Throughout Australia, national parks walking (bushwalking) tracks vary in grade of difficulty based upon a range of factors. These tracks are graded using a safety standard classification termed the Australian Walking Track Grading System (AWTGS) based on the Australian Standard for walking track construction (AS 2156). It was funded and developed by a Victorian Government initiative, in partnership government agencies […]
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Tour Title: Falls & Forest to Scenic Tour Code: SK-LCS Tour Type: Short 3 Hour Guided Hiking Tour Tour Price: $70 pp Tour Times: Start at Blue Mountains Cultural Centre, Katoomba 7:30am. Return to Katoomba 3:30pm approx. Tour Duration: 8 hours approx. Transport: Our tour leader is a qualified coach captain driving our tour vehicle ‘Excalibur’ – our luxury P38 […]
Continue reading »by Andy Macqueen, 2017 Andy Macqueen is an engineer, hydrologist, conservationist, bushwalker and an accomplished writer of Blue Mountains history. This is his fifth book. Wayfaring in Wollemi celebrates the human side of wilderness. It presents the stories of 28 people: colonial explorers and surveyors, wanderers, cattlemen, would-be developers, adventurers and conservationists. For one reason or another they each spent a part […]
Continue reading »Nature Trail Programme for 2017 Summer We are pleased to offer our Nature Trail Programme for 2017 Summer below, exploring an eclectic mix of bushwalking tours particular to the cooler Upper Blue Mountains through Summer. Tour_Status Sequence Tour Code ……….Tour_Title…………………… Day ….Date…. Practice Trip 10 JEC Jamison Escarpment and Cascades Sat 2-Dec-17 Practice Trip 11 GCM Grand Canyon Majesty Sat […]
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Some 120km west of Sydney and at 1052 metres above sea level, Mount Victoria on the western escarpment is the highest and last village of the Central Blue Mountains before the road heads down the pass into the verdant valleys beyond. It is a charming Victorian village with heritage architecture dating back to the 1840s. It’s One Tree Hill at […]
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From time to time as the seasons entice, Nature Trail ventures beyond the Blue Mountains west into the pastoral and historic Central West Region of New South Wales, like on this occasion. We arrive in spring and high altitude Oberon’s fickle weather is luckily sunny for us today. Mayfield Garden is 13 km outside the old logging town of Oberon, […]
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Grand tour this one, so we get an early start at 7am. We explore what Shipley Plateau has to offer west of Blackheath, plus the entire length of the Megalong. ‘Megalong’ is Aboriginal for ‘valley under the cliff’ – Narrowneck’s ancient and magisterial sandstone escarpment. Locals have long balked at the tautology of ‘Megalong Valley‘ – translated to be ‘Valley […]
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Keen on an early start especially in the damp mist, determination paid off for us. Our small group of three drove out to one of the more remote parts of the Grose Gorge. Crawling along in the fog, our driver slowly rounded the corner to Eastern Grey Kangaroos happily grazing wild by the track. The dark grey male must have […]
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The forecast was for a warm windy day, so what better than to explore the shady dells below the Jamison Valley escarpment along the edge of Leura village. A small personable party of three, we passed through heath and native herbs, peas and myrtles flowering in spring this time of year. Cracked seed pods of the Hakea bushes lay across […]
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How lucky are we in the Mountains to celebrate spring and be just a short drive from a host of golden daffodils – all very much inspired by English 19th Century Romantic poet William Wordsworth. So last Saturday in mid September our tour headed west from the Blue Mountains, visiting wee Rydal village and its renowned daffodil festival. As always […]
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It was after much planning, preparation and investment that last Saturday 2nd September 2017 with great pleasure, Nature Trail was finally launched. Invited to the rather informal morning tea at Nature Trail Base were Anna, Annette, Geoff, Ivan, Phillip and local historian John Low OAM. John arrived from his new home in Portland and good local friends supportive of the […]
Continue reading »We are pleased to offer Blue Mountains Private Tours for 2017 Spring below focusing on a choice between classic Blue Mountains hikes, road touring and new cool climate gardens through spring. Please note that while Nature Trail undergoes development and is not yet ready to operate commercially. The following tours are undertaken as recces and practice trips and are available […]
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Today following personal encouragement from business coach Chris Borrett (left), I have decided to proceed to launch my business venture, Nature Trail – guided bushwalking tours into the beautiful and wild Blue Mountains around where I live. Publishing this website today is the unassuming launch. ‘Phase 1’ shall kick off from September 2017, initially non-commercial as an informal undertaking, inviting […]
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Tour Title: Katoomba Cascades to 3 Sisters Tour Code: HK-KPE Tour Type: Short Hiking Tour Tour Price: $20 pp Tour Times: Start at Katoomba Station 8:30am. Return to Katoomba Station 10:00am approx. Tour Duration: 1.5 hours approx. Transport: We go Eco and Low Cost. We then we catch a local bus. Use your Opal Card! Tour Overview: This is a […]
Continue reading »Nature Trail Practice Tours in Winter 2014 TRIP 02 Tour Title: Everglades and Sorensen Gardens Tour Code: GN-ESG Date: Wednesday, 4th Jun 2014 Trip Start Time: 10am Trip Finish Time: 2pm APPROX Trip Type: Morning with Gourmet Lunch Trip Category: Practice Trip Walk Distance/Grade: <1km / Easy […]
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OUR VERY FIRST TOUR Tour Title: Mountains Gardens & Nurseries Tour Code: GN-MGN Date: Saturday, 1st Feb 2014 Trip Start Time: 10am Trip Finish Time: 2pm APPROX Trip Type: Morning with Gourmet Lunch Trip Category: Practice Trip Walk Distance/Grade: <100m /Super Easy Transport Distance: nil Catering: […]
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Full Day Tour Super Easy Gourmet Lunch Tour Price $300 per guest Overview: A very private small group tour exploring selected formal private gardens of the Upper Blue Mountains. Local home owners show us around their private gardens and we head off to various local nurseries. We chat over lunch at magnificent Everglades Garden and have a wonder through […]
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