The Great North Walk Companion Set

by A. Henderson-Sellers, K. McGuffie and B. Henderson-Sellers

The Great North Walk Companion tells a family story spanning the social history of a beautiful part of coastal Australia from the time before white people laid claim to Terra Australis up to the 21st birthday of the Great North Walk: the truly wonderful trail of 250 km between Sydney and Newcastle. There are treasure hunt elements, including beautiful engravings; historic and peculiar obelisks; and mysteries that have occurred along the Great North Walk: murders, disappearances and inexplicable deaths.

Each chapter covers a time period and a trail important for indigenous and immigrant Australians: the relatives, friends and passing strangers around whom the narrative evolves.

There are maps and descriptions of the walks together with suggestions for over 50 places to visit that enliven the exploration of this part of coastal New South Wales. The biggest mystery of all, the identity of the Companion, unfolds as this fascinating family tree grows and branches.

Anyone who enjoys great recreational walking as well as global puzzle-solvers will find elements that capture their interest and fire the imagination.

This special set also includes EZ Guide to the Great North Walk, a pocket-sized easy reference book to the highlights and facilities available on the walks.

If you are thinking of walking the Australian “Great North Walk” (http://www.thegreatnorthwalk.com) this guide is designed to help. The authors’ aim is to help make your goal a reality – as easily as possible. This slim book is an “EZ” -easy- way to access the best and most up-to-date web-based information about the Great North Walk. Twenty-first century hiking: taking your directions and resources with you electronically.

The heart of this EZ-to-carry booklet is EveryTrail (http://www.everytrail.com) The fastest way ‘in’ is three bundles of the Great North Walk ‘guides’ http://tiny.cc/North_GNW ; http://tiny.cc/Middle_GNW ; http://tiny.cc/South_GNW .

These bundles of six or seven 1-day or 2-day hikes cover the North including Newcastle and the Hunter Valley wineries; Central including Yarramalong and the Aboriginal Rock Art; and South including Sydney and the beginnings of the historic obelisk trail.

EZ access to 25 Great North Walk guides, to 22 (geographically similar) trails and to suggestions about accommodation en route and for extra special ‘mustn’t miss’ visits on and near this fantastic walking trail. The downloadable guides also include tips, access information and notes and photos that together cover the whole Great North Walk hike. These trails are available to download and carry with you on your iPhone/iPad/Android or other GPS device.

The ‘EZ Guide to the Great North Walk’ gives full details of 22 walks (A-V) that encompass the whole hike. These run from north to south (except the 2 parts of the spur to the Hunter Valley wineries that run from the Great North Walk to Pokolbin (i.e. south to north). The hike begins at the Newcastle Queen’s Wharf and ends at Macquarie Place in central Sydney.

376 pages / 64 pages softcover

View a sample of this book.