Great Walk of Australia is thrilled to celebrate 10 years of operations in 2023 and is marking the occasion with an offer of 10% off all Great Walks for travel in 2024 for a limited time.

Originally conceived to showcase Australia’s best multi-day hiking experiences to international walkers, Great Walks of Australia officially launched in 2013 with six founding walks and has grown to become one of Australia’s most trusted and loved walking experience brands for domestic and international hikers over the past decade.

Great Walks now has 12 member walks across the country, and has actively championed the walking industry in Australia, encouraging people to boot up, see our spectacular and iconic places of nature, and experience the many benefits of a multi-day guided walk.

Great Walks Chairman Gary Smith said: “Great Walks of Australia was formed by a passionate group of the country’s best walk operators who shared a vision for promoting high-quality, premium hiking experiences. Great Walks of Australia is, put simply, the best of the best.”

“In the 10 years since inception, Great Walks has promoted its Australian walking tourism experiences both internationally and domestically, growing awareness of not only the individual walks but our magnificent natural landscapes and the broader physical and emotional benefits of walking.”

From the outback to Tasmania, members include some of the country’s best-known multi-day guided walking experiences, run by some of Australia’s most reputable and leading operators such as Australian Walking Holidays and Tasmanian Walking Company.

Great Walks also counts industry pioneers and trailblazers such as Joan Masterman and Sue Badyari among the company’s co-founders, each having helped develop the walking industry in Australia and standards for excellence in guided walking experiences and eco-tourism.

The group was one of the first collectives in Tourism Australia’s highly renowned Signature Experiences of Australia program, founded to showcase Australia’s best tourism experiences to the international market.

Tourism Australia Managing Director, Phillipa Harrison, has congratulated Great Walks of Australia on its important milestone.

“Australia’s natural beauty attracts a lot of interest from international travellers and is one of our great strengths on the global stage. We have amazing landscapes and landmarks and Great Walks of Australia offers visitors a unique way to experience many of them,” Ms Harrison said.

“We are proud to have Great Walks of Australia as part of the Signature Experiences Program and hope it continues to offer ultimate walking holidays to international travellers well into the future.”

Great Walks of Australia walks are led by expert guides with a deep understanding of the environment, who help to bring to life the stories, culture, flora, fauna and history of each destination along the way. Small intimate groups, comfortable accommodation with a sense of exclusivity and outstanding gourmet food and wine, combine with remote locations for the ultimate in multi-day walking adventures.

All Great Walks members hold advanced eco-tourism credentials and are actively involved in the conversation of the lands they walk through.

Great Walks of Australia Executive Officer, Liz O’Rourke, said: “Great Walks members continue to set the bar and deliver exceptional, industry-leading hiking experiences. But more than that, our operators and their teams are all highly passionate about the places they walk, helping to conserve them for the future, and sharing that passion to generate awareness with walkers.”

“It’s such a privilege to take hikers to see places of high conservation value and significance, including Maria Island National Park on The Maria Island Walk, the Riverland Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance on the Murray River Walk, Saltwater Lagoon on Freycinet Experience Walk, Arkaba Station (currently being rewilded) on The Arkaba Walk, as well as UNESCO World Heritage Listed areas like Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park on Cradle Mountain Signature Walk, the ancient Gondwana rainforests on Spicers Scenic Rim Trail and Lord Howe Island on Seven Peaks Walk.”

“These are places and journeys you never forget. That in turn helps the walks to foster a new wave of supporters that want to help protect and conserve them for the future also.”

As well as raising awareness for conservation, the Great Walks of Australia member walks have a tangible economic benefit for the community. Great Walks operators collectively partner with more than 400 businesses between them, mostly in regional communities, including food producers, tradespeople, transport operators, winemakers, craftspeople and more, creating a wide-reaching economic “halo effect” beyond each of the walks.

