Last month seven ABW members went on Nigel’s navigation weekend to the Hattah Lakes. We all came with map and compass at the ready and GPS devices nowhere to be seen. Here’s what we found:

So here’s what we learnt. Firstly, though, why learn this skill anyway?

Our ABW hearts had been collectively melting in anticipation of the 2024 Flinders Spectacular, and once again our objective was Mambray Creek’s Hidden George, the pantheon of rocky edifice pilgrimage.  For which Sammi Lanyon had dusted off her walk-leading Scepter and morphed we trekking minions into a yowl of bush bustling cavaliers.              

And whilst Sammi’s past Flinders Spectaculars had been four days long, this year’s Spectacular was down to just three, owing to some governmental campsite admin hick-ups,  therefore the itinerary was as follows:

Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby in good season

The Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby Petrogale xanthopus is Australia’s prettiest macropod and largest rock wallaby. We’re incredibly lucky to live close to the stronghold of this arid zone specialist in the Flinders Ranges. Here, they are known as andu by the Adnyamathanha people.

Who can forget the sudden and unexpected joy of disturbing a pair in a gorge, to watch them seem to float over the boulders as they make their effortless escape.

The Via di Francesco or St Francis Way starts in Florence then continues on to Rome via Assisi.  This route is 550 km and takes 28 days of walking.  In October 2023, Martin, Bruce and I walked the southern section from Assisi and stopping at Rieti.  

Most of us are familiar with the exploits and misfortunes of the brilliant explorer and cartographer Matthews Flinders RN who sadly died in 1814 at the young age of 40.

After being held by the French on Mauritius for 6 years, he finally reached home and his wife in 1810 after having been away for 10 years.

As part of the great voyage of discovery, the Investigator was to chart those parts of Terra Australis (now Australia) not already charted by the ...

Mount Zeil is the most famous mountain you may never have heard of. Hiding away in the arid inland, it is not only the highest peak in the Northern Territory, it’s higher than any peak outside of the Eastern states. To be honest, it’s not much to look at, but the way it rises from the plain out to the west of the West MacDonnell ranges makes it a spectacular climb, and only difficult because of its remote location. 

All of ...

Are you thinking of joining ABW but put off by the idea of having to qualify? Well, join the club! That’s exactly how I felt when I first looked at becoming a member. 

I was a fit, experienced, multi-day walker and, to be honest, the thought of having to go on trial grated a little. Nobody likes tests.

Looking back, I now see a lot of good reasons why qualifying exists. And I also see that it didn’t make any difference to ...

Welcome to our first Tandanya magazine for a while, and a new beginning. A few words about this edition are worthwhile. 

Jules’s article is the jewel in the crown. It’s her words and photos from a travel diary, lightly edited and formatted into a web document. That’s also her photo on the cover. What makes it unique is the honest approach; there’s no bravado or exaggeration. Anyone planning the trip will get a clear view of the challenges ahead.

Lee’s article is ...

When hearing about a hike, the temptation to ask ‘how far are you hiking’ is innocent enough; however this question is fraught with uncertainties – and the truth is, there is no correct answer. As a South Australian completing the Heysen, I could cover 30-35km a day or 6km an hour if that section of track was favourable. For this Tasmanian Mt Anne Circuit, there were many sheer ridgeline-kilometres that took 2 hours to achieve each 1km. Timing and tyranny ...

The Pyrenees is the mountain range that runs east to west from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean.  It forms the border between France and Spain.  It’s an area rich in agricultural and mining history, prehistoric remains and large forests.

I had come across this blog that got me interested in further research and the first walk I led for the club in 2018 began to take shape

It soon becomes apparent that there are very many walking options along ...

From the Archive: a pamphlet produced in 1977 shows just how little has changed.

See the end for suggested 2024 updates.

What better way to relaunch our journal than by paying respect to its name and the people it comes from.

The Kaurna of the Adelaide plain have country from Parawa in the south to near Crystal Brook. By the 1860s, their language was no longer spoken, but several early efforts to write it down have survived to this day.

Tandanya of course is named for the location of the city of ...

From where the Heysen Trail ends in Parachilna Gorge, the Flinders Ranges extend North through pastoral leases, conservation areas, Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park, Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary and the Indigenous Protected Area of Nantawarrina, to Mt Hopeless.

This item reports on an environmental monitoring project being conducted in the Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park by members of the Park’s Friends group. Early reports on this project have appeared in the Autumn, 2017 and Summer, 2019 issues of Tandanya. It is a Citizen Science project that sees Friends group members working under the guidance, and with the support, of scientific professionals including Mr Robert Brandle, Senior Conservation Ecologist, DEW. (from Tandanya Autumn 2021)

Each year the Wednesday Walkers hold a week long bushwalk / camp which is open to all club members. There is no overnight walking but the scenery and activities are great. 2020 saw 16 ABW members going to Gammon Ranges. (from Tandanya Autumn 2021)

Five ABW members made their way to Hobart, flew to Melaleuca, then completed a 10 day South West Cape loop hike encountering a wide variety of conditions. (From Tandanya Autumn 2021)

Scattered throughout our state there are trail monitors on trails and Summit Logbooks on peaks and they provide us with a wealth of information. For example they show how many walkers are using the trails which, in turn, will validate trail improvements and infra structure measures. These statistics are also useful when governments review policy such as the Pastoral Act late last year and can assist local entities in land management and regulation. From Tandanya Autumn 2021.