Australia's longest walking route is the Bicentennial National Trail, about 5,330 km from Cooktown in tropical Queensland to Healesville outside Melbourne. Next come two great state trails, South Australia's Heysen Trail at roughly 1,200 km and Western Australia's Bibbulmun Track at about 1,000 km. Below them sit routes that are shorter on paper but every bit as demanding, from the Australian Alps Walking Track across the high country to the Larapinta Trail through the red ranges west of Alice Springs.
Distance in Australia comes with conditions you will not meet on European or American trails: fire danger seasons that close whole trails in summer, long gaps between reliable water, snakes on warm days and a tropical north that is only walkable in the dry months. This guide ranks ten of the longest hiking trails in Australia by length, then explains what each walk is like, when it is open, how long it takes and how to get to the trailhead.
How this list was put together: We included established, waymarked long-distance trails that are walked end to end, ranked by approximate length from the official trail organisations. Distances are rounded, because realignments change them every few years. Seasons and closures reflect official guidance as checked in October 2026. Always check fire danger ratings and park alerts on the day you start.
- Longest trail: 5,330 km
- Trails in this guide: 10
- States and territories covered: 6
- Typical Bibbulmun end to end: 6 to 8 wks
The 10 longest hiking trails in Australia, trail by trail
The ten longest hiking trails in Australia run from the Bicentennial National Trail (about 5,330 km) through the Heysen Trail, Bibbulmun Track and Australian Alps Walking Track down to the Great Ocean Walk at about 104 km. The cards run from longest to shortest. Each gives the start and finish, the season, the time an end-to-end walker needs and a practical tip.
Bicentennial National Trail
Australia's longest trail, the multi-use Bicentennial National Trail through Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, was opened in 1988 to mark the bicentenary of European settlement. It runs about 5,330 km from Cooktown in far north Queensland to Healesville in Victoria, mostly along the Great Dividing Range, using old coach roads, stock routes, fire trails and bridle paths.
It was designed for horse riders as well as walkers and mountain bikers, which shapes the trail: campsites sit roughly a day's ride apart and many stretches follow wide tracks. The country changes from tropical rainforest and savanna in the north, through the New England tablelands and the hinterland of New South Wales, to the snow gum high country of the Victorian Alps.
Very few people walk it in one go. The tropical north is only passable in the dry season, the high country in summer, so an end-to-end trip means a year of careful timing. The trail is divided into 12 sections with their own guidebooks, and most walkers choose one of these. Water and resupply points are far apart in places, so plan each section in detail.
- Start and finish: Cooktown, QLD to Healesville, VIC
- Length: About 5,330 km
- Time needed: Most of a year end to end
- Users: Walkers, horse riders, mountain bikers
Best for: section walkers with time to plan. Tip: start with the Victorian high country section in late summer.
Heysen Trail
South Australia's Heysen Trail, walked only in the cooler season, runs about 1,200 km from Cape Jervis on the Fleurieu Peninsula to Parachilna Gorge in the Flinders Ranges. It is named after Sir Hans Heysen, the landscape painter famous for his pictures of gum trees and the Flinders.
The walk begins on coastal cliffs above Backstairs Passage, with Kangaroo Island across the water, then heads through farmland and the forests of the Adelaide Hills. It passes through the wine regions of the Barossa and Clare valleys before turning north into drier country. The final stretch through the Flinders Ranges, past Wilpena Pound and into ancient red gorges, is the high point.
Much of the trail closes during the Fire Danger Season, which usually runs from about November or December to April. The walking season is therefore autumn to spring. End-to-end walkers need about two to three months. Campsites and huts are spaced along the route, and the trail passes through enough towns for regular resupply.
- Start and finish: Cape Jervis to Parachilna Gorge
- Length: About 1,200 km
- Season: Roughly April or May to October
- Time needed: 2 to 3 months
Best for: variety in one trail. Tip: walk south to north to finish in the Flinders in spring wildflower season.
