Esperance will welcome outdoor adventurers from across Australia this spring, as Grounded Hiking Festival returns for its second year.

Running from Thursday, September 18, to Monday, September 22, the festival features five days of hikes, workshops, wildflower wanders, guest presentations and other unique experiences.

Visitors can take in the variety of world-class trails the region has to offer, including the Great Ocean Trail, the Salmon Beach Windfarm Heritage Trail, the Kepwari Wetlands, Frenchman Peak (Mandooboornup), the Cape Le Grand Coastal Trail and more.

But the festival is about more than just hiking.

Adventurer and explorer Tom Smitheringale is set to make a special guest appearance at Esperance’s Fenwick Cinema, describing his remarkable stories of his solo unsupported expedition to the North Pole, kayaking 1,300 km on the Nile River, and trekking 1,400 km through the eastern Sahara on camels and on foot before being captured and imprisoned in a Libyan jail.

The Esperance Museum Village invites visitors to indulge in a Long Table Lunch and immerse themselves in local creativity with Artisan Immersion Workshops, featuring silversmithing, painting, sewing, candle-making and other hands-on activities.

The program also serves up fun events such as the Hiking Quiz Night and Monday Movies at Lucky Bay Brewery, the Djilba Wildflower Festival, and the Museum Village Markets.

Leading into the festival, a Swag Camping Adventure will take hikers on a six-day swag camping adventure from Perth to Esperance. Led by Untamed Escapes, the trek features some of southern Western Australia’s most spectacular natural wonders, including Bicentennial Tree, Wave Rock, East Mount Barren, Frenchman Peak and more.

Grounded Hiking Festival returns to Esperance and surrounding areas from Thursday, September 18, to Monday, September 22, 2025. For more info and to buy tickets, head to groundedesperance.com.au