Tasmania's Next Iconic Walk and Great Ocean Road coastal trail set to boost Australia's hiking industry.
The boom in trail construction across the country has led to a surge in hiking popularity, with almost 4 million Australians taking part each year. The AllTrails app saw a significant increase of almost 300% in distance walked by Australian users last year.
Several big-ticket walks are set to break ground this year. Tasmania's Next Iconic walk is a three-day hike through the Tyndall Range on the island state's rugged west coast, while Victoria's 76km Great Ocean Road coastal trail will run along the Otway coast from Fairhaven through to Grey River.
For those waiting for their new tracks to get underway, here are some of the best new (and soon-to-open) trails to stretch your legs this year.
The Gidjuum Gulganyi walk in New South Wales offers a magical world where waterfalls cascade through ancient volcano craters and subtropical Gondwana rainforest. Launched last year, the 42km, four-day hike follows the southern rim of the Tweed volcano and will have space for just 15 walkers a day when it launches.
The Ngaro track in Queensland is aiming to turn the Whitsunday islands group into a hiking hotspot. The three-day walk begins at Whitehaven beach before traversing a mix of coastal landscapes, open forest and rocky peaks that offer panoramic vistas of the island group.
The Tidbinbilla Mindjagari track in the Australian Capital Territory is not for the faint-hearted. The 14km of fresh trails added to the network includes routes to the top of the Tidbinbilla Range where walkers can enjoy views out over the Brindabellas and Kosciuszko national park.
The Adelaide 100 in South Australia has been a long-time project, but is finally nearing completion. For now, walkers can follow a continuous section of more than 70km that winds through the koala-filled foothills of the Mount Lofty Ranges.
The Leeuwin Biddi trail in Western Australia offers an easier way to appreciate the beautiful stretch of coastline on South-west WA's Cape to Cape track. The 3km trail is an accessible path designed for all ages and abilities that follows the coast and links with existing trails to connect the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse with Augusta Boat Harbour.
The Snowies Alpine walk in New South Wales meanders across the rooftop of Australia, connecting alpine meadows filled with endemic wildflowers, historic mountain huts and stands of sinuous snow gums that overlook clear glacial lakes.
The Twin Bridges track in Queensland reopened last December and will connect the communities of Wangetti and Mowbray. The dual-use trail takes walkers and cyclists through the lush hinterland of the Wet Tropics world heritage area in far north Queensland.
The Uluru-Kata Tjuta signature walk is set to launch in April, allowing walkers to stay overnight in Uluru-Kata Tjuta national park for the first time. The 54km walk includes five days of guided hiking through the desert along with cultural workshops and chef-prepared meals.
Several international hikes are worth watching this year. The Dongseo trail in South Korea will stretch almost 850km across the Korean peninsula when completed later this year, connecting ancient Buddhist temples and beautiful mountain scenery.
The Kawarau Gorge trail in New Zealand will link Queenstown and Cromwell via several swing bridges and cantilevered catwalks. It will also connect to a 530km network of trails that stretches from Queenstown to Dunedin in the South Island.
The Transcaucasian trail is an ambitious 3,000km project spread across Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, taking in spectacular alpine scenery and fascinating religious sites.
The boom in trail construction across the country has led to a surge in hiking popularity, with almost 4 million Australians taking part each year. The AllTrails app saw a significant increase of almost 300% in distance walked by Australian users last year.
Several big-ticket walks are set to break ground this year. Tasmania's Next Iconic walk is a three-day hike through the Tyndall Range on the island state's rugged west coast, while Victoria's 76km Great Ocean Road coastal trail will run along the Otway coast from Fairhaven through to Grey River.
For those waiting for their new tracks to get underway, here are some of the best new (and soon-to-open) trails to stretch your legs this year.
The Gidjuum Gulganyi walk in New South Wales offers a magical world where waterfalls cascade through ancient volcano craters and subtropical Gondwana rainforest. Launched last year, the 42km, four-day hike follows the southern rim of the Tweed volcano and will have space for just 15 walkers a day when it launches.
The Ngaro track in Queensland is aiming to turn the Whitsunday islands group into a hiking hotspot. The three-day walk begins at Whitehaven beach before traversing a mix of coastal landscapes, open forest and rocky peaks that offer panoramic vistas of the island group.
The Tidbinbilla Mindjagari track in the Australian Capital Territory is not for the faint-hearted. The 14km of fresh trails added to the network includes routes to the top of the Tidbinbilla Range where walkers can enjoy views out over the Brindabellas and Kosciuszko national park.