Mr Smith said, “Great Walks of Australia has played a significant role in elevating understanding of the importance of walking tourism to regional economies. The future for exciting new and innovative product is bright as state and local governments better understand the significant benefits that multi-day hiking experiences can deliver.”

With demand for walks continuing to rise, Ms O’Rourke said the future for the next 10 years of Great Walks of Australia will be just as exciting as the first.

“Walking has continued to soar in popularity around the world over the past decade, but hit new heights around Covid. People started valuing the simplicity and importance of the basic need of going for a walk and being outside more than ever. They are looking at walking through a different lens now. And it’ll be interesting to see how the industry continues to evolve with this new perspective,” she said.

“Ultimately, most of us live busy lives and are often disconnected from nature. Walking is really just a great mode of transport for a nature experience with a whole host of wellbeing benefits, which more and more people are realising. Fundamentally, walks allow people to slow down and spend quality time immersed in the incredibly beautiful and iconic wild places we are lucky to have in Australia, and connect to the land and themselves. When you take time to walk the land, you will always be deeply rewarded.”

“We look forward to what the next decade brings, while continuing to champion experiencing the country’s landscapes on foot, and showcasing our greatest walks.”

To celebrate the milestone, Great Walk of Australia is offering a massive 10% off all new bookings for any of the Great Walks of Australia booked between Monday, August 21 and September 30, 2023 for travel until the end of 2024. Use or quote the promo code GWOA10YEARS on direct booking walks through Great Walks of Australia members. For a limited time only, terms and conditions including some block out periods apply.

Visit www.greatwalksofaustralia.com.au/10-year-offer for more information and to book.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Interviews and further quotes from Great Walks of Australia spokespeople are available on request.

This offer is exclusive to Great Walks of Australia and for bookings made through Great Walks of Australia and their member walks. Use the promo code GWOA10YEARS to secure 10% the total cost off new bookings for any of the 12 Great Walks of Australia walks from Monday August 21 to September 30, 2023, for travel through to December 31, 2024. Terms and conditions, including block out dates for select walks, apply. For further information, visit www.greatwalksofaustralia.com.au/10-year-offer

ABOUT GREAT WALKS OF AUSTRALIA: Great Walks of Australia is an exclusive collection of Australia’s best guided multi-day walking experiences. Offering hikes in Australia’s most iconic and often remote wilderness locations, the Great Walks of Australia deliver exclusive and diverse accommodation, expert guides, small groups, and gourmet food and wine.

MEMBER WALKS + ACHIEVEMENTS: Classic Larapinta Trek in Comfort (NT), Scenic Rim Trail (QLD), The Arkaba Walk (SA), Murray River Walk (SA), Freycinet Experience Walk (TAS), The Maria Island Walk (TAS), Cradle Mountain Signature Walk (TAS), Bay Of Fires Signature Walk (TAS), Three Capes Signature Walk (TAS), Twelve Apostles Signature Walk (VIC), Seven Peaks Walk (Lord Howe Island/NSW), Cape To Cape Walk (Margaret River, WA)

The Maria Island Walk, Tasmania (operated by Wild Bush Luxury)

• Winner – Trip Advisor Travellers Choice Awards 2023, 2022
• Winner - Qantas Australian Tourism Awards Best Ecotourism Operator 2019,
• Winner - Qantas Australian Tourism Awards Best Tour & Transport Operator in 2017
• Winner - Qantas Australian Tourism Awards Best Adventure Tourism 2008, 2011, 2012
• Winner - Australian Travel & Tourism Awards Best Eco-Wilderness Experience 2010
• Winner - Tasmanian Tourism Awards 2019, 2017, 2016, 2012
• Winner - Tasmanian Telstra Business Award 2009, 2008
• Winner - Australian Gourmet Traveller Travel Awards 2010, 2008, 2007

Murray River Walk, South Australia (operated by Murray River Trails)

