We offer a broad choice of activities from bush walks and family friendly outings, to work parties and community events, like our Annual Art Week. We also hold monthly meetings featuring interesting speakers. See more detailed information below.
To find out what’s coming up, check out the Events calendar.
Bushwalks
We organise regular bushwalks and other outings. Whatever your level of fitness and experience there should be a walk suitable for you.
Bushwalks and outings
Many of our walks are in Namadgi National Park and ACT nature reserves, or in surrounding areas of New South Wales. We also organise nature walks where you can learn more about local flora and fauna. We have multi-day pack walks in more challenging locations like the Budawangs. These and some of our day walks are generally for the more adventurous and for experienced and fit walkers only. All of our walks are led by experienced NPA members. Our outdoor activities are free of charge, but on some outings you will be asked to make a small contribution to share travel costs.
Bushwalk grading guide
Outings on the events calendar are given the following grading according to distance and type of terrain:
| Distance (per day) | Terrain | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Up to 10km | A Road, fire trail or track | E Rock scrambling |
| 2. 10 – 15km | B Open forest | F Exploratory |
| 3. 15 – 20km | C Light scrub | |
| 4. More than 20km | D Patches of thick scrub, regrowth |
Guide for participants
Whether you are doing your first NPA walk or are a regular walker, it is important that you are familiar with our bushwalking guidelines. In particular, you should consider whether you are up to the length of the walk and its level of difficulty.
Guide for leaders
Walk leaders are required to follow
guidelines for leaders and to download and complete the following forms:
Attendee and Acknowledgement of Risk form (pdf)
Attendee and Acknowledgement of Risk for Children form (pdf)
Incident Report Form
Work parties
Join us on one of our regular work parties in Namadgi National Park or other parks and reserves. These work parties are developed in consultation with park rangers and supervised by the work party leader. They involve activities such as removing invasive plants and old fences and replanting native species.
For most of the year NPA conducts two work parties a month. On the second Saturday of each month, except January, there is a Gudgenby work party and on the fourth Saturday, except December and January, a varied work party. Varied work parties can occur at any place within the ACT or surrounding NSW.
Gudgenby work parties continue the restoration work in the Gudgenby Valley in Namadgi National Park that began in 1998 with the Gudgenby Bush Regeneration Group.
Checklist for NPA work party leaders
See the Events calendar for future work party dates.
Art Week
Art Week is usually held twice a year – in April/May and October/November – at historic Gudgenby Cottage. The cottage is in the Gudgenby Valley situated on the southern bank of the Gudgenby River in Namadgi National Park.
Art Week provides an opportunity for NPA members to indulge their creativity, whether it’s photography, painting , drawing, basketmaking, poetry or printmaking, in a beautiful and inspirational setting.
Details of Art Week will be published on the Events Calendar.