Bushwalking in Australia
AusPlay participation figures for bushwalking, and 4,709 bushwalking tracks to find by suburb, postcode or state.
- people aged 15+ went bushwalking in 2025
- 3.95m
- of people aged 15+
- 17.5%
- participants since 2024
- +212k
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Bushwalking Tracks by State and Territory
4,709 bushwalking tracks listed across 8 states and territories
Bushwalking Participation in Australia
- people aged 15 and over went bushwalking in 2025Margin of error about 95,000 either way
- 3.95million
- of people aged 15 and over, at least once in the 12 months
- 17.5%
- children aged 0 to 14 in organised bushwalking outside school hours1.1% of children aged 0 to 14
- 54,000
- people aged 15 and over took part through a club, centre or other organiser2.2% of people aged 15 and over
- 507,000
2024 to 2025, aged 15 and over
- 2024
- 3.74 million participants, 16.9% of people aged 15 and over
- 2025
- 3.95 million participants, 17.5% of people aged 15 and over
The 2025 estimate is 212,000 higher than 2024. The difference is larger than the combined margin of error of the two estimates.
By age, the rate was highest among people aged 35 to 44 (21.4%). By state, the highest published rate was Tasmania (27.5%). State estimates have wider margins of error than the national estimate.
By state and territory, 2025
| State | Aged 15+ rate | PeopleAged 15+ participants | Children 0 to 14 (organised) |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 17.4% | 1.23 million | 18,000 (1.2%) |
| Victoria | 16.1% | 937,000 | 10,000 (0.8%) |
| Queensland | 17.7% | 818,000 | 10,000 (1.0%) |
| Western Australia | 18.3% | 451,000 | 6,200 (1.1%)* |
| South Australia | 15.4% | 243,000 | 5,600 (1.8%)* |
| Tasmania | 27.5% | 133,000 | 2,300 (2.5%)* |
| Australian Capital Territory | 26.9% | 107,000 | Not published |
| Northern Territory | 19.0% | 40,000 | Not published |
Who organised it, aged 15 and over
- Private or commercial business71,000
- Recreation club or association70,000
- Educational institution59,000
- Sports club or association47,000
- Gym / fitness club / sports / leisure centre33,000
- Individual personal trainer or coach27,000
Source: Australian Sports Commission, AusPlay, January to December 2025, released 30 April 2026. Category: Bush walking. * Flagged for caution by AusPlay. A person can take part through more than one type of organiser. About the data
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Calories Burned Bushwalking
| Activity | MET | 30 min at 70 kg | 60 min at 70 kg | 60 min at 85 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiking | 6 | 879 kJ | 1,757 kJ | 2,134 kJ |
| Walking uphill | 6 | 879 kJ | 1,757 kJ | 2,134 kJ |
338 calories (kcal)
Walking uphill, 75 kg, 45 minutes
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Bushwalking: Questions and Figures
How many Australians go bushwalking?
An estimated 3.95 million people aged 15 and over went bushwalking at least once in 2025, which is 17.5% of that age group. Source: Australian Sports Commission, AusPlay, released 30 April 2026.
Which state has the highest bushwalking participation rate?
In AusPlay 2025, Tasmania had the highest published rate for Bush walking among people aged 15 and over, at 27.5%. State estimates have wider margins of error than the national estimate.
How many calories does bushwalking burn?
Using the MET formula (MET x body weight in kg x hours), a 75 kg person doing "Walking uphill" (MET 6) for 60 minutes uses about 1,883 kJ (450 calories). The figure changes with body weight, intensity and time.
About the Data
- Participation source
- Australian Sports Commission, AusPlay, a national survey. AusPlay method
- Reference period
- January to December 2025, released 30 April 2026.
- Who is counted
- People aged 15 and over who took part at least once in the 12 months. Children aged 0 to 14 are counted for organised activity outside school hours only.
- Reporting category
- Bush walking.
Figures are survey estimates and are shown rounded. * marks an estimate AusPlay flags for caution (relative margin of error between 50% and 100%). Estimates AusPlay marks as too unreliable to use are not published here. AusPlay moved from telephone to online collection in July 2023. The Australian Sports Commission states that results from July 2023 are not directly comparable with earlier results. These pages use the online series only, and year-on-year figures come from the release's own comparison table. Energy figures use MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities: energy (kJ) = MET x body weight (kg) x hours x 4.184. They are averages for an activity, so a person's own figure varies with fitness and effort.