What we’re about
Looking forward to exploring Victoria's parks and forests, meeting new people, getting fit and having fun!
This group is for anyone who has an interest in hiking, bushwalking and unusual fun adventures around Melbourne and surrounding areas. We may be adults, but that shouldn't exclude us from having fun and rediscovering our inner child at times!
All ages and skill levels are welcome (with the level of difficulty posted for each activity). I enjoy being immersed in nature and exploring new places and experiences. It's not a race, and time to appreciate surroundings, respect for the environment, support each-other and cater for everyone's ability level is paramount.
Most walks will be within two hours of Melbourne on the weekends, beginning between 9-11am. There will be occasional walk-in and camp hikes and if the location is further away an option of camping beforehand.
You can use this group's page as a forum to suggest and organise your own walks or activities if that is something that interests you. At this stage most walks will not be above a medium grade, however everyone is encouraged to suggest/run other walks or activities; as part of the joys of bushwalking/life lie in exploring new places and experiences, it's also sometimes easier and more enjoyable to do this with others.
I'll also be adding some other activities which might include things like such as Zero Latency (3D games), kayaking, murder mystery on the puffing billy express, escape rooms, urban challenges, board game events etc.
Some activities will involve a small fee to cover site costs and other associated fees. Please note that I am not a qualified guide or expert, and as such, those opting to join this group should only do so by recognising and accepting responsibility for their own personal safety during events.
If the weather looks bad the day before keep an eye on the board; if the forecast predicts high winds and heavy rain walks may be cancelled. If you need to contact me about an event please email me directly as opposed to posting on the event page.
Before joining, please ensure that your profile picture clearly shows your face. Things may come up that will prevent you from attending - if so, please change your RSVP to reflect this. This will allow others the opportunity to take your place with sufficient notice. No shows who give no notification will be removed from the group.
Jaye.
WARNINGS AND DISCLAIMERS
Melbourne Bushwalking and other fun stuff! makes no statements, representations, or warranties about the accuracy or completeness of the content presented and for this reason you should not rely on any information contained in this publication.
Melbourne Bushwalking and other fun stuff! disclaims all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages and costs you might incur as a result of the information being inaccurate or incomplete in any way and for any reason.
You agree to exclude the trip organiser from any liability for negligence. Also you accept the organizers have no duty of care to you - we owe you no obligation to provide safety, rescue in an emergency or guarantee arrival/departure times. This is because we have no training or qualifications in leading walks.
Bushwalking is an inherently dangerous activity. By participating in this event you acknowledge that you could be:
Subject to danger from animal attack including but not limited to: dogs, cats, feral goats, camels, wombats, panthers, bulls, water buffalo, feral pigs, horses, deer, spiders, snakes, ticks, bees, wasps, birds, people and leeches that could cause short term or permanent injury or death to you.
Injured, necessitating an air ambulance rescue costing you $20,000 plus climbing in dangerous environments without safety gear where an accident could mean serious or permanent injury or even death.
Creek/river crossings can result in slipping, injury, damaged clothes & equipment, getting soaked, drowning or hypothermia.
In contact with poisonous vegetation; thorns; sharp branches; spikey/prickly vegetation; bits of metal; teeth; horns; hooves.
Tripped by fallen trees or limbs or rocks, struck by falling trees or limbs or rocks injured or killed by creeks, rivers, swamps, cliffs, mine shafts, wombat holes, rabbit burrows, trail bike riders, agricultural machinery, bushfires, lightning, tsunami, earthquake.
You must have ambulance insurance to cover the costs of treatment and/or rescue. If an evacuation is needed and you do not have insurance then you will be responsible for the costs which could exceed tens of thousands of dollars.
By joining any event you acknowledge that you understand these risks and will not make the trip organiser responsible for any outcome or costs that you may face. You also exclude any liability for negligence on behalf of the trip organiser.
Leaders in this group are not professionally trained in hiking or outdoor activities and do not have the equipment to handle dangerous situations adequately. It is recommended you carry an PLB (Personal Locator Beacon), appropriate first-aid equipment and undertake a relevant outdoor training course in remote area first aid and remote area navigation so you can make informed decisions in the event of fire, flood, injury, snake/spider/animal bite, lack of water, poor route choices that may delay you or cause danger or any other incidents that may occur in the outdoors. These services will not be provided for you by this group and you agree to exclude the trip organisers from any liability for negligence for any outcome you may experience on this walk.
Individuals interested in carpooling may voluntarily do so. You are advised that the use of carpool system is voluntary and entirely at the discretion of participants. This hiking group or the organizers assumes no responsibility. It is the responsibility of individuals participating in a carpool to notify their insurance provider of their intent to carry non-family passengers and to ensure that they have adequate coverage to protect both themselves and their passengers. It is the responsibility of the individual accepting a ride in a carpool to ensure that the driver of the vehicle has an acceptable driving record, is licensed accordingly and has adequate insurance to protect both driver and passengers. This group and organizers are no way responsible for verifying or certifying the reliability, driving ability or insurance status of drivers and participants using the system. You agree to exclude any liability for negligence on behalf of the trip organiser and other drivers for the items mentioned above.
Upcoming events (1)
See all- Expressions of Interest - Tramping New Zealand - Summer 2026Needs location
Hi All
Having recently led a group of 9 in completing the Overland Track in Tasmania, I’m looking to expand my horizons and do my first international hike. Not too far, but thinking across the ditch to do some world class walks in New Zealand’s Southern Island. I’m very keen on the following Great Walks.
