Australians have always loved to step out in nature, whether off-track or along a marked route. Bushwalking – an organised long-distance walk in rugged terrain that requires maps and camping equipment, or a family day out – is one of our most popular pastimes. This landmark book, now updated, was the first to delve into its rich and sometimes quirky history. From the earliest days of European settlement, colonists found pleasure in leisurely strolls through the bush, collecting flowers, sketching, bird watching and picnicking. Yet over time, walking for the sake of walking became the dominant motive. Walking clubs proliferated, railways organised mystery hikes attended by thousands, and Paddy Pallin established his equipment business. Bushwalking – serious walking – was invented. Whether you are inclined to put on your walking boots and pack your sleeping bag, or would rather stay in a luxury hut, this surefooted and witty book reveals how the ordinary act of walking can become extraordinary. 'As stimulating to the mind as a good walk in the bush.' — Bill Garner 'An absorbing exploration of the story of bushwalking in Australia. It's a well researched history, not just of walking, but of our changing relationship to the natural environment, of coming to know its unique beauty and its power to both inspire and restore the body and spirit. A compelling read for anyone who loves the Australian bush.' — Patti Miller '...a splendid social history, one so entertaining and revealing that you wonder why it hasn't been done before.' — Amanda Lohrey 'Slip this book in your swag – and step into adventure.' — Tom Griffiths

Challenges the convenient way in which white Australians have often 'forgotten' indigenous people from the 1950s onwards. This book talks about the work of many well-known Aboriginal artists, writers and performers, including Gordon Bennett, Destiny Deacon, Fiona Foley, Tracey Moffatt, Tony Birch, Kim Scott and Alexis Wright.

Lonely Planet's Walking Guides cover bushwalking and trekking routes throughout the world. Written by experienced trekkers, the guides are designed for anyone who believes that the best way to see a country is on foot, whether they are independent trekkers or in organized groups. Each guide includes walks of varying difficulty. Features of this series include: detailed day-by-day route descriptions; information on the culture and natural history of the region; what to take and where to get supplies on the way; comprehensive health and first-aid sections; clear, reliable maps; information on safety, preparation and planning, equipment and hiring porters; and advice on the best time of year to undertake each walk.

"Places are made after their stories. Just as place names describe complex, and conflicted, place-making aspirations, so with all marks associated with the marking of places: tracks, the symbolic representation of these in song, dance and poetic speech, indeed all the technologies that join up distances into narratives--they all inscribe the earth's surface with the forms of stories. Of course, these are not the same as the foundational myths of imperial cultures, whose aim is to displace any prior discourse of place-making. They are stories of, and as, journeys: passages in a double sense, constitutionally incomplete because they always await their completion in the act of crossing-over, or meeting, which, of course, is endless." Paul Carter 'Landscapes and Learning' maps some of these stories and passageways to open up new place making possibilities. The book uses the lens of place to explore how we can respond differently to some of the major questions of our time. Postcolonial global concerns such as increased displacement and migration, the loss of indigenous knowledges, and the imperatives of environmental degradation and climate change, require critical educational responses. Place studies provides new languages and fresh metaphors to open up interdisciplinary conversations in the space between local and global, and indigenous and non-indigenous knowledges. Through its focus on the mutual constitution of bodies, identities, histories, spaces and places, place studies offers a conceptual tool for important cultural and environmental transformations.

This third edition is a complete revision and rewrite of most of the popular bushwalks in the Budawangs area. Over 40 bushwalks are described with sketch maps and precise map references to aid the adventurous bushwalker. Full colour illustrations show the mountains and their unique formations as they are found, together with a sprinkling of the outdoor people who inhabit them for recreation. With the creeks, cliffs, waterfalls and perfect camping spots that outdoor people love so well, this book will unlock many of the hidden places in the Budawangs that we would all like to visit.