Great North Walk Map Kit

The Great North Walk, a 250 kilometre bush walking track linking Sydney city with the Hunter Valley and Newcastle, is a one-stop-shop of the best scenery highlights NSW has to offer.       Passing through a diverse range of natural habitats and bushland as well as rural and urban settings, including Sydney Harbour, Berowra Valley, Hawkesbury River, Watagan Mountains, Lake Macquarie and the Newcastle coastline, The Great North Walk is a must-see for bushwalkers and nature lovers alike.       Wine lovers are also catered for, with 75 kilometres of link tracks connecting the walk to the Pokolbin vineyards and to the Sydney-Newcastle bus and railway lines.       With camping grounds, water stations and other facilities scattered throughout, the walk boasts lookouts, rainforest, a plethora of diverse native flora and fauna, sandstone ridges, coastal terrain and well-maintained boardwalks.       To help plan and enjoy the Great North Walk, a map kit has been produced to provide general information such as the localities of main and link tracks, public transport, flora, fauna, points of interest, historical background and geology etc.       The kit has six individual maps in easy foldout format, enclosed weatherproof plastic sleeve. The kit also contains details on the six shorter walks available to hikers.      

History

      The Great North Walk was initially constructed as a celebration of Australias Bicentenary in 1988.       In 1981, two walkers from Sydney, Garry McDougall and Leigh Shearer-Heriot, came up with the idea to walk from Sydney to Newcastle. After spending some time identifying an appropriate route, they decided to try and create a formal track.       In 1983 they approached the NSW Bicentennial Committee for support. Minor grants followed and in 1986, the Bicentennial Committee allocated a major grant. The track was then adopted by The Department of Lands and became a reality in 1988.       Crown Lands continues to undertake its maintenance, construction, conservation enhancement and future development.       It is estimated that more than 40,000 local, interstate and international visitors use the walk annually, either taking the challenge of the full 12-16 day hike, or enjoying shorter walks of one or two days in different sections of the walk.