About The Bushwalking Blog
The Bushwalking Blog was born out of a passion for exploring our wild places and sharing knowledge, in hope of encouraging others to learn the value of spending time outdoors for their own good and the good of our wild places.
When it all began in 2008, The Bushwalking Blog chronicled my transformation from desk jockey to adventurer and eventually became a detailed hiking guide to trails all over Victoria (Australia). Since then it’s morphed into so much more than that.
Now The Bushwalking Blog helps travel and outdoor enthusiasts find their perfect adventure, as well as the gear and knowledge they need to undertake it. Though most of the content is focused on Australia, there are no limits for adventures I (and my contributors) cover. We mostly explore the world on foot, but any outdoor adventure is a good adventure.
The Best Bits
If you’re new here, you’ll want to know where to start. Here’s a bit of an idea of what you can find on The Bushwalking Blog.
- The Bushwalking Blog started as a guide to hiking trails and although it’s more than that now, they still make up the bulk of my content. These days there are a heck of a lot more trails and most importantly, they’re easier to find using my Trail Finder.
- One of my favourite parts of being in charge of The Bushwalking Blog is that I get the to rant whenever I like. I’m a ranty person. Just ask my wife. For a couple of examples, check out my rant about hiking “etiquette” and the one about whether we should call it hiking, bushwalking, or tramping.
- More recently, I’ve worked at giving outdoor adventure-loving travellers some travel inspiration.
The Bushwalking Blog’s PLB Hire Service
After observing a string of unfortunate hiker rescues in Australia in 2012, I realised there was a need for an affordable and easy to use mail order PLB emergency beacon hire service, so I decided to launch one.
The Bushwalking Blog’s PLB Hire service started in January 2013 and has since provided emergency beacons to over 200 customers, who have hiked, mountain biked and paddled more than 10,000 kilometres with my PLBs.
Customers say they can’t fault my service in any way – it’s quick, easy and reliable. I’m grateful to have been able to provide peace of mind to so many outdoor adventurers and their families. Fortunately, only one customer has ever needed to activate their PLB and their rescue went very smoothly (read about that here).
If you’re ever in need of an emergency beacon but you don’t think you’ll use one enough to justify the purchase, head over to the simple booking page to hire one.
Best Walks of the Great Ocean Road
Since The Bushwalking Blog began I’ve always dreamed of seeing my name on the cover of a hiking guidebook. My dream finally came to fruition in 2016 when I partnered with Julie Mundy and Woodslane Publishing to release Visitors Guide to the Best Walks of the Great Ocean Road.
Aimed at the tourists and day-trippers, this guidebook features 25 of the best walks between Torquay and the Twelve Apostles with detailed instructions and maps. You can read more about it in my release announcement, or buy it direct from The Bushwalking Blog here.
The Great Ocean Road and Otways region is one of my favourite places in the country, so I’m stoked to be able to share it with you.
Awards, Commendations & Nominations
The Bushwalking Blog has been lucky to receive and be nominated for all kinds of awards and commendations over the years. Here’s a blow-by-blow:
- Feedspot’s Top 10 Australian Adventure Blogs, Websites & Newsletters in 2018
- Feedspot’s Top 10 Australian Outdoor Blogs And Websites in 2018
- Feedspot’s Top 10 Australian Hiking Blogs And Websites in 2018
- Outdoor Veteran’s Amazing Outdoor Adventure Blogs 2018
- Feedspot’s Top 50 Outdoor Gear Blogs 2018
- The Smart Lad’s Top 100 Travel Blogs
- Problogger’s Bloggers to Watch in 2017
- Asher Fergusson’s Top 30 Australia & NZ Travel Blogs 2017
- Asher Fergusson’s Top 100 Travel Blogs 2017
- Holly G’s 7 Niche Travel Blogs to Watch in 2015
- Winner of the Healthy Lifestyle category in BUPA’s 2013 Health Influencer Blog Awards (link removed by BUPA)
- Nominee for “Best in show: Blog” category of WEGO Health’s Health Activist Awards
- Finalist in the Australian Writers’ Centre’s Best Blogs 2013 competition
About Neil Fahey
Neil Fahey is the Melbourne-based founding editor of The Bushwalking Blog and a freelance writer and editor with over two decades of experience. Not content working with words part-time, he also works a day job as an editor. He’s an avid traveller, camper and outdoorsman who writes from more than 15 years of rich adventure experience. With well-honed attention to detail, he has a unique and valuable skillset ranging from SEO and content marketing to CMS platforms and HTML.
As a teenager, Neil was so keen to write that he built his first content-focused website in 1996. He’s been crafting compelling content, both online and offline, ever since. After getting his start writing music and event reviews, he’s more recently crossed into the travel and outdoors sphere, and his specialties are hiking, camping and outdoor adventure travel. Notable freelance commissions have included copywriting for Viator Travel and several years as a regular contributor to the hiking-focused Australian print magazine, Great Walks. He also co-authored the hiking guidebook, A Visitor’s Guide to the Best Walks of the Great Ocean Road, published in 2016 by Woodslane Publishing.
Neil is a creative and driven innovator with broad interests ranging from Web3 and blockchain technology to music and hand-poked tattooing.
As seen in…
So of course writing for The Bushwalking Blog isn’t quite enough for me. As I mentioned I’m a freelance writer, too. Here are a handful of the other places my words and pictures have been featured:
- 6 of the best day hikes in Victoria – Camplify Blog
- How to get by when you’re a passionate hiker and your partner isn’t – Inspiration Outdoors
- Hike Yourself Healthy (Infographic) – Health Engine
- Bushwalking Blog – Bushwalk Australia eMag
- Carry On Camping – Great Walks Magazine
Interview & Comment
I sometimes get interviewed for other publications or asked to contribute to crowdsourced articles. Here are a bunch of those:
- Journalist Spotlight | Interview with Founder, Writer, and Editor for the Bushwalking Blog, Neil Fahey – medianet blog
- Stretch Your Legs With These Great Ocean Road Walks – Qantas Travel Insider (an excerpt from our book, Visitors Guide to the Best Walks of the Great Ocean Road)
- Best Autumn Road Trips in Australia According to Travel Bloggers – VroomVroomVroom.com.au
- Top 5 Melbourne Overnight Hikes – We Are Explorers
- Take A Hike: When Personalities Clash – Wild Magazine
- Last Minute Tricks to Keep the Kids Amused – Woman’s Day
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