you to learn more. To get the most out of this podcast follow along with the written version which has the related images.
Wednesday Feb 21, 2018
057 Nutritition on the Trail
Wednesday Feb 21, 2018
Wednesday Feb 21, 2018
For most hikers feeding themselves on short camping and hiking trips, even for a few days, is something that we can easily manage without too much problem. But what happens when we undertake big excursions ranging from strenuous single day trips to multi-week trips. In this podcast episode I talk with Canberra based nutritionist and dietician, Lisa Donaldson from FEED Inc about nutrition on the trail and what we can do to look after ourselves.
Wednesday Feb 14, 2018
056-How to pack a backpack: a beginners guide
Wednesday Feb 14, 2018
Wednesday Feb 14, 2018
Whether your a day hiker or are into extended multi night hikes ensuring that you have correctly assembled all your gear into some sort of order in your pack will make your trip run just that much smoother. But what it the right order? Is there such a thing? This episode looks at packing your backpack and discusses developing a systematic approach to our packing that will ensure you always know where that bit of gear or food is.
Wednesday Feb 07, 2018
055-A weekend on the Main Range
Wednesday Feb 07, 2018
Wednesday Feb 07, 2018
In January 2018 I spent two days in the Kosciuszko National Park (NSW) hiking the Main Range Walk as well as undertaking the Mount Kosciuszko Summit Walk, both starting at Charlotte Pass. These two days of hiking also involved a nights camping on Mt Kosciuszko. This Episode is designed to give you an idea of what to expect when hiking in this amazing area.
Wednesday Jan 31, 2018
054-The future of hiking
Wednesday Jan 31, 2018
Wednesday Jan 31, 2018
In this episode we look at where the future of hiking appears to be heading. We discuss trends as they relate to hikers, changes we are likely to see in trail design and use, the impacts of social media on the trail, notable gear trends and the use of technology on the trail, both good and bad.
Wednesday Jan 17, 2018
053-Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail-Expectations vs reality
Wednesday Jan 17, 2018
Wednesday Jan 17, 2018
Our final episodes in our Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail series. In this episode we revisit our initial expectations of this trip and compare them to the reality of the trail. In addition we discuss the good and bad points of the trail and make some suggestions for those of you looking at doing this trip.
Wednesday Jan 10, 2018
052-Kangaroo Island Wilderness trail; Interviews from the Trail
Wednesday Jan 10, 2018
Wednesday Jan 10, 2018
This is the second of our 'on trail' podcasts recorded while undertaking our recent Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail (KIWT) trip. This episode consists of four interviews with hikers, service providers, and the Southern Australian Parks Service and is designed to provide a different perspective on this wonderful trail.
Wednesday Jan 03, 2018
051-Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail-A day on the trail
Wednesday Jan 03, 2018
Wednesday Jan 03, 2018
This is the first of three podcast episodes on the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail and consists of a series of recordings done over a single day to give you an idea of what to expect from a typical day on the trail. Our next two episode 053 and 054 will provide additional information on this great trail.
Wednesday Dec 20, 2017
050-Food on the trail, a beginners guide
Wednesday Dec 20, 2017
Wednesday Dec 20, 2017
When you first start doing longer hikes its not just the gear that you have to think about.What about the food! This episode is aimed at providing an introduction to food considerations for newer hikers who just want to make things easy.
Wednesday Dec 13, 2017
049-Kangaroo Island here we come; an overview
Wednesday Dec 13, 2017
Wednesday Dec 13, 2017
Gill and I have a break between Christmas and New Year and along with our friend Kelly we will be hiking the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail which is located not far from the mainland in South Australia. This five day, four night trip is approximately 61km (without any add ons). We tried to do this trail earlier this year and didn't book early enough.Lesson learnt. This episode is an overview of what we are expecting but no doubt reality will be different. As usual we will be recording on the trail and publishing out trip podcasts in January 2018.
