Maps and GPS tracks - Recommendations?

[joey]

Hi everyone,

I am a newbie on this site (although a short term lurker) and am just starting to get into some multi-day hikes. I'm really sorry if this is an obvious question, but I am wondering if anybody could recommend the best places to either get topographic bushwalking maps or GPS tracks (I have a Garmin Montana) of multi-day hikes in and around QLD and NSW. Does anybody have a preference for where to purchase this sort of thing or is there a good online shop?

Thanks in advance for any help in this department

[keithy]

For free maps, check out the OSM maps that andrewp put together last year: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=14234&start=150#p268841 Just copy the img file to your Garmin Montana and you should be able to enable it on the GPS.

I've not used the QLD or NSW maps, but the VIC and Tas maps are great.

For GPX trails, in Victoria, there are some publishers that have GPX trails for their publications, like OSP http://osp.com.au/?cat=8 For other states, I usually look up various blogs of walkers who have done trails I am interested in. A few usually put up their GPX tracks, or will send them to you if you contact them.

But trails conditions can change, so it's best to not follow the trails blindly. If you haven't already, you can download Garmin's Basecamp app to preplan trips. www.garmin.com/en-AU/shop/downloads/basecamp‎

If you download the OSM maps from above, you can have that display as the background map on Basecamp to make planning easier.

[nevw]

Wikiloc is often worth checking with many serious bushwalkers providing gpx tracks to download and you can send a personal message if wanting more info about a walk.
http://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/map.do
You can also get local hiking books from the library that have some detail.

[nevw]

This site lists a few contacts to buy maps and has some for download http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/experiences ... -maps.html

Last edited by nevw on Wed 20 Jan, 2016 6:47 am, edited 1 time in total.

[nevw]

This was a thread that I found interesting viewtopic.php?f=38&t=14964&p=259583&hilit=guides#p259583

[joey]

Thanks everybody, all of those suggestions and sites look very useful. Much appreciated.