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Multiday Bushwalking Skills & Gear

Spending time walking is great, spending time overnight on walks is even better. There is something amazing about carrying your gear, cooking and sleeping in wild places that reinvigorates the soul.

Learning skills before we need them is one of the best ways we can stay safe and enjoy our bushwalking experiences. The following articles are good starting points to help you prepare for most multiday bushwalks, many of these are the same as day walks.

Start by getting comfortable with longer day walks, and find friends with experience walking. Your best first few overnight walks short will know and signposted walks, in favourable weather and with experience walkers. Build your skills over time. Do a few overnight walks before you set off on a week-long walk, and try walking in different weather conditions. Learn from friends, test your gear and skills in wet and dry weather - maybe even on day walks.

If you have a big adventure in mind like the Overland Track or the Larapinta Trail please don't just plan to walk the one track, use this as an opportunity to discover the many great walks near where you live and enjoy walking in different places. They say it is the journey, not the destination that matters.

Find local overnight walks by searching bushwalk.com, use the map and refine the filters to find walks that best suit you. There are many amazing places to explore.

This information is for building general bushwalking skills, to help you get out and enjoy walking in a wide range of areas, but can not cover all environments or conditions.

Happy Walking.

Equipment

Gear list for overnight walks
A list of gear for walking an overnight walk
Tents & tarps
Everything you need to know about tent and tarps
Sleeping bags
Choosing a sleeping bag for your adventure
Sleeping Pad
Everything you need to know about sleeping pads
Footwear
Everything you need to know about bushwalking shoes
First Aid Kit
What to carry in the first aid kit on your bushwalk
Navigation Equipment
Navigation equipment to pack for on track day walks
Glasses
Using glasses as a bushwalker
Hearing aids
Using hearing aids as a bushwalker
Leave No Trace
Enjoying natural areas and leaving them in pristine condition
Weather & Climate
The weather changes and can change quickly. Being prepared and walking to the conditions makes for a safer and more enjoyable trip.
Navigating the track
Learn about navigation and map reading on track
Planning a menu
Planning what food to take and how much to carry
Sun Protection
How to protect yourself from the sun
Wilderness Communications
Ways to communicate while in the wilderness
Water Treatment
How to treat water to make it safe for drinking
First Aid
First aid is a skill well worth learning to help with minor and life threatening issues