Bibbulmun Track
Western Australia's Bibbulmun Track, with the best facilities and huts of any trail here, runs about 1,000 km from Kalamunda in the hills east of Perth to Albany on the south coast. It is the best equipped long trail in Australia for independent walkers.
Campsites with three-sided shelters, water tanks, tables and toilets sit roughly a day's walk apart. The route passes through towns such as Dwellingup, Collie, Balingup, Donnelly River Village, Pemberton, Northcliffe, Walpole and Denmark, so you rarely carry more than a week of food. The forest changes as you go south, from jarrah and marri to tall karri, then the giant red tingle trees near Walpole, before the last stretch along beaches and granite headlands of the Southern Ocean.
Look for the yellow triangle markers with the Waugal, the rainbow serpent of Noongar Aboriginal culture. End-to-end walkers usually take six to eight weeks. Autumn to spring is the best time; summer brings heat and fire risk in the northern half.
- Start and finish: Kalamunda to Albany
- Length: About 1,000 km
- Season: Autumn to spring
- Facilities: Shelters, tanks, toilets about a day apart
Best for: a first long walk in Australia. Tip: the Walpole to Denmark section has the tingle forest and the best coast.
Australian Alps Walking Track
Crossing the high country of Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT, the Australian Alps Walking Track runs about 680 km from the old gold-mining town of Walhalla in Victoria to Tharwa on the edge of Canberra. It crosses the highest parts of the Australian mainland, through Alpine National Park, Kosciuszko National Park and Namadgi National Park.
This is a serious, remote walk. Signage is sparse in places, sections follow faint pads across open high plains, and resupply points are few, so most walkers place food drops before they start. The rewards are snow gum woodland, wildflower meadows in summer, old cattlemen's huts and a side trip to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko, the highest point on the mainland at 2,228 metres.
Walk it between December and March. Snow can fall in any month in the Alps, and fog and storms move in fast, so carry warm clothes, a good tent and navigation tools. Expect five to eight weeks end to end.
- Start and finish: Walhalla, VIC to Tharwa, ACT
- Length: About 680 km
- Season: December to March
- Highlight: Mount Kosciuszko side trip
Best for: experienced, self-reliant walkers. Tip: set up food drops at access roads before you start.
Hume and Hovell Walking Track
The Hume and Hovell Walking Track runs about 440 km between Yass and Albury in southern New South Wales. It follows the route of the explorers Hamilton Hume and William Hovell, who travelled overland to Port Phillip Bay in 1824.
It is quieter than the other trails on this list, and that is the appeal. The track passes farmland, pine plantations, the Goobarragandra and Tumut valleys and the foothills of the Snowy Mountains, with campsites spaced along the way. Many sections run beside rivers, where platypus and kangaroos are common at dawn.
Spring and autumn are the best seasons. Summers are hot, and winters bring frosts and some snow on the higher sections. End-to-end walkers usually need three to four weeks.
- Start and finish: Yass to Albury
- Length: About 440 km
- Season: Spring and autumn
- Time needed: 3 to 4 weeks
Best for: walkers who want solitude. Tip: walk the Tumut valley section at dawn for the best wildlife.
Great North Walk
A city-to-city walk through bush and suburbs in New South Wales, the Great North Walk runs about 250 km from the centre of Sydney to Newcastle. It was opened in 1988 as another bicentennial project, and it links the two cities through a surprising amount of wild country.
You start at the Obelisk in Macquarie Place in Sydney, take a ferry across the harbour and walk through the bushland valleys of Lane Cove and Berowra, along the Hawkesbury River, through the Watagan Mountains and into Newcastle. Because train stations sit along much of the route, it is easy to walk in day sections or to bail out if the weather turns.
Most end-to-end walkers take one to two weeks. Spring and autumn are best. Summer brings heat and bushfire risk, and some sections close on high fire danger days.
- Start and finish: Sydney to Newcastle
- Length: About 250 km
- Season: Spring and autumn
- Access: Train stations along many sections
Best for: a long walk without a long trip. Tip: walk the Berowra Valley section as a day hike from Sydney first.
