Authors' Interviews
We asked the authors of the walking books a few questions and here are their answers:
1 How long have you been walking/writing?
Virginia:
I began walking when I was in my 20s. I had to climb the Cairngorm mountains in Scotland for a work project, and discovered I really enjoyed it. Pretty much every holiday after that was a walking holiday,and I even took a year off once to go and walk all the great walks of the world. I trained as a journalist in the UK and started writing newspaper articles in my early 20s. The Best Village and Coastal Walks of the Sunshine Coast book was my first book project.
Dianne:
I got my first taste of bushwalking at university. At one stage I took a few months off to go walking, rock climbing and mountaineering in North America. Walking along narrow ridges on snow capped mountains with the clouds below you has to be one of the best experiences. Now my walking is a bit more sedate and I love exploring cities and towns on foot. We recently did some walks around the Apollo Bay area of Victoria’s Great Ocean Road. There are lots of writers and journalists in my family and I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. Most of my jobs have involved a writing component. I wrote my first guide book, Brisbane’s Best Bush, Bay and City Walks, a couple of years ago, but I loved being able to work with Virginia on the Sunshine Coast walks book – much more fun to do it together.
Claudia, Betty, Toby:
We, Claudia Williams, Betty Vacher and Tobi Powell have been enjoying discovering and walking trails for about 7 years now. It was probably a year or so after we started walking that we thought it would be good to record these trails for ourselves, and then we thought maybe others might like to enjoy these walks too.
2 What makes you so passionate about walking?
Virginia:
I love to escape the city and get closer to nature, but even walking around the city can be interesting: you can see things you never would see if you were in a car. It’s great exercise, it’s pretty much free, and all you have to do is step out the door to do it.
Dianne:
I don’t know if I’m passionate about walking. It’s just something I do every day and I can’t imagine not doing it … like breathing and eating. Sometimes though when you’re on a bush track and you come across a beautiful little waterhole, or maybe you hear a bird singing or smell the rain hitting the dirt track, then the experience of walking is lifted to a whole new level.
Claudia, Betty, Toby:
We love walking I guess, as most of us come from fairly adventurous childhoods of discovery and were all brought up to appreciate and enjoy nature and its surrounding flora and fauna. I think the escapism from the daily pace of life, the peace and the fresh air of early mornings, great cardiovascular exercise and each others company on the way is something we all relate to. A good friend of ours, Donna Maddock joins us also on many walks.
3 What do you find particularly fascinating or unique about the Sunshine Coast?
Virginia:
As an ex-Pat Brit, I still find it amazing that here in Australia you can drive for an hour outside of a major city and be in such pristine beautiful countryside – you would never find that in England! The Sunshine Coast is so much more than just beaches, too. You have rainforest, lovely mountain villages and lots of history to explore. I’m also am very fond of going to cafes, so I liked the fact that pretty much every walk had somewhere to stop for a cup of tea.
Dianne:
Yes, Virginia summed it up perfectly. There’s so much variety on the Sunshine Coast, from rainforest to mountain village to some of the most beautiful coastal scenery in the world. I like that you can do a walk then jump into the surf for a swim.
Claudia, Betty, Toby:
The fascinating thing about walking on the Sunshine Coast is the diversity of landscapes from beach to bush, mountains to rainforest, rolling open hills and the wonderful coffee shops at the end. There are walks for everyone of all ages and fitness levels. There is a great satisfaction and an inner well being as you gaze over panoramic vistas of the hinterland whilst walking through the ranges or at the summit of a mountain climb.
4 Do you have a favourite walk in the Sunshine Coast?
Virginia:
My personal favourite is the walk from Sunshine Beach back over to Noosa. Within half an hour’s walk of a major tourist desitination, with cafes and shops and crowds, you can be on a trail accompanied by wallabies, with the ocean crashing into caves on a deserted beach. What could be more perfect than that?
Dianne:
If you only had time for one walk on the Sunshine Coast it would have to be from Hastings Street at Noosa Heads, along the coast and into the national park. Sometimes there are koalas in the trees and lots of birds and native flowers. During the migration season you can see whales out to sea. The coastline is dramatic with cliffs dropping into the sea, but the track is very accessible. I never get tired of that track, and it joins up with Virginia’s favourite walk!
Claudia, Betty, Toby:
Our favourite walks would be: Baroon Pocket Dam to Kondalilla Falls, Network Trails in the Kin Kin hills, Mt Ninderry and Mt Coolum offer spectacular views of the coast.