Words by Tehya Nicholas Images Supplied
Lace up your hiking boots and hit the Western Highway because 160km of all-new, pristine hiking trails have opened in The Grampians.
As the warmer weather and holiday season approaches, it’s fair to say Melburnians are keen to get some fresh air, and Parks Victoria has come through with a stellar announcement: after 20 years of planning, the Grampians Peaks Trail has been completed and is ready to welcome its first trail blazers.
The epic new track links some of the Grampians most spectacular sandstone peaks in a blood-pumping 13-day, 12-night hike. Starting at the base of Mt Zero, the trail passes over the summit of Gar (also fittingly known as Mt Difficult), before traversing through Halls Gap, then winding across Redman Bluff, Mount William, Major Mitchell Plateau, Signal Peak, Mt Abrupt, Mt Sturgeon and more before finishing up at Dunkeld in the south.
For the experienced hiker, the full trail above is a field day with its challenging inclines, steep descents, rock scrambles and unbelievable views. The difficulty on average is a Grade 4/5, which means sweat will be dripping.
Shorter, less physically demanding hikes and itineraries have been marked out by Parks Vic on their website too, so you can enjoy the natural surrounds and learn about the rich Aboriginal history throughout the country as you wander. The traditional owners, the Jadawadjali and Djab Wurrung peoples, have lived on this land they call Gariwerd for thousands of years, and interpretation signage along the trail will help hikers learn more about their rich cultural heritage and the natural environment.
There’s no cost for hitting the trail, but campers will need to book and pay a fee of roughly $47 to pitch their tents each night. All 11 campgrounds are unique and well-equipped to keep you charged and ready to go. As always, take only photos and leave only footprints to help keep this incredible national park healthy and enjoyable for generations to come.
THE DETAILS
WHAT: Grampians Peak Trail completion
WHERE: Grampians National Park
WHEN: Now open
MORE INFO: Parks Victoria
We wish to acknowledge the Jadawadjali and Djab Wurrung people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.
It is a place that is filled with a rich history, both recent and more ancient. A place of sweeping landscapes, enchanting waterways and stunning scenic drives, all within an easy drive out of Melbourne.
On the edge of the Yarra Valley is the (in)famous Black Spur Drive. Marvel as the road twists and turns beneath towering eucalypts and movie-worthy mist. Soon enough you arrive in Marysville, a pretty little town with a big heart. It is also a convenient jumping-off point to visit Lake Mountain, with plenty for adventure seekers no matter the time of year.
Next up is the town of Eildon and one of Victoria’s largest man-made lakes, with a whopping 500km coastline. 
Our next stop is Yea – yay! A perennially popular stopping-off point to refuel both the car and the driver, Yea easily recalls the grandeur of the area’s gold mining past with historic buildings and graceful wide streets. It is also where the Goulburn River meets the Yea River and the 
A short drive and it’s on to the district of Trawool, for there is no township as such. It is here that the Goulburn Valley Hwy plays cat and mouse with the Goulburn River and its lagoons. Holiday makers have been visiting Trawool Valley from the early 1900s to take in the area’s scenic charms and it’s easy to see why. A visit to the iconic 
Next stop is Tallarook and the start of the 134 km 
A short drive from Tallarook is Seymour, located on the banks of the beautiful Goulburn River. Very much the platonic ideal of a country town with its wide, welcoming streets and riverside parks, Seymour has always been a major stop on the Melbourne-Sydney route. The area has also had strong military connections since the establishment of a nearby training camp prior to WW1 and then later Puckapunyal Army Base.
The historic township of Avenel was established in 1849 as a stop-over point between Melbourne and Albury. It is also known as the place where Ned Kelly’s family lived in the 1806s. Ned is now known as a bushranger and outlaw, but he was once hailed a hero after rescuing a young boy from drowning in a local creek. 
Nagambie calls and it’s our next stop. It is little wonder wineries are a great drawcard of Nagambie and surrounds. The cool climate (influenced by the Goulburn River and Lake Nagambie) combined with the area’s red sandy loam soil adds up to a distinctive wine region.
Our last stop is Euroa at the foothills of the Strathbogie Ranges. You’re definitely in Kelly country now – Ned Kelly and his gang bank robbed a local bank here in 1878. These days the town is a good base to explore the nearby