Great South West Walk
The Great South West Walk is a coastal loop of about 250 km, past beaches and a river gorge, that starts and ends in Portland, western Victoria. It is a well-established walk with campsites spaced roughly a day apart.
The loop heads inland through forest, follows the limestone gorge of the Glenelg River into South Australian border country, then returns along Discovery Bay, a huge beach backed by dunes and wild Southern Ocean surf. The final stage passes the cliffs of Cape Bridgewater, with its fur seal colony, and Cape Nelson before returning to Portland.
Allow about two weeks for the full loop. Southern right whales pass along this coast in winter and spring. The beach sections are long and exposed to wind, so check tide times and weather before setting out.
- Start and finish: Portland, VIC (loop)
- Length: About 250 km
- Season: Spring to autumn
- Highlight: Whales off the coast in winter and spring
Best for: walkers who want coast and river in one loop. Tip: walk the beach at low tide for firmer sand.
Larapinta Trail
The Northern Territory's Larapinta Trail, which ends with a sunrise summit, runs about 223 km along the West MacDonnell Ranges, from the Alice Springs Telegraph Station west to Mount Sonder (Rwetyepme). It is Australia's best-known desert walk, on the traditional lands of the Arrernte people.
The trail is split into 12 sections, linked by access points at gorges and waterholes such as Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Ellery Creek Big Hole, Serpentine Gorge and Ormiston Gorge. The ground is rocky and the ridges are steep, but the views over red ranges, white ghost gums and dry riverbeds are extraordinary. Most walkers climb Mount Sonder before dawn on the final day to watch the sunrise colour the ranges.
Walk between May and August. Summer heat in Central Australia is dangerous, and some years the trail's management advises against walking in the hottest months. Water tanks sit at trailheads and some campsites, but stages are long. Many walkers join a guided trip with vehicle support for water and food drops, or arrange food drops through operators in Alice Springs. You can compare options on our tours page.
- Start and finish: Alice Springs to Mount Sonder
- Length: About 223 km in 12 sections
- Season: May to August
- Time needed: 12 to 20 days
Best for: desert scenery and sunrise climbs. Tip: carry at least 4 litres of water per day, even in winter.
Cape to Cape Track
The Cape to Cape Track runs about 124 km between the lighthouses at Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin in the far south-west of Western Australia. It follows the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge through Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, close to the Margaret River wine region.
The walk alternates between clifftops, long beaches, coastal heath and the karri forest of Boranup. In spring the heath is full of wildflowers, and from June to November whales pass close to the coast. Beach walking in soft sand is harder than it looks, and some river mouths need to be crossed with care after rain.
Allow five to seven days end to end. Campsites are spaced along the track, and towns such as Yallingup, Prevelly and Hamelin Bay are close enough for a night in a bed. It is a short drive from Perth, so it pairs well with the Bibbulmun Track on a longer trip.
- Start and finish: Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin
- Length: About 124 km
- Season: Spring and autumn
- Time needed: 5 to 7 days
Best for: coastal scenery with comfort nearby. Tip: walk in September or October for wildflowers and whales.
Great Ocean Walk
The Great Ocean Walk runs about 104 km from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles on Victoria's southwest coast. It follows a stretch of the coast that the Great Ocean Road bypasses, through the Great Otway National Park.
The route crosses rainforest gullies, clifftops, quiet beaches and the old lighthouse station at Cape Otway, with koalas in the manna gums and shipwreck history along the coast. The finish at the limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles is one of the most photographed views in Australia.
Walkers usually take six to eight days. Hike-in campsites must be booked in advance through Parks Victoria, and some beach sections depend on the tide. Shuttle services run between Apollo Bay and the end of the walk.
- Start and finish: Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles
- Length: About 104 km
- Season: Spring to autumn
- Booking: Campsites must be booked in advance
Best for: a short multi-day walk with famous scenery. Tip: book campsites early for the spring school holidays.
