Five top Aussie autumn walks

Five top Aussie autumn walks 

I adore all the seasons for different reasons, but autumn has a special place in my sense of wellbeing, with its cool nights and variable days, and its fungi, fruits and golden nothofagus. It's a great time to get out walking across the country.

It's a great time to get out there, exploring. Ken Eastwood on Mt Jagungal walk.

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness... oh if only I'd appreciated Keats' poetry when I was forced to study it at school. Of course the change in the Aussie bush at autumn isn't nearly as dramatic as it is in much of the world. I remember living for almost two years in New England, USA, where the change is so spectacularly dramatic as leaves turn golden and vibrant reds, oranges and pinks.
Most of the time in Australia we don't get those colours, except where there is an abundance of introduced trees and a cooler climate. In the Blue Mountains, NSW, try the beautiful Mt Wilson area, or the botanic gardens at Mt Tomah.
Still, it's a cracking great season to be out and about. The ocean water is still relatively warm, so you can have a swim , but the days are generally cooler than through summer, and the nights begin to become wonderfully refreshing (making it better for camping). Also, in the Top End and the Kimberley, it's the end of the Wet season, so many walking areas begin to open up again, and it's one of the best times to be up there, with the bold colours, full waterholes and rejuvenated vegetation.
There are boundless brilliant walks, but here are five to get you thinking.

1. Dove Lake, Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair NP, Tas.

One of Australia's few plant species that makes a dramatic change over autumn is the nothofagus, with its tiny leaves turning gold and red, making places such as the hills around Dove Lake come alive in colour. Walks here vary from relatively easy strolls of an hour or so up to multi day adventures along the Overland Track. Highly recommended is the full day walk up Cradle Mountain, and then along to Twisted Lakes.

2. Mt Jagungal, Mt Kosciuszko National Park, NSW

Mt Jagungal ... moody and starkly beautiful.

A ripper at anytime of year (including the middle of winter when it is covered in snow), this two-day hike takes you across open alpine plains, across rivers, through alpine forest, and up way above the treeline to the top of this iconic mountain that gives you an epic 360-degree view. There are plenty of ways up and down it, but in my book, Top Walks in NSW, I describe one of the easiest routes, staying in the excellent huts along the way. It's still a trek, and a great adventure.

3. Piccaninny Creek, Purnululu National Park, WA

The Wet is over and the colours in this extraordinary park are absolutely spectacular. The brightly striped orange and black Bungle Bungle formations have masses of bright yellow wattle at their base, the spinifex is surprisingly bright green, the sky a vivid blue, and the waterholes reflect it all. Most of the walks in Purnululu National Park are short walks of an hour or so, but you are free to explore this gorge for as many days as you like. I recommend at least two nights to get a feel of the remoteness and the exceptional beauty of this World Heritage listed treasure.

4. Mt Grenfell Historic Site, NSW

Mt Grenfell Historic Site ... hundreds of individual art works

As weather cools down, inland areas once again become more pleasant to travel to, particularly for those not used to the sometimes harsh conditions. Mt Grenfell Historic Site, about 70km out of Cobar, is one of the exceptional cultural treasures in the state – probably the densest area of Aboriginal art. Three separate galleries have layer upon layer of art works, and you could spend hours just contemplating the history and ambience of this special spot. There is a choice of a short, 15-minute walk from the car park, or a 5km loop.  

5. Walk over some politicians, ACT

There are few places in the world where you can tromp all over the roof of the federal parliament, and Australia's parliament has lush lawns in which to do so. And let's face it, there's something pleasurable about walking over the heads of politicians. Canberra itself is a walkers' paradise in autumn, with plenty of great options: around the lake, the Australian National Botanic Gardens or in the vast wild areas of Namadgi National Park, which may even get snow on its higher peaks.

Go on... you know you want to. www.kensbigbackyard.com.au