- Milford Track - Billed as ‘the finest walk in the world' - Take a journey along valleys carved by glaciers, wander through ancient rainforests and admire cascading waterfalls. You’ll follow a historic route through Fiordland National Park, part of Te Wāhipounamu – South West New Zealand World Heritage Area, before reaching your final destination, the spectacular Milford Sound/Piopiotahi.
53.5km over 4 days/3 nights and staying in huts along the way.
Hut Fees: $390 (2025 price)
For further Information: https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/fiordland/places/fiordland-national-park/things-to-do/tracks/milford-track/
- Routeburn Track – The Routeburn Track is the ultimate alpine adventure, taking you through ice-carved valleys and below the majestic peaks of the Southern Alps/ Kā Tiritiri o te Moana. A short trip from bustling Queenstown, this Great Walk links Mount Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks in Te Wāhipounamu – South West New Zealand World Heritage Area. Weaving through meadows, reflective tarns and alpine gardens, you’ll be rewarded with spectacular vistas over vast mountain ranges and valleys.
33km over 3 days.
Hut Fees: $240 (2025 price)
For further Information: https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/fiordland/places/fiordland-national-park/things-to-do/tracks/routeburn-track/
Backup option if one of these sells out could be the Kepler Track. 3 days, 60Km loop track. $240 NZD.
Note that both of these hikes can be taken leaving Queenstown and I am envisaging a rest day in Queenstown between hikes to rest, recover, restock and sleep before the second hike,
Bookings for the Great Walks go on sale for the Routeburn on the 22nd of May and Milford on the 28th May. I will be on-line to make the group bookings as soon as the bookings open and will do my best to secure the bookings as discussed above. I’m hoping to make a group booking for around 10 people on these dates, so if intending in coming I will need payment for the hut fees by the 20th May. An exact itinerary will be worked out once the huts are booked, although I am thinking of including a 2 night stay in Queenstown between hikes to rest, recuperate, eat and restock.
Approximate Major Cost: $1854 - $2500
Refer to attached image showing price discovery as at 14/04/2025. Note this is just to give an idea on costs, actual costs will vary with exchange rates and also we may be able to organize group booking discounts etc. Also will depend upon accommodation and flights options to be discussed and considered as a group.I've assumed an early flight (6am, cheapest @ $375) and three nights budget accommodation in Queenstown. Happy to reconsider these options after further discussion with those that sign-up. Volunteers to help research/organize these options would also be awesome - divide and conquer so they say! Also expect bookings for Flights, Travel Accommodation to be organized via the Whatsapp group throughout June/July. I’m not sure if things will book out, so we will book early, as a group to make sure everything runs smoothly. Further payments will therefore be required as we organize these together.
Dates of Travel: I understand that the ideal time to hike these tracks is in February, so my intention is to make the hut booking for Late February, Early March 2026. Exact dates to be confirmed once huts are locked in. Effort will be taken to avoid NZ school and public holidays.
Training and Lead-up Practice Hikes: As with the Overland track I will organize a series of practice hikes in the months leading up to this hike. These will usually be scheduled for the first weekend of each month from Oct through to February and will be at destinations around Victoria, such as Wilsons Prom, Great Ocean Walk (partial) , Great South West Walk (partial), Grampians etc. If signing up for the New Zealand hike you must commit to coming to at least some of these lead-up hikes. This is to ensure that you have the right equipment, fitness level and attitude to make the New Zealand hike an enjoyable experience for everyone.
Medical cover: Australia and New Zealand have a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with each other, and will typically cover emergency medical treatment. Additional Travel Insurance may be considered.
To Register Your Interest:
- RSVP to this event in the meetup app, and
- IMPORTANT: Join the following Whatsapp group created specifically to organizing this trip: https://chat.whatsapp.com/H6T2pTK6e7c3LZJXGLQgFH
- IMPORTANT: Numbers are limited to approx. 10 people. These will be the first 10 people who confirm their intention to attend and who transfer me the money to be part of the group booking for huts. This needs to be done before the 20th May,
Cancelations: Everyone will book their own flights, so cancellations for flights will be as per airline policy. I do suggest that we all travel together on the same flight. A number of group bookings will be made, including for the huts, and possibly also for accommodation and busses etc. If you are unable to attend every effort will be made to find a replacement and/or to organize refunds where possible, but this may not be possible if cancellations are made within the last month.
Questions: Please post questions via the comments here, or to the Whatsapp group shown above.
Look forward to some of your company on a new hiking adventure in 2026!
Cheers
Stephen Hallyburton
Disclaimer: By signing up to this event you accept that you are solely responsible for yourselves and your guests. You agree that you are responsible for assessing your and fitness level before deciding to attend any event or activity. You also agree to hold free from liability the organizers and event hosts of this group for any accident, incident, event cancellation or resulting physical, health or emotional consequences for you and your guests from participating in the event.
At the end of the day, we are just likeminded people getting together for a fun shared activity and are each solely responsible for ourselves.
Not open - Milford Track - Billed as ‘the finest walk in the world' - Take a journey along valleys carved by glaciers, wander through ancient rainforests and admire cascading waterfalls. You’ll follow a historic route through Fiordland National Park, part of Te Wāhipounamu – South West New Zealand World Heritage Area, before reaching your final destination, the spectacular Milford Sound/Piopiotahi.