The Adelaide 100 in South Australia has been a long-time project, but is finally nearing completion. For now, walkers can follow a continuous section of more than 70km that winds through the koala-filled foothills of the Mount Lofty Ranges.
The Leeuwin Biddi trail in Western Australia offers an easier way to appreciate the beautiful stretch of coastline on South-west WA's Cape to Cape track. The 3km trail is an accessible path designed for all ages and abilities that follows the coast and links with existing trails to connect the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse with Augusta Boat Harbour.
The Snowies Alpine walk in New South Wales meanders across the rooftop of Australia, connecting alpine meadows filled with endemic wildflowers, historic mountain huts and stands of sinuous snow gums that overlook clear glacial lakes.
The Twin Bridges track in Queensland reopened last December and will connect the communities of Wangetti and Mowbray. The dual-use trail takes walkers and cyclists through the lush hinterland of the Wet Tropics world heritage area in far north Queensland.
The Uluru-Kata Tjuta signature walk is set to launch in April, allowing walkers to stay overnight in Uluru-Kata Tjuta national park for the first time. The 54km walk includes five days of guided hiking through the desert along with cultural workshops and chef-prepared meals.
Several international hikes are worth watching this year. The Dongseo trail in South Korea will stretch almost 850km across the Korean peninsula when completed later this year, connecting ancient Buddhist temples and beautiful mountain scenery.
The Kawarau Gorge trail in New Zealand will link Queenstown and Cromwell via several swing bridges and cantilevered catwalks. It will also connect to a 530km network of trails that stretches from Queenstown to Dunedin in the South Island.
The Transcaucasian trail is an ambitious 3,000km project spread across Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, taking in spectacular alpine scenery and fascinating religious sites.
. It's like, Aussie hikers are already loving their trails, with almost 4 million of us hitting the bush each year 
. And it's not just about the numbers - these new trails promise to deliver some serious scenic views and unique experiences 
.
And the fact that we've got international hikes on the horizon, like the Transcaucasian trail in Georgia & Armenia, is just mind-blowing! 
. We're already seeing a surge in people taking up the sport, and it's only going to keep growing with all these new options 
.
i'm so hyped for these new trails! it's amazing how many new ones are popping up around australia 
it's like our planet is giving us one big high-five 
and saying "hey, come check out all this beauty!" 
i've been using that app AllTrails more often now cuz i wanna try them all 
can't wait to see which ones get popular soon 
. When we get out there on the trails, connecting with nature and pushing ourselves, that's when we realize how small our problems are compared to the vastness of the world around us 
!
, and I'm hyped to hit the Tyndall Range trails 
, waterfalls cascade through ancient volcano craters? Mind blown! 
. Bring on the adventure! 
and vics great ocean road coastal trail is gonna be lit too, cant wait for that section near grey river 
is this gonna be a crazy busy year for hikers? With all these new trails popping up everywhere, I'm kinda worried about the environment being able to handle it 
. Are they doing enough to keep the tracks clean and sustainable? 
Also, what's with the rise in popularity of hiking apps like AllTrails? Is everyone just getting more adventurous or is there something else at play? 
I've heard some of these trails can be pretty rough, but are they gonna cater to beginners or will it be all about the experienced hikers? 
Should we be worried about overcrowding on these popular trails?
its an accessible path designed for all ages and abilities which is amazing because i have a little one who loves exploring the outdoors but can't do long hikes. this 3km trail is perfect for us to enjoy together 
we're planning to do the 14km Tidbinbilla Mindjagari track soon too because that one sounds like a real challenge for us 
There are already so many awesome hikes out there that the average person is barely going to have time to do them all before the next ones open up. And what's with the obsession with making everything super Instagrammable? Remember when hiking was just about getting out into nature and enjoying the views? 
I mean, can't they just make it easier to plan hikes? The AllTrails app is already showing a huge surge in distance walked by Aussie users last year, so why do we need more trails that are only accessible for 15 people at a time? Like, what's the point of even calling it a 'hiking trail' if you can't even fit everyone on it? 
. Don't get me wrong, I love a good challenge, but what about people who just want to chill on a Sunday morning with a cuppa and enjoy the views? We're always pushing ourselves to be more adventurous, but shouldn't we also make time for relaxation? 
and it's awesome to see more australians gettin outdoors & enjoyin nature. we shoulda done this ages ago 
.
almost 4 million Aussies are getting out there every year, thats wild!