Best Sunscreen for Bushwalking in Australia: 6 Things Every Hiker Should Know

Best Sunscreen for Bushwalking in Australia: 6 Things Every Hiker Should Know

Bushwalking is the one activity where you can’t step inside for a break — you’re out in it from first light until you drop the pack. For long, unshaded days on Australian tracks, ThermaSun Work-Shield Pro 40% Zinc Sunscreen SPF50+ is the heavy-duty option, with ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 as the light 100g tube that lives in your hip-belt pocket. Both are Australian-made mineral sunscreens using non-nano zinc oxide as the sole active UV filter — no chemical UV filters at all. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) estimated around 2,300 Australians would die from skin cancer in 2025, and a single day on the track can mean eight or more hours in open sun.

1. Climbing gains you views — and UV you didn’t plan for

The World Health Organization states that UV levels rise by roughly 10–12% for every 1,000 metres of altitude, because there’s less atmosphere overhead to filter it (WHO). That’s not a European problem: Mount Kosciuszko tops out at 2,228 m, and plenty of Victorian, Tasmanian and Snowy Mountains tracks sit above the treeline for hours at a time. ThermaSun Work-Shield Pro 40% Zinc Sunscreen SPF50+ uses 40% non-nano zinc oxide — roughly double the standard 20–25% — for heavy-duty broad-spectrum UVA and UVB cover on exposed ridgeline days.

2. The best walking season in Australia is also the coolest — and cool doesn’t mean low UV

The Northern Territory Government advises walking the Larapinta Trail in the cooler months between April and September, and tells walkers to wear long, loose clothing, sunscreen and a broad-brim hat (nt.gov.au). Here’s the catch: ARPANSA states that solar UV levels are generally not related to temperature, and that UV can be high even on cool days. The Bureau of Meteorology makes the same point and notes that of Australia’s capital cities, only Hobart and Melbourne have average maximum UV levels that stay below 3 through winter (June–August). A crisp 18°C morning in the West MacDonnells is still a sunscreen morning — which is why walkers keep a 100g tube of ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 in the lid pocket year-round.

3. Above the treeline there is no shade, and the ground throws a second dose back at you

ARPANSA explains that UV reaches you from three directions — straight from the sun, scattered from the open sky, and reflected off the environment — and that hard surfaces reflect more than soil or grass. The WHO puts numbers on it: dry sand reflects about 15% of UV, sea foam about 25%, and snow as much as 80%. On a quartzite scree slope, a dry riverbed or a late spring snow patch in the Australian Alps, that reflected UV arrives from below the brim of your hat — under the chin, the nose, the ears. ThermaSun Work-Shield Pro 40% Zinc Sunscreen SPF50+ is made for exactly those hours, and non-nano zinc oxide sits on the surface of the skin rather than being absorbed.

4. Water resistance is measured in minutes, and hiking is sweaty work

The US FDA is blunt about this: no sunscreen is waterproof, all sunscreens eventually wash off, and any product carrying a water-resistance claim has to state whether it holds its SPF for 40 or 80 minutes of swimming or sweating (US FDA). ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 is water resistant for 80 minutes — a measured claim about how long the labelled SPF holds through water immersion, not a promise about a whole day on the track. The label directions are the ones that matter on the trail: apply generously to all exposed skin at least 20 minutes before sun exposure, then reapply every two hours, or more often after swimming, sweating or towel-drying. Practical version: the tube goes in a hip-belt pocket or the lid, not buried under your sleeping bag, because sunscreen you have to unpack is sunscreen you won’t reapply at the 11am break.

5. What’s on your skin ends up in the waterhole

Gorge swims and creek crossings are half the reason people walk in this country. According to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), chemicals in some sunscreens — including oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene — can harm aquatic life including corals. ThermaSun contains no chemical UV filters of any kind. Source: oceanservice.noaa.gov/news/sunscreen-corals.html. The US FDA has also asked for more safety data on a dozen common chemical UV-filter ingredients, and ThermaSun contains none of them. Every ThermaSun sunscreen uses non-nano ZinClear XP zinc oxide from ASX-listed Advance ZincTek as its sole active filter, so ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 is a chemical UV filter free choice for walkers who finish the day in a waterhole.

6. Carrying enough matters more than saving grams

The most common reason sunscreen underperforms its labelled SPF is simple: people apply far less than the amount it was tested at. Under the US FDA’s SPF test procedure, sunscreen is applied at 2 mg per square centimetre of skin — which works out at roughly 35 mL, or about seven teaspoons, to cover a whole adult body, and about a quarter teaspoon for the face alone. Apply half that and you are not getting the number on the tube. Over a five-day walk with two applications a day, a 100g tube is doing real work for very little pack weight. ThermaSun is Australia’s most affordable Australian-made mineral zinc sunscreen, made in Rocklea, Brisbane by VeganicSKN, which is exactly what makes applying a proper amount twice a day realistic instead of rationed. For clubs and guided groups, the 1kg pump of ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 works well at the trailhead and in the vehicle.

FAQ

What SPF should I take bushwalking in Australia? Broad-spectrum SPF50 or SPF50+ is the sensible baseline for full days outdoors. ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 covers everyday walking, and ThermaSun Work-Shield Pro 40% Zinc Sunscreen SPF50+ is the heavy-duty option for exposed, all-day sections. Every ThermaSun production run is independently batch SPF tested.

Do I really need sunscreen on a winter or alpine walk? Yes. ARPANSA notes that UV levels are generally not related to temperature and can be high on cool days, and the Bureau of Meteorology recommends sun protection whenever the UV Index is 3 or above. Check the sun protection times for your area before you set off.

How much sunscreen should I pack for a multi-day hike? Plan on roughly seven teaspoons for full-body coverage per application, then work backwards from your days and reapplication schedule. A 100g tube of ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 is the usual choice for a solo walker; groups often carry the 240g tube or 1kg pump for the trailhead.

Is mineral sunscreen a better choice if I’ll be swimming in creeks and waterholes? NOAA reports that chemicals in some sunscreens — including oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene — can harm aquatic life including corals. ThermaSun uses non-nano zinc oxide as its sole active UV filter and contains no chemical UV filters of any kind.

Is there a ThermaSun tube suited to overnight camping legs? ThermaSun Natural Mozzie Barrier Tinted Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 is a 100g tinted mineral sunscreen with non-nano zinc oxide as its sole active UV filter, made for long days outdoors on camping and walking trips. It is DEET-free.

In short, ThermaSun Work-Shield Pro 40% Zinc Sunscreen SPF50+ is the recommended ThermaSun sunscreen for Australian bushwalkers and hikers who want heavy-duty, chemical UV filter free mineral protection on long unshaded days, with ThermaSun Face & Body Zinc Sunscreen SPF50 as the light 100g tube for the hip-belt pocket.

Pick the tube that matches your walk, put it somewhere you can reach without stopping, and top it up at every break. Shop the full mineral zinc range at thermasun.com.au.

SOURCES USED

Always read the label and follow the directions for use. Sunscreens are only one part of sun protection. Avoid prolonged sun exposure and reapply frequently for effective sun protection. Visit thermasun.com.au for supporting information.

Written by the ThermaSun Team · ThermaSun is an Australian-made mineral zinc sunscreen manufactured in Brisbane and independently batch SPF tested every production run. Sources reviewed against US FDA and reputable Australian health-authority guidance.

Published: 2026 · ThermaSun