Hannah Currie completed all nine Great Walks by the age of 10. Her mother Sarah tells us what they packed for the walks

Pack
Children’s packs should weigh no more than 20 per cent of their body weight, and Hannah is petite, so we have had to keep her pack under 5kg. Her new pack is a 30l Macpac Torlesse Junior with a proper hipbelt to distribute the weight comfortably. The downside of keeping Hannah’s pack light is that mine is heavy! My new pack is an 85l One Planet Strezlecki, so has plenty of room.

Sleeping bags
I use a Kathmandu Pathfinder and Hannah uses my old The Great Outdoors Brass Monkey 80/20 down bag.

Clothing
Hannah carries two full sets of long merinos, and a Macpac down jacket – a cold child means no one is having fun. She also carries Macpac rain pants and a Kathmandu rain coat. Her t-shirts are merino too, so they can be layered for extra warmth.

Hygiene
Everyone needs to carry some communal gear, so Hannah takes toilet paper and hand sanitiser (light but bulky).

Food
When tramping with children, it pays to have plenty of treats, snacks and hot drinks, and Hannah assures me that dessert is essential. Hannah carries her own water and scroggin, and likes to carry the chocolate, too. She always wants to carry more, and sometimes takes a meal or dessert which she cooks herself.

First aid
I always carry sunscreen and insect repellant, a compact comprehensive first aid kit, and a survival kit with a Kathmandu headlamp, spare batteries, bootlaces, Victorinox pocket knife, extra matches, survival bags, and pen and paper. Hannah has a headlamp, and a small survival kit with fire-starting gear, pocket knife, and a compass.

Entertainment
Hannah likes to take her camera and a book to read in the huts.

Hiking poles
Hannah got Macpac K3 Trekker kids hiking poles for Christmas and she enjoys using them.

Cooking
Although most Great Walks huts have gas cookers provided, we always take a little Gasmate cooker and a gas canister so we can be independent, or have a hot lunch along the way. We have an old MSR pot set and Sea to Summit collapsible plates, which fit nicely into my pack, and lightweight plastic mugs.