What Drives You?
What We Do to Help You
Since we started running adventures in remote places all over the world 18 years ago, we have also been dedicated to supporting our trekkers all the way to help them enjoy the adventure of their lifetime.
Getting adequately prepared physically and mentally is essential and No Roads is here for you to help!
No Roads has a network of Australian Guides on hand who like sharing their walking experience and expertise with like-minded people during our monthly scheduled free training walks. However, while most of our scheduled walks are located in our home state Victoria, we have put together a list of nationwide self-guided training walks for you. You have made your first step by securing your spot on your preferred expedition and now is the time to start your journey by getting into great shape for your adventure ahead!
Please contact us if you have any further questions about your training regime
We believe In The Power Of Nature
Robert Louis Stevenson once wrote “that quality of air, that emanation from old trees that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit” is just one of the thousands of observations from eminent writers, scientists, poets and philosophers on the power of being in Nature. These anecdotes are now being backed up by scientific observations that measure people’s stress levels, blood pressure, brain waves, and cancer-fighting NK cells among just a few. It is becoming abundantly clear that being in Nature, on the mountain, kayaking the water, trekking the forests, has long-term physical, psychological, and spiritual benefits that simply outperform many pharmaceuticals.
Adelaide
Waterfall Gully to Mt Lofty is a good start; twice up and down in around 200 minutes. The “goat track” up Chambers Gully is good for training for ascents. About 15 minutes up; its narrow and very steep. 3 times up and down or a couple up and then along Long Ridge to Mt Lofty summit and back is a good workout.
Another great walk is the Onkaparinga Gorge Loop Trail and Lookout, Sundews Ridge Hike. It’s a Grade 3 Moderate walk for about 2 hours but you can extend it onto other Tracks.
Click below to a link that explains this walk and other great walks in South Australia.
Cairns
In the north suburbs near the airport and botanical gardens is the “red arrow” walk (45 minutes – up & down) and at the top is the ‘blue arrow’ walk (150 minutes – up & around). Great walk to do with a pack. You can also go on the Green arrow walk to Whitfield.
Townsville
Castle hill is a good track, but is short and can be done several times from different directions with tracks leading onto each other.
Rockhampton
Mt Archer has a good short walk that can be done from several different sides.
Brisbane & Sunshine Coast
The “Hinterland Great Walk” – Maleny to Mapleton. This is 58 km overall but is broken into 5 different circuits you can do. There are ample good climbs for the legs. Great multi day walking.
Mt Cooroora at Pomona (just north of Noosa). The hardest climb but probably not long enough. Walking this twice is a really good training walk. Very steep and challenging with a full pack.
Mt Coolum. This is also an honest climb but a little short and the descent is quite easy. You can walk up from the carpark and there is another trail that goes over the back of the mountain back down. Then walk back up and then walk back down to carpark.
Glasshouse Mountains – There are plenty of walks out there, such as Mt Tibrogargan. You can do a fairly basic long-distance walk before a steep ascent up the mountain. The climb has rough and unstable terrain which sort of mirrors some of the stuff in PNG.
Within Caloundra, there is a boardwalk (mostly flat) that stretches for miles in both directions.
Gold Coast Hinterland
Springbrook National Park
Mt Cougal and Springbrook pinnacle are good walks for Kokoda.
Melbourne
There are several good walks around Melbourne for training.
In the Dandenongs are the 1000 Steps (45 mins up and back) at Upper Ferntree Gully and the Glasgow Track (45 minutes up and back) at the end of Glasgow Rd in Montrose.
Other more out of town walks are the You Yangs (2-3hrs walking) out of Geelong, Mt Macedon (2-4 hrs walking) north of Melbourne, Mt Martha (2-3hrs walking) on the Mornington Peninsula and Mt Donna Buang (5hrs walking) near Warburton. This last one is a challenging one and is only 1 to 1.5 hrs from Melbourne.
Sydney
There are plenty of walks around Sydney that are perfect for training. These are a few ideas.
Berowra Waters along the Great North Walk. A very enjoyable and scenic 17 km walk. Together with a few steep climbs the trail is very good.
Blue Mountains at Glenbrook. This is a trek/scramble/bushbash/mountain climb/hike through the Glenbrook Gorge, up the mountain side to Portal Lookout and back along the trails over the Causeway and back to the gates of the National Park. Fantastic scenery along the way. Along the way there are several sections (like creek crossings and rock walls) that will require a bit of teamwork.
Ku-ring-gai National Park. Start at the Gibberong Track Wahroonga and walk down to Bobbin Head. From there walk back up the Bobbin Head track, back down the Sphinx Track and along the Warrimoo Track back to Bobbin Head for lunch. From there walk around to Apple Tree bay and then head out of the park via Birrawanna and Kalkari Tracks. Should take about 5 hours plus lunch. It will mean leaving cars at both Wahroonga and Mount Colah.
Walk from Patonga to Mt Wondabyne Station on the Great North Walk (18 km). It should take about 4 to 5 hours to walk this section. Arrive at Mt Wondabyne Station.
Depending on the time, you can do another return walk from the Station towards Pindar Caves & Pool. This walk return is about 11kms. Catch the train from Wondabyne Station back to Brooklyn. The train leaves on the half-hour every hour.
Meet at the “Explorer’s Tree” in Katoomba. This tree is on the Great Western Highway, on your left just west of Katoomba. Look for Nellies Glen Road on your left. There is parking available. The walk is approx 15.5kms each way. The elevation change is 800m each way. The walk down should take approx 3 1/2 hrs. Plan to spend no more than one hour at Cox’s river for lunch and swim before heading back up. Please bring your cozies and towel if keen for a dip. The walk back up should take 5 to 6 hrs and have you back between 5:30 and 6:30 pm. Be sure to bring plenty of food and drink. Water is available from Cox’s river at the bottom. You will need lots of energy for this walk so it is important to keep eating and drinking along the way.
Canberra
Stockyard Spur Day Hike is a 13km hike in Namadgi National Park. This trek takes around 4 hours to complete and has quite a steep incline for the first 2km and then becomes more undulating for the remainder to the summit. This is a grade 4 walk that helps to prepare you for some inclines and declines that you will come across along the TMB.
You begin this trek at Corin Dam Car Park.
Mt Tennent is a 15km hike starting at Namadgi Visitor Centre after hours car park. This hike can take up to six hours to complete and is a challenging trek. This trek is undulating with steep sections. It is a popular hiking track.
