Weekend and Extended Walks

Weekend walks visit areas anywhere between 1.5 to 4 hours (100-350 km) drive from Melbourne.
Leaving after work on Friday evening they are generally planned to return to Melbourne between 5-7pm Sunday evening. Some trips closer to Melbourne may leave early Saturday morning (“short weekends”). Check the Current Walks Program.
For popular trips, book in as early as possible. For others, booking by the Monday evening prior to the trip may be sufficient but this will depend on the ‘bookings close date’ for the trip. The leader will usually contact the group with car-pooling and other organisational details by Wednesday evening or earlier. Check the event listing for details.

Accommodated trips mean you have a roof over your head, a hot shower and don’t need to provide any camping equipment, just the normal gear for a day walk.
Accommodation is typically shared dormitory style in cabins, lodges or YHA hostels to reduce costs. Couples should advise the leader when booking to see if there are double bed options.
These trips are self-catered, with the group dining out in the evening if good local facilities are available.
These types of walks can be graded between “easy” and “medium-hard” walking levels.
They are popular and usually have strictly limited numbers, so book as early as possible. Payment in full must be received within seven days of booking in order to confirm your place.

Base-camps are camping trips offered with the convenience of not having to carry camping gear, food and clothes more than a short distance from your vehicle.
You are required to bring (or arrange to share) tents as well as supplying your own sleeping mats and sleeping bags.
As most camps are a short distance from the vehicles lightweight packing isn’t an issue, although occasionally the campsite may be situated a couple of kilometres from the car park.
The locations range from commercial campgrounds with plenty of facilities, to designated vehicle-camping areas in national parks where amenities are more basic.
Base-camp walks are graded anywhere between an “easy” to a “hard” walking level.

These walks require you to bring your own pack and carry all your food, clothing and camping equipment throughout the walk.
Pack-Carry trips are fully self-catered, although stove (and tent) sharing can often be arranged as long as you let the leader know well beforehand.
These walks are graded between between a “medium” to “hard” walking level.
Occasionally there are introductory pack-carry walks in which the walk to the campsite is no more than 2-3 hours over easy terrain. The remainder of the walking can then be done carrying only a daypack.
These introductory walks are highly recommended for those without prior pack-carrying experience.

Extended trips may be to less accessible areas in Victoria or prime bushwalking regions interstate or in New Zealand.
Longer walking trips are often carried out over holiday periods, (Easter, Christmas and New-Year) although regions where the most appropriate season doesn’t coincide with any major holidays may require a week or two off during winter/spring.
Extended trips can be pack-carrys, base-camps, a combination of the two or fully accommodated.
Booking deadline is at least a week before the walk, often longer – check the event listing for details.
Proper preparation is required to enjoy these walks. There is no mandatory system of qualifying walks to go on a pack-carry, however leaders of hard extended walks are entitled to request that you demonstrate your suitability on one of the club’s weekend pack-carries beforehand. If you contact the leader well beforehand (at least three months), they will advise what conditions you need to satisfy.

YHA Bushwalking Victoria