Social media post downplays deadly Tasmania bushwalk risks

A glossy tourism post on social media can make a deadly bushwalk look like just another picturesque bucket list item.

That's what happened this week on Tourism Australia's official Instagram account.

The national agency uploaded a reel showcasing the Western Arthur Range Traverse in Tasmania, along with a caption encouraging viewers to visit it as a way to boost their "daily step count".

Tasmania's own tourism department even weighed in, saying "the climb is real, but the pay-off is unmatched".

The problem?

Despite its stunning views, "this ain't a walk in the park", as one commenter put it.

Stretching 58 kilometres through Tasmania's remote south-west wilderness, the Western Arthur Range Traverse is a demanding and technically challenging five- to nine-day walk.

Tasmania's Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) says it should only be attempted by very experienced bushwalkers with specialised skills, including in navigation and emergency first aid.

Under the Australian Walking Track Grading System, the track is classified at the highest rating, Grade 5, which is reserved for tracks that are typically very rough, steep and unmarked.

Bushwalkers attempting the walk are warned by PWS to "expect steep cliffs, exposed rock, difficult navigation, heavy packs and unpredictable weather".

The warning goes even further: "Bushwalkers have died attempting this track."

The most recent fatality was a 54-year-old Queensland man in 2024.

There have also been numerous rescues over the years, including for bushwalkers who have broken a leg, been bitten by a snake, or who have become lost.

Travellers warned to look beyond social media

Social media is a goldmine for finding travel inspiration, but experienced walkers say it is important to do your research beyond content and captions.

Bushwalking Australia vice president Ross Stephens said he was surprised to see how Tourism Australia had advertised the walk, which he referred to as one of the hardest in Australia.

Mr Stephens said Tourism Australia's video failed to capture what most of the walk was actually like, or the reality of hiking in Tasmania's remote Southwest National Park.

He said despite the clip featuring a boardwalk, only a small portion of the track resembled that section, with most of it "rocky, uneven, steep and sometimes muddy".

"It's right down in the south-west corner and exposed to bad weather. It can snow, hail, or blow to a gale at any time of the year.

"South-west Tasmania is a place for adventure, for experienced bushwalkers only. It is not a place for casual tourists. The clip has no context or caveats that express this."

He advises people who see walks promoted on social media to do their research first, including checking official websites, understanding track grading and reviewing any recommended gear or safety advice.

"You should do that kind of stuff just to check that you're in the right ballpark and to not take on walks that are beyond your experience level," he said.

Mr Stephens said the Western Arthur Range Traverse was well known within bushwalking circles and not a track typically discovered by beginners.

Caption updated after questioning

After being contacted by the ABC about the video's caption, Tourism Australia has edited its wording.

The caption now directs readers to the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service website "for more information on this hike".

The caption still does not mention the track's Grade 5 classification or that it is recommended only for experienced bushwalkers.

Tourism Australia did not directly address questions about why safety information was not included in the original caption, whether the post could give inexperienced bushwalkers a misleading impression of the track, or whether it would change how it promotes high-difficulty wilderness tracks.

Instead, a spokesperson for Tourism Australia said the agency "looks to inspire international visitors to travel here with motivating content across the channels where they do their holiday planning," and that its "marketing content always seeks to balance inspiration with visitor safety".

Tourism Tasmania did not respond to the ABC's request for comment about its endorsement of the original caption.