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3 new multi-day guided walks are coming to the Northern Rivers

Credit: Destination NSW

Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
Three new guided walks will take guests through the coast, rainforest and volcanoes of the Northern Rivers region.

From cool towns with delectable dining options to gorgeous beaches without the crowds to striking volcanic hinterland and escarpments, there are many reasons the Northern Rivers region is starting to gain the recognition it’s owed. And while there are many different types of holidays a traveller could enjoy here, Connect Adventures is offering three new, deeply immersive, multi-day walking experiences through the diverse landscapes of the region.

“We seek out incredible landscapes and create multi-day journeys that allow people to experience the Northern Rivers and surrounds in ways they couldn’t otherwise," said co-founder Kathryn Woods. “We combine real wilderness adventure with the support and comfort that comes from having everything taken care of, while also creating meaningful connections with the environment, local communities and fellow walkers".

The new multi-day walks

1. Gibraltar Washpool World Heritage Walk

The Needles Walking Track in Gibraltar Range National Park
Explore the Northern Rivers with three new guided walks.

Wander through one of northern NSW’s most remarkable World Heritage landscapes on this four-day, 55-kilometre walk through the Northern Tablelands. With a small group of walkers, discover granite ridges, dry eucalypt forest, sub-alpine swamps, waterfalls and ancient rainforest. Stop along the way for views over the Clarence Valley and towards the coast, spot the endangered and endemic Gibraltar Range waratah, and walk through the world’s largest remaining stand of coachwood-dominated warm temperate rainforest. Along the way, stop in local communities and taste some of the region’s best food and drink.

2. Gidjuum Gulganyi Walk – “Forest to Coast"

Scenic country views of Mount Warning in the Tweed Range
Start in the caldera of Mt Wollumbin/ Mt Warning. (Credit: Destination NSW)

This brand new extension adds a fifth day to Connect Adventures‘ current Gidjuum Gulganyi Walk (meaning “Old Peoples Track"). Traverse the Traditional lands of the Widjabul Wia-bal & Minjumgbal people of the Bundjalung Nation. Starting in the caldera of the ancient volcano of Mt Wollumbin/ Mt Warning, nestled in the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforest. Make it to Minyon Falls lookout over four days, then swap walking shoes for kayaks and paddle along the Brunswick River. The journey ends with a river swim in Brunswick Heads and lunch at the iconic Brunswick Heads Hotel.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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3. Coastal Long Weekender – Bundjalung National Park

Aerial over kayaker on the Brunswick River on the North Coast
Swap your boots for paddles on the Brunswick River. (Credit: Destination NSW)

This one takes walkers along the coast, from Evans Head to Iluka before crossing the Clarence River by boat to Yamba – all over three days and 39 kilometres. With your group, walk past beaches, coastal heath, headlands, wetlands and Gondwana Rainforest. Keep an eye out along the way for furry locals on land, like kangaroos and echidnas, as well as whales and seabirds offshore. After the river crossing to Yamba, reward yourself with fish and chips.

The details

Minyon Falls, Nightcap National Park
Soak in the views from Minyon Falls lookout. (Credit: Visit Lismore)

Connect Adventures walks are all-inclusive and limited to 10 guests per walk. Be led by experienced local wilderness guides, while your gear is transferred for you each day and camp is set up before you arrive. Spend each night in spacious tents with comfy bedding. And enjoy meals prepared using local produce and native ingredients.

Cost: From $2295
Bookings: Book directly via Connect Adventures
Experience needed: A moderate level of fitness is recommended, along with some walking experience.

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Kassia Byrnes
Kassia Byrnes is the Native Content Editor for Australian Traveller and International Traveller. She's come a long way since writing in her diary about family trips to Grandma's. After graduating a BA of Communication from University of Technology Sydney, she has been writing about her travels (and more) professionally for over 10 years for titles like AWOL, News.com.au, Pedestrian.TV, Body + Soul and Punkee. She's addicted to travel but has a terrible sense of direction, so you can usually find her getting lost somewhere new around the world. Luckily, she loves to explore and have new adventures – whether that’s exploring the backstreets, bungee jumping off a bridge or hiking for days. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @probably_kassia.
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This new tour takes you to the best and most unexpected parts of NSW’s outback

Credit: Destination NSW

    Dilvin Yasa Dilvin Yasa
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    The outback is calling, and the adventure is made all the easier with this hot new AAT Kings’ tour.

    It’s the desert palette of rust-red earth and vast cobalt sky that calls you at first, for where better to get away from it all than the outback? Of course, once you start driving, taking note of all the weathered pubs, dusty tracks and tiny towns held together with humour, resilience and more corrugated iron than ever deemed possible, something else grabs a hold of you: the idea that far from the celebrated icons and landmarks associated with Australia, you’re finally immersed in an authentic slice of local life that few have ever experienced.

    Ancient landscapes, proud pastoral histories, ghost towns, culinary powerhouses and a rich Indigenous heritage; there are plenty of facets to life on the land. The best way to experience all of the above with both ease and like-minded friends? AAT Kings’ new Outback New South Wales Adventurer, a 9-day small group tour. This Sydney-return itinerary is designed to connect travellers not only with iconic outback destinations, but with the characters, culture and experiences that bring each place to life.

    Highlights? The Adventurer has more than a few, but here are eight to start.

