walk this way

Put on your hiking boots and discover Victoria’s great trails

WORDS CAROLINE MCCONNACHIE
PHOTOGRAPHY NIALL MCCONNACHIE

There are few things in life that’ll make you feel this alive.

Sure, your legs may turn to jelly and you may need to get your breath back, but the sheer exhilaration of hiking in Australia’s national parks takes some beating! Victoria has lots to offer – here are our picks.

Wilsons Promontory

Sand and seclusionIf Melbourne looks a little deserted in summer, it’s because half the population is in this coastal paradise on the southernmost tip of mainland Australia. There’s plenty to do just at the Tidal River campground, with its nearby unspoilt beaches. But if you fancy getting out for a night or two, the East Prom coastal hike is breathtaking – well worth the odd blister! This 35km circuit starts from Telegraph Saddle car park and has three campsites. First up, 10km east, is Sealers Cove, named for a seal population that the pioneers nearly hunted out of existence – a crescent of shoreline with a dramatic, mountainous backdrop.

Looking southwards from
Mount Oberon A rocky 6km track overlooking the ocean leads on to Refuge Cove, a near-perfect beach. If you can drag yourself away, go on to Little Waterloo Bay (7km) through areas recovering from bushfire, where the charcoal is splashed with new saffron and green. Blue water, flour-white sand and a peninsula topped with bristly trees await at the bay. To complete the circuit, travel across an isthmus, through plains and up the challenging, hilly finale (12km), and collapse, zonked but happy, in the car park.

Hot tip Visit in autumn or spring if you’re after deserted beaches, as summer sees the park in full swing: between 23 December and 27 January, demand is so high that there’s a ballot system for campsites!

Where 200km southeast of Melbourne. Take the South Gippsland Highway via Leongatha; after Meeniyan take the C444 turn-off and follow the signs.

In the area Want more wildlife? Return to Avalon via Phillip Island and see the cute fairy penguins.

Great Ocean Walk

hills face the
ocean Who needs a private island when you can have the Great Ocean Road coastline virtually to yourself for AU$20 a night? The Great Ocean Walk, opened in 2006, passes through wild coastal terrain previously off-limits. And while the road heaves with seven million tourists a year, the walk’s seven campgrounds have just eight sites each, so it never feels crowded. They’re arranged like outdoor hotels, with “room” numbers, bush-lined “corridors”, dining quarters and million-dollar views – even from the toilets! If camping’s not your thing, there are also nearby B&Bs offering baths and real beds.

drink your fill The walk was designed in sections, so you don’t need to have the stamina (or the time!) to hike the entire 91km. It passes through Great Otway National Park, deserted beaches, forests and along towering cliff tops – the second half, starting from wild Johanna Beach and concluding by the Twelve Apostles, is much more impressive.

Where 185km south-west of Melbourne. Take the Princes Freeway via Geelong onto the Great Ocean Road.

In the area Leave heaps of time to explore the region after your walk, and visit fashionable Lorne and family-friendly Apollo Bay. Port Fairy charms with its heritage cottages and annual folk festival, and surfers will want to check out Torquay and Bells Beach.

Victorian Alps

Easy RouteThe Victorian Alps aren’t just about skiing. As the snow begins to melt, the state’s High Country, with its stupendously beautiful scenery, becomes a magnet for walkers – especially when the wildflowers bloom.

Alpine National Park is the state’s largest, covering a whopping 646,000 hectares. The Australian Alps Walking Track winds its way through here to neighbouring Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales, and finishes in the ACT. To cover the entire 650km trail takes 8 to 10 weeks, and is best done between January and March when the weather is most stable.

Take in the ViewIf you only have a spare weekend, head to the queen of the Alps, Mt Feathertop. Nearby Mt Bogong stands proud as Victoria’s highest mountain at 1,986m, overshadowing the Bogong High Plains and its many shorter walks. A quick trek to Roper Lookout takes in ski resort Falls Creek; the longer Mt Nelse track has panoramic views.

Where The High Country begins around 220km from Melbourne. Take the Hume Freeway.

In the area Outside ski season, the High Country is great for horse riding, canoeing, abseiling, rafting and bike riding. Roam a little further for wineries, the acclaimed Bright Brewery (9 Wills St, Bright, tel: +61 (3) 5755 1301) and Simone’s Restaurant (98 Gavan St, Bright, tel: +61 (3) 5755 2266).

Grampians National Park

Sandstone formations Driving along the dry Wimmera plains into this vast and popular park, its trio of thousand-metre mountain ranges look deceptively small. The way to really appreciate their scale is to don your boots and clamber over them – visit in October and you get the bonus of beautiful wildflowers to photograph.

Most of the way is Level There are 150km of walking trails but for a three-hour trip, Mt Stapylton’s circuit is hard to beat. You don’t need to be an athlete to do the ascent, though on the approach to the craggy summit you start feeling a bit like a mountain goat! On the descent, take in the striking Taipan Wall, looking like someone spilt truckloads of tan, white and black paint on it. Watch for spindly-legged emus in the lowlands.

For a longer trip, head in the direction of Mt Difficult. After a steep day’s walk you camp overnight at the summit’s campsite: be sure to scramble to the pinnacle at dusk for the state’s best sunset.

For all your travel choices, go to www.jetstar.com