The Great North Walk is a 169 mi point-to-point long-distance trail that starts at Macquarie Place, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and ends at Bicentennial Park, in the coastal city of Newcastle, New South Wales. A well-marked hiking trail linking the state’s two largest cities; this walking trail can be hiked in either direction but is usually walked south to north, with access to public transport and parking at either end. The Great North Walk, established in 1988, is considered difficult due to its relentless undulating terrain, made even more challenging during bad weather and by the presence of mosquitoes and leaches during the summer months, which is why it’s best walked during the late autumn, winter and spring. For information on how we grade trails, please click here. It’s usually completed in approximately 16 days, although sometimes as quickly as 10, or the route is split into day hike sections and completed over time. Caution is advised on trail times as this depends on multiple variables. For more info, click here. Hikers are expected to be self-sufficient when it comes to food and water on this bushwalk, although there are resupply stops available along the way, so be sure to plan your stops in your route planner in advance. There are designated campsites This hiking route is a wonderful mix of nature, history and urban landscape; taking in many culturally significant points of interest but also an abundance of breath-taking views. The trail’s highest peak, Mt Warrawolong at 641 metres is also a historical site for Aboriginal ceremonies, whilst the path also leads you past more than a dozen Aboriginal sites showcasing some of the oldest rock carvings in the world. Dogs are not allowed on this trail.