    1. Broken Hill

    See the striking art at Living Desert and Sculptures. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Welcome to Broken Hill, where mining history, outback eccentricity and a surprisingly rich arts scene unite in a rusty desert landscape. In Australia’s first heritage-listed city, exploration is quickly rewarded. Begin with a guided walking tour taking in the city’s grand Victorian and Art Deco architecture. Later, enjoy visits to both the Broken Hill City Art Gallery and the Living Desert and Sculptures – the perfect place to enjoy the changing colours of an outback sunset. Of course, no visit to Broken Hill is complete without a stop at the historic Palace Hotel Broken Hill, famous for its role in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Happily, it makes for the perfect spot for dinner.

    2. White Cliffs

    people in a mine in white cliffs nsw
    Strap on your hardhat and head underground. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Strap on your hardhat and start spending your imaginary fortunes; White Cliffs, Australia’s oldest commercial opal field, is begging you to come in search of rare pineapple opals. Admittedly, you’re much more likely to find white opals, but the true gems of White Cliffs – where much is built underground to escape the desert heat – are everywhere.

    Here, you’ll descend 13.5 metres underground into a working mine to learn about the region’s heritage, and observe how miners continue the search for these prized gemstones. Perhaps you’ll even find a couple yourself?

    3. Mungo National Park

    mungo national park nsw outback
    Spend time in the striking, lunar-like landscape of Mungo National Park. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    With its lunar-like landscape made up of ancient, dried lake basins and sculpted sand and clay formations, a drive into UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mungo National Park is somehow two things all at once: uniquely Australian with vast outback skies, and somehow otherworldly, as though you’ve been dropped off by spaceship. At its heart lies the iconic Walls of China, a 30-kilometre sand-and-clay lunette shaped by thousands of years of erosion.

    Understanding more than 40,000 years of Barkindji, Mutthi Mutthi and Ngiyampaa history begins with a visit to the Visitor Centre, and concludes with a sunset tour led by local Aboriginal guides. A key experience? Learning about the discovery of Mungo Man and Mungo Lady. At 40,000+ years old, these are among the oldest human remains found anywhere in the world.

    4. Kinchega National Park

    kangaroo in Kinchenga National Park nsw
    Meet the locals of Kinchega National Park. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Some come to Kinchega National Park for its iconic Darling River landscapes full of birdlife and haunting river red gums; others visit for its rich First Nations and pastoral history. Your visit will encompass all of the above, with a guided tour (part of AAT Kings’ MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience) designed to give a deeper understanding of Barkindji cultural heritage, history and traditions.

    Walk with local guide David as he shares ancestral knowledge and creation stories, and explains how native plants – through bush food and bush medicine – have sustained Indigenous communities for thousands of years. Then sit back and enjoy those views alongside native tea and sweet treats.

    5. Griffith

    chef at zecca restaurant in griffith
    Treat your tastebuds to ‘the food bowl of Australia’. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    How can you say no to a visit to a destination widely regarded as ‘the food bowl of Australia’? Shaped by fertile farmland and home to approximately 75 per cent of New South Wales’ wine grapes, this is a day to roll up your sleeves and enjoy the best gastronomy the state has to offer. Think vineyards, cellar doors, cafes and restaurants largely shaped by its multicultural heart (Griffith is not only home to over 60 nationalities, but has the highest proportion of Italian ancestry anywhere in Australia).

    6. Mudgee

    exterior of lower wines in mudgee nsw
    Visit some of Mudgee’s best wineries. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Nestled by the Cudgegong River, Mudgee packs a big punch for a heritage country town, having carved a reputation for itself as one of the country’s leading (and award-winning) wine regions, a key epicurean destination, and a regional arts centre growing in both visibility and vibrancy.

    Take a moment to enjoy the town’s 19th-century charm before heading to Lowe Family Wine Co. for a guided tasting of organic and biodynamic wine, followed by a relaxed lunch featuring a feast of homegrown and local produce. Will you walk away with bottles of Mudgee’s iconic reds under your arms? It’s a distinct possibility.

    7. Silverton

    see the living ghost town of silverton on AAT Kings new NSW outback tour
    See the living ghost town of Silverton.(Credit: Destination NSW)

    A once-booming silver mining hub, the dystopian setting for Mad Max 2, and now a tranquil settlement that’s home to around 50 people; Silverton is considered a living ghost town and remains a sight to behold.

    Take time to explore its heritage streets (and perhaps take a look at the quirky Mad Max 2 Museum) and the Silverton Hotel, an iconic outback pub, before a visit to Silverton Gaol & Historical Museum. It’s home to a wealth of colonial artefacts, early mining equipment and stories from the outback’s pioneering past which will serve to anchor you firmly in place.

    8. Shear Outback

    man working at shear outback in nsw
    Get a glimpse behind the wool curtain. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    If you ever find yourself singing, “click go the shears boys, click, click, click…”, you’ve come to the right place. Shear Outback, an award-winning tourist and education attraction located in Hay, brings to life the traditions and stories of one of the outback’s most enduring industries: sheep shearing.

    Here, in the heart of the Riverina, you’ll enjoy live shearing demonstrations, meet the shearers, shedhands, sheepdogs and yes, sheep, who come together to show guests exactly what it takes to provide Australians with all that glorious wool.

    Discover more of Outback NSW with AAT Kings. Visit aatkings.com.