Club Walk Grading System
Townsville Bushwalking Club's 4-part walk grading system is designed for North Queensland adventures, using duration, terrain, fitness, and modifiers to better reflect off-track travel, creek walks, scrambling, exposure, remoteness, and wet conditions.
Townsville Bushwalking Club uses its own walk-grading system (much like other bushwalking clubs in Australia), designed for the types of trips we run in North Queensland. Many of our walks involve off-track travel, rough creek beds, rock hopping, rainforest, scrambling, exposure, swims, remote terrain, and difficult retreat options. Standard public walking grades do not always reflect these conditions well, so our system separates duration, terrain, and fitness, with optional modifiers where needed.
A typical walk grade might look like M56W:
- M = medium duration (4 to 6 hours)
- 5 = rough, sustained terrain with rock hopping, creek travel, or scrambling
- 6 = hard physical effort requiring good fitness
- W = wet travel, such as swims, pack floats, or repeated creek crossings
Members should read the full trip description carefully, as no grading system can capture every hazard or challenge.
Each walk is graded using three core indicators:
- Duration - how long the walk is expected to take
- Terrain - how rough, technical, or complex the ground is
- Fitness - how physically demanding the day is
A walk may also include optional modifiers to flag special hazards or skills.
The idea is to give members a clearer picture of the type of difficulty, not just a vague overall number.
We aim to grade conservatively - it is better for a walk to feel slightly easier than advertised than harder than advertised. Be sure to read the walk description for context. The code is a summary, not a replacement for a proper trip description.
1. Duration
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| S | Short - under 4 hours |
| M | Medium - 4 to 6 hours |
| L | Long - 6 to 8 hours |
| X | Extra long - more than 8 hours |
This should usually refer to the total expected time for the day, including breaks, slower terrain, and typical group pace. Use the actual expected total duration.
2. Terrain
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Formed track, fire trail, or very easy open terrain |
| 2 | Mostly track, or easy open country with minor uneven ground |
| 3 | Rough track, faint pad, or open off-track terrain with some obstacles |
| 4 | Off-track sections, loose ground, minor scrub, rock hopping, creek crossings |
| 5 | Sustained rough terrain, creek walking, boulder hopping, moderate scrub, some scrambling |
| 6 | Difficult off-track terrain, steep creek beds, frequent rock hopping, hands-on scrambling |
| 7 | Very rough terrain, thick scrub, exposed scrambling, steep ascents/descents, route-finding required |
| 8 | Serious off-track terrain, sustained scrambling, exposure, awkward rock moves, difficult creek or gorge travel |
| 9 | Extremely rough or technical terrain, major exposure, hand lines or rope-assisted sections, highly complex route-finding, or very challenging gorge/scrub conditions |
Notes on terrain
Base this on the hardest sustained terrain, not just one short obstacle. Terrain should reflect the technical nature of the ground, not just whether it is hard work. A short gorge scramble may have a very high terrain rating even if the overall duration is low.
3. Fitness
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Easy - suitable for most beginners with basic mobility |
| 2 | Easy to moderate - some fitness helpful |
| 3 | Moderate - suitable for active walkers |
| 4 | Moderate to solid - steady fitness required |
| 5 | Solid - good fitness needed for a full day out |
| 6 | Hard - sustained effort, steep climbing, or long rough travel |
| 7 | Very hard - strong fitness and stamina required |
| 8 | Strenuous - fit, experienced walkers only |
| 9 | Extremely strenuous - very fit, resilient, experienced walkers only |
Notes on fitness
Base this on the overall day effort, including heat, ascent, slow ground, and expected pace.
Fitness reflects the physical effort of the whole day, including:
- duration
- steepness
- heat
- pack weight
- repeated climbs
- and how relentless the terrain feels
4. Optional modifiers
These add important detail that the three-part code alone may not capture.
| Modifier | Meaning |
|---|---|
| N | Navigation critical - off-track route-finding or poor visibility of the route |
| E | Exposure - heights, cliff edges, steep drop-offs, or airy scrambling |
| W | Wet travel - swims, pack floats, frequent creek crossings, slippery rock, or prolonged water travel |
| R | Remote - difficult retreat, long rescue time, limited exit options |
| S | Scrub - dense vegetation, thorny growth, or slow off-track bush travel |
| C | Climb - significant elevation gain or steep sustained ascent/descent |
Modifiers are included only if they materially affect the walk. Use these only where they are genuinely important to participation or safety.
How the grade appears
A walk might be listed like this:
M56W - medium duration, difficult terrain, hard fitness, with wet travel
Or:
S47EN - short duration, very rough terrain, very hard fitness for its length, with exposure and navigation
Or:
L45C - long duration, moderate-rough terrain, hard fitness, with major climbing
Examples for North Queensland-style trips
Example 1 - relaxed club walk on track to a lookout
S22 - short duration, easy terrain, easy-moderate fitness
Example 2 - creek walk with rock hopping and a swim
M45W - medium duration, rough creek terrain, solid fitness, wet travel
Example 3 - steep off-track rainforest spur with light scrambling
S56NS - short duration, difficult terrain, hard fitness, navigation, and scrub
Example 4 - gorge day with boulders, pack swims, exposure, and slow progress
M67WER - medium duration, very rough terrain, very hard fitness, wet travel, exposure, and remoteness
Example 5 - big exploratory off-track day with thick scrub and route-finding
L78NSR - long duration, very rough terrain, strenuous fitness, navigation, scrub, and remoteness
Example 6
Grade: M56W
Duration: Medium (4 to 6 hours)
Terrain: Rough creek and off-track terrain with rock hopping and scrambling
Fitness: Hard - good fitness required
Special factors: Wet travel, slippery rock, and slow progress in places