Bushwalking, Sydney is an excellent base for bushwalkers, with the state’s best-known walking track located on its southern doorstep the 16.5 mile Coast Track in the Royal National Park, which runs from Bundeena to Otford. Beautiful beaches, diverse vegetation and easy access by public transport (train and ferry from the city) contribute to the popularity of this walk, which is one of many in the park. West of Sydney, the Upper Blue Mountains have the country’s most extensive network of bushwalking trails, many of them of historical interest. Bonuses include magnificent cliff-top views, varied wildlife and lush, rainforest-filled gullies. More Experienced walkers who prefer navigating through trackless bush should head for wilder areas such as Wollemi National Park to the north and Kanangra Boyd National Park to the south. Morton National Park, inland from Ulladulla, is also favoured by expert bushwalkers. Indeed, some parts of this park, such as the Castle and Monolith Valley, are so popular that tracks have been formed by usage alone, prompting the park authorities to intervene to prevent erosion. Less experienced walkers will opt for marked tracks such as the one that leads to the top of Pigeon House Mountain, where ladders have been built to provide access to the summit. Granite tors, alpine lakes, wildflowers, and panoramic views make the Snow Mountains another favourite area for walkers of all levels of experience. By taking a chairlift from Thredbo then following marked trails, in summer almost anyone can walk to the top of Mount Kosciuszko, Australia’s highest peak. Situated west of the Great Dividing Range, Warrumbungle National Park in central New South Wales features dramatic volcanic peaks and spires, and superb lookouts linked by an extensive network of bushwalking tracks. Further west, you can sample the arid terrain typical of so much of Central Australia at Mutawintji National Park north-east of Broken Hill, where excellent walking tracks follow sandy river beds and skirt rocky ridgetops dotted with caves rich in ancient Aboriginal.