Australian Walking Track Grades Explained: Grade 1 to Grade 5

Have you ever picked a walk labelled “moderate” and found yourself scrambling up a rock face... wondering who exactly found this moderate?!

Australia does have an answer to this problem - with an official grading system used by national park agencies across the country: Australian walking track grades (AWTGS).

Here’s how it works, what they mean, and how to use it to pick a walk that matches you.

What does the grading system mean? How tricky is #4?

What the Grading System Is

• Australia’s walking tracks are graded under the Australian Walking Track Grading System (AWTGS) - a national system used by park services in every state and territory

•  It classifies tracks into five grades, based on the Australian Standard for walking track construction, and has been endorsed nationally by governments and their agencies.

•  The grade appears on park websites, trailhead signs and walk brochures - usually with a matching icon

What Each Grade Means

Australian bushwalking clubs use a version of a long-standing walkers’ formula (Naismith’s Rule), adapted for Australian conditions. For an average walker, allow roughly one hour for:

Grade 1 —

No bushwalking experience required. Flat, even surface with no steps or steep sections. Suitable for assisted wheelchair users. Walks no longer than 5 km.

Grade 2 —

Still no experience needed. Hardened or compacted surface, gentle hills, occasional steps. Good first bushwalk territory.

Grade 3 —

Some bushwalking experience recommended. Formed tracks with short steep sections and steps. This is where “easy” ends.

Grade 4 —

Bushwalking experience recommended. Tracks may be long, rough and steep, with limited signage. Walkers are expected to look after themselves.

Grade 5 —

Only for very experienced bushwalkers with specialised skills, including navigation and emergency first aid. Tracks are likely to be very rough, very steep and unmarked, and may exceed 20 km.

The Rule Most People Don’t Know

• A walk’s grade is based on the most difficult of five criteria - experience required, steps, gradient, path quality and signage, not an average.

• A mostly flat walk with one rough, steep kilometre is graded on that kilometre.

• Two walks with the same grade can feel completely different. One walk might be Grade 4 because it is long, another could be because it is steep.

Know the grading system to keep your hike a happy one for all.

Distance vs Difficulty: Not the Same Thing

• Distance is only one of the five criteria. A short walk can carry a high grade; a long walk can carry a low one.

• Always read the distance and the grade together, then estimate walking time

Why “Moderate” Feels Different on Every Track

The grade describes the track on a normal day. It doesn't change when conditions change. A Grade 3 river crossing is still Grade 3 in the guidebook, even after heavy rain makes it dangerous. The system is static; the Australian bush is dynamic.

Heat, rain, wind and daylight change the real difficulty of any grade. Check conditions on the day, not just the number.

Grades can also be applied slightly differently between states and land managers. So for this reason, you also need to be aware that you should treat the number as a guide, not a guarantee.

Matching a Grade to Your Fitness

If you or someone in your crew is new to bushwalking, start at Grade 1–2. Then, treat Grade 3 as a goal for next time, not a starting point.

If you walk regularly, Grade 3 might be ground; build to Grade 4 with shorter examples first.

The jump from Grade 3 to Grade 4 is the most important shift in the system; it's a change in responsibility, not just steepness. From Grade 4 up, walkers are expected to navigate, self-rescue and make their own calls. This is really an important difference.

Whatever the grade: start shorter than you think you need.

Source & read more: Grade definitions from the Australian Walking Track Grading System, as published by Parks Australia.