Length, state, season and walking time for all ten trails
End-to-end times on Australia's ten longest trails range from most of a year on the Bicentennial National Trail and two to three months on the Heysen Trail to six to eight days on the Great Ocean Walk. This table compares all ten trails on length, state, season and the time an end-to-end walk takes.
| # | Trail | Length | State | Season | End-to-end time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bicentennial National Trail | ~5,330 km | QLD, NSW, VIC | Varies by section | Most of a year |
| 2 | Heysen Trail | ~1,200 km | SA | Autumn to spring | 2 to 3 months |
| 3 | Bibbulmun Track | ~1,000 km | WA | Autumn to spring | 6 to 8 weeks |
| 4 | Australian Alps Walking Track | ~680 km | VIC, NSW, ACT | December to March | 5 to 8 weeks |
| 5 | Hume and Hovell Walking Track | ~440 km | NSW | Spring, autumn | 3 to 4 weeks |
| 6 | Great North Walk | ~250 km | NSW | Spring, autumn | 1 to 2 weeks |
| 7 | Great South West Walk | ~250 km | VIC | Spring to autumn | About 2 weeks |
| 8 | Larapinta Trail | ~223 km | NT | May to August | 12 to 20 days |
| 9 | Cape to Cape Track | ~124 km | WA | Spring, autumn | 5 to 7 days |
| 10 | Great Ocean Walk | ~104 km | VIC | Spring to autumn | 6 to 8 days |
Distances are rounded because trail managers reroute sections over time. The Bicentennial National Trail is a multi-use route designed with horse riders in mind, so walkers should expect remote stretches between resupply points. The Larapinta, Bibbulmun and Heysen trails are divided into marked sections that can be walked on their own, which suits travellers with only a week or two. Check the official trail website or managing foundation for current closures, especially after bushfires or floods.
Which Australian trail suits your season and experience
In Australia the season decides the trail. The north and centre are walked in the cool, dry months from May to August, while the south and the Alps suit spring through autumn.
For a first long walk, the Bibbulmun Track is the clear choice, thanks to its shelters, water tanks and regular towns. The Cape to Cape Track and the Great Ocean Walk make good one-week tests. Walkers with experience in remote country can take on the Australian Alps Walking Track or the Larapinta Trail without a guide. The Heysen Trail sits between the two: well marked and supported, but long and with dry northern sections.
If you are flying in from overseas, Perth is the gateway for the Bibbulmun and Cape to Cape, Adelaide for the Heysen, Alice Springs for the Larapinta and Melbourne or Sydney for the eastern trails.
Before setting out, check the fire danger rating and park alerts for the state you are walking in, since high-risk fire days can close tracks at short notice.
How to reach the trailheads from Australia's gateway cities
Every trail on this list starts within a day's travel of a capital city or regional airport, but some trailheads need a shuttle, a bus or a pre-booked transfer. Perth serves the Bibbulmun and Cape to Cape, Adelaide the Heysen, Alice Springs the Larapinta, and Melbourne or Sydney the eastern trails.
For the Bibbulmun Track, Kalamunda is a short bus or taxi ride from central Perth, and Albany at the southern end has a regional airport and coach links back to Perth. The Cape to Cape Track is about three hours' drive south of Perth; local operators run transfers between Dunsborough, Margaret River and the two lighthouses, and many walkers arrange luggage transfers between towns.
The Heysen Trail starts at Cape Jervis, the ferry port for Kangaroo Island, about two hours by road from Adelaide. Getting back from Parachilna Gorge at the northern end is harder, since the Flinders Ranges have no public transport, so book a transfer to Wilpena Pound or Hawker in advance.
Alice Springs has direct flights from most Australian capitals, and the Telegraph Station, the start of the Larapinta, is a short drive from town. Transfer companies in Alice Springs run to the trail's access points at Standley Chasm, Ellery Creek and Ormiston Gorge for walkers doing sections.