• Winner - Gold, Ecotourism, SA Tourism Awards, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017
• Winner - Hall Of Fame - Ecotourism, SA Tourism Awards, 2022, 2019
• Winner - Premiers Award - Service Excellence, SA Tourism Awards, 2022
• Finalist - Ecotourism, Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, Sydney, 2023, 2020, 2019
• Winner - Silver, Ecotourism Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, 2022, 2018
• Set up and launched the Murray River Trail Fund 2020

Seven Peaks Walk, Lord Howe Island (operated by Pinetrees Lodge)

• Australia’s first certified carbon neutral hotel – Australian Government Climate Active program
• Restoring one of the last patches of Sallywood Swamp Forest in the world, in partnership with the NSW Government
• Winner - Trip Advisor's No.1 Hotel in the South Pacific (Pinetrees Lodge) 2023, 2020
• Winner - Trip Advisor's No.1 Hotel in Australia (Pinetrees Lodge) 2023, 2020, 2019, 2018

Three Capes Signature Walk, Cradle Mountain Signature Walk, Bay Of Fires Signature Walk, Tasmania (operated by Tasmanian Walking Company) / Twelve Apostles Signature Walk, Victoria (operated by Australian Walking Company)

• Winner - Gold, Eco-tourism, Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, 2017, 2015, 2016
• Winner - Hall of Fame, Eco-tourism, Tasmanian Tourism Awards, 2022
• Winner - Ecotourism, Tasmanian Tourism Awards, 2022, 2021, 2016, 2015
• Winner - Gold, Adventure Tourism, Tasmanian Tourism Awards, 2016
• Winner - Excellence in Sustainability, Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, 2015
• Set-up and launched Tasmanian Walking Company Foundation, 2020 and have since donated $750,000+ to charity
• Has harvested 450,000 viable seeds from four different threatened tree species on the Cradle Mountain Huts Seed Collection Walks, in partnership with the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens.

The Arkaba Walk, South Australia (operated by Wild Bush Luxury)

• Finalist - Conserving the Natural World, National Geographic World Legacy Awards, 2016
• Winner - Expert Panel Award, Best Outback Experience, Australian Gourmet Traveller Awards, 2012
• Winer - Ecotourism Award, Australian Gourmet Traveller Awards, 2009
Member - The Long Run (nature based tourism sustainability program)
• Rewilding 60,000 acre Arkaba Station, in conjunction with conservation partners.

Classic Larapinta Trek In Comfort, Northern Territory (operated by Australian Walking Holidays)

• Winner – Trip Advisor Travellers Choice Awards 2023
• Winner - Brolga Northern Territory Tourism Awards for Adventure Tourism for our Larapinta Trail walking program, 2022
• Winner - Brolga Northern Territory Tourism Awards for Ecotourism for our Classic Larapinta Trek in Comfort, 2019, 2017, 2016
• Highly commended - Adventure Tourism, Qantas Australian Tourism Awards 2023
• Winner - Outstanding Tourism or Travel Product for our Larapinta Trail - Travel Journalism Awards
• Celebrated 25 years on the Larapinta Trail in 2020

Freycinet Experience Walk, Tasmania

• Order Of Australia Medal (OAM) – Joan Masterman - for significant contribution to tourism in Tasmania, and conservation and the environment, 2020
• Winner - Enduring Architecture Award, Tasmanian Architecture Awards, 2018
• Winner - Silver, Eco-tourism, Tasmanian Tourism Awards, 2017
• Celebrated 30 years of operations in 2022

Cape to Cape Walk, Western Australian (operated by Walk Into Luxury)

• Winner – Best Tour Operator, Western Australia Tourism Awards, 2017
• Helped raise over $100,000 for Ronald McDonald House, with guests and partners on the Cape To Cape Walk and Hike For The House events.

Spicers Scenic Rim Trail, Queensland (operated by Spicers)

• Winner - Best of Queensland Experiences, Tourism and Events Queensland, 2022