Wednesday Dec 06, 2017
048-Choosing a tent for hiking
Wednesday Dec 06, 2017
Wednesday Dec 06, 2017
If you belong to just about any online hiking forum one of the most commonly discussed topics that you will see posted is ‘what sort of tent should I buy?’ Unfortunately there is no one answer to this question and really what you end up choosing will depend on a range of factors that is most cases are unique to you. This episode discusses the key considerations in choosing a tent for hiking.
Wednesday Nov 22, 2017
047-Christmas gift ideas for hikers
Wednesday Nov 22, 2017
Wednesday Nov 22, 2017
With Christmas approaching it is an ideal time to buy new gear with many manufacturers clearing soon to be superseded products in anticipation of the release of new models. It's also a great time to convince family members and loved ones of the benefits of hiking and start leaving gear brochures turned to the right page in strategic places around the house. If you are buying presents for a hiking fanatic then here are some options worth considering.
Wednesday Nov 15, 2017
046-Australian Hiker 1st Birthday
Wednesday Nov 15, 2017
Wednesday Nov 15, 2017
On 11 November 2017 Australian Hiker celebrated its first birthday. This episode is a reflection on our past year and where we are heading over the next 12 months.
Wednesday Nov 08, 2017
045-Women in hiking; interviews
Wednesday Nov 08, 2017
Wednesday Nov 08, 2017
In this episode we interview two female hikers, one younger, one older, who share their experiences and tips on hiking from a womens perspective.
Wednesday Nov 08, 2017
044-Women in hiking
Wednesday Nov 08, 2017
Wednesday Nov 08, 2017
A lot is written about the different needs of women and men but when it comes to hiking, are the considerations for women that different to those of men? This podcast episode discusses issues relevant to women on the trail and offers hints, tips and suggestions that will hopefully help to answer questions that you may have.
Wednesday Oct 25, 2017
043 Choosing and fitting a backpack
Wednesday Oct 25, 2017
Wednesday Oct 25, 2017
After footwear, the backpack is one of the most crucial pieces of equipment that most outdoor enthusiasts will own. I mean you can’t even discuss hiking without talking about a backpack. Choosing the correct backpack to suit your needs is just one half of the equation. You also need to make sure that your pack is fitted correctly. This podcast episode discusses considerations for choosing an appropriate pack as well as goes though the correct footing process.
Wednesday Oct 11, 2017
042-Snakes, ticks and spiders on the trail
Wednesday Oct 11, 2017
Wednesday Oct 11, 2017
This episode discusses snakes ticks and spiders on the trail including how to interact with them, avoid them, and if necessary how to treat any injuries created by these creatures.
Wednesday Oct 04, 2017
041-Hiking with Children interviews from the trail
Wednesday Oct 04, 2017
Wednesday Oct 04, 2017
In this second episode on hiking with children we are take our niece and her two oldest sons aged 6 and 9 year on their first overnight hiking and camping trip. During the hike we get to hear their views on their first overnight trip. This episode is linked to episode 040 where we talk about considerations for hiking with children prior to hitting the trail.
Wednesday Sep 27, 2017
040-Hiking with Children-part 1
Wednesday Sep 27, 2017
Wednesday Sep 27, 2017
Hiking is a fantastic past time and one that can be enjoyed by all ages and fitness levels. Those of you who have lots of hiking experience will no doubt want your younger family members to enjoy the same experiences you have when out on the trail. This episode discusses tips to get kids out on the trail and get them hooked on hiking.
Wednesday Sep 20, 2017
039 - Bushwalk the Gong Interview
Wednesday Sep 20, 2017
Wednesday Sep 20, 2017
In this September 2017, Australian Hiker Bonus episode we interview Jenae from Bushwalk the 'Gong, an Australian blog centred around the Illawarra region of the southern NSW coast. Jenae is passionate about hiking and through Bushwalk the 'Gong offers an excellent online resource for hiking that includes trail overviews and awe-inspiring photos. In addition Bushwalkers the 'Gong runs regular guided walks to help get people out into the spectacular natural environment that is on offer in the Illawarra region.