Women across the North Coast are being invited to lace up their boots and hit the trails this NSW Women’s Week, with a series of guided bushwalks designed to build confidence, connection and community.
As part of NSW Women’s Week, running from 2 to 8 March and culminating on International Women’s Day, Bushwalking NSW, with support from Women NSW, is encouraging women of all ages and fitness levels to try bushwalking with a local club in a welcoming and supportive environment.
Whether they have never bushwalked before or are looking to return after time away, the Women’s Week walks are designed to help participants feel comfortable and connected while exploring some of the North Coast’s most scenic landscapes.
Hosted by local clubs, each event offers a friendly introduction to walking together, discovering beautiful places and becoming part of an ongoing community. No experience is required — just curiosity and a willingness to give it a go.
In Byron Bay, the Byron Hikers Club will lead the Lookouts and Waterfalls Women’s Week Walk on Sunday 1 March from 8am. The 6km Grade 3 loop includes Nandaly Falls, a rocky cascade with panoramic views across the 200-metre-deep Wilsons Valley to the Blackbutt Plateau. Walkers will travel mainly along an old fire trail, with a short single-file section through thick forest and the option to cool off in a small pool near a cascade. The walk is expected to take between two and three hours.
Further south, the Dungog Walkers will host a rainforest loop in Barrington Tops National Park on Tuesday 3 March from 7.30am. The 4km Grade 2 walk follows a well-maintained track through rainforest and along the Williams River, crossing the water twice via footbridges. Starting and finishing at the Williams River Day Use Area, the walk includes picnic and toilet facilities and an optional swim. Participants will meet in Dungog and carpool to the trailhead.
In Kyogle, two walks are planned. The Kyogle Bushwalking Club will host the Kyogle Edge Women’s Week Walk on Friday 6 March from 8am. This 3km Grade 1 walk follows flat gravel paths through bushland and parkland on the edge of town, making it suitable for beginners and those seeking a gentle introduction to bushwalking.
On Sunday 8 March, Kyogle Bushwalkers Inc. will lead the Border Ranges Loop Women’s Week Walk in Border Ranges National Park. The 6km Grade 3 rainforest walk via the Rosewood Loop and Booyong Walk features inclines and declines, bridge crossings over creeks and streams, a waterfall and towering rainforest trees. The walk begins at 9am and is expected to run for two to three hours.
NSW Women’s Week celebrates the achievements, contributions and diverse experiences of women and girls across the state. Alongside bushwalking events, the program includes health and wellbeing initiatives, business mentoring sessions, art exhibitions and menopause wellness forums.
Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said the week is about recognising the many ways women contribute to their communities.
“NSW Women’s Week is about celebrating the achievements of women and girls right across our state and recognising the many ways they contribute to our families, workplaces and communities,” she said.
Find out more information and register for a bush walk near you at https://www.bushwalkingnsw.org.au/womens-week-walk/
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