In the east, the Great North Walk begins in central Sydney and is reached by foot from Circular Quay. Walhalla, the start of the Australian Alps Walking Track, is about three hours by car from Melbourne with no public transport, and Tharwa at the other end is a short drive from Canberra. Apollo Bay, for the Great Ocean Walk, is reached by V/Line coach from Geelong, and Portland, for the Great South West Walk, has coach connections from Melbourne via regional towns.
Author's noteThe biggest mistake visitors make is choosing a trail by its photos and then arriving in the wrong season. A Larapinta walk in January or a Heysen walk in February puts you on a closed trail or a dangerous one. Pick your months first, then the trail that is open in them, and the rest of the planning falls into place.
What Australia's long trails cost: permits, campsite fees and transport
Walking itself is free on every trail in this guide, and none needs a single trail-wide permit. The costs come from three places: campsites in parks that charge for them, national park entry where it applies, and the transfers needed to reach trailheads that public transport does not serve. The picture as of October 2026 is below; fees are set by each state's parks agency and change most years, so confirm on the agency's booking site before you go.
| Trail | Campsites | Other costs to plan for |
|---|---|---|
| Bibbulmun Track (WA) | Trail campsites with shelters, free and first come, first served | Bus or taxi to Kalamunda; coach or flight back from Albany |
| Cape to Cape Track (WA) | Mix of free trail campsites and paid campgrounds | Leeuwin-Naturaliste park fees for some sites; transfers and luggage services between towns |
| Great Ocean Walk (VIC) | Hike-in campsites must be booked in advance through Parks Victoria, around A$20 per tent site on recent listings | Coach to Apollo Bay; transfer back from the Twelve Apostles end |
| Larapinta Trail (NT) | Trailhead campsites, some with fees and booking through NT Parks | Flights to Alice Springs and paid food-drop or section transfers |
| Heysen Trail (SA) | Huts and campsites, some in national parks with fees | Transfers at the northern end, where there is no public transport |
| Australian Alps Walking Track | Mostly free bush camping; park fees in some sections | Private transport to Walhalla and Tharwa; food drops |
| Great North Walk, Hume and Hovell, Great South West Walk, Bicentennial National Trail | Mix of free campsites and paid park or caravan-park sites | Trains and coaches reach many sections; the Bicentennial needs long-term logistics |
The real budget. For most walkers, campsite fees are a small part of the total. The larger costs are getting to remote trailheads, especially for the Larapinta, Heysen and Alps tracks, and food drops or guided-walk packages for those who do not want to carry everything. Travellers from overseas should also add a domestic flight or long coach journey from their arrival city, since Perth, Adelaide, Alice Springs and Melbourne are thousands of kilometres apart.
Safety and planning tips for Australian trails
The main risks on Australia's long trails are fire, water and remoteness. Check fire danger and park alerts every morning, since trails close on high fire danger days; plan around the distance between reliable water; wear boots against snakes and carry a compression bandage; and take a personal locator beacon where phone coverage is patchy.
- Check fire danger every day. Trails close on high fire danger days and during declared fire seasons. Check the state fire service and park alerts each morning.
- Plan around water. In arid country, the distance between reliable water matters more than the distance between campsites. Carry extra.
- Snake awareness. Wear boots and long trousers, watch where you step and carry a compression bandage for snakebite first aid.
- Carry a beacon. Phone coverage is patchy. A personal locator beacon or satellite messenger is wise on remote trails.
- Register and book. Some trails have walker registers, and campsites on walks like the Great Ocean Walk must be booked.
- Respect the sun. UV levels are high even in winter. Wear a hat, long sleeves and sunscreen, and rest in the hottest hours.
Every visitor to Australia needs a visa or electronic travel authority before boarding a flight, and the type depends on your passport. Check the official Australian Department of Home Affairs website or ask our visa team. Compare flights to Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney or Alice Springs, and find hotels for a night or two before you set off.
Planning a trip to Australia? Read our Australia travel guide or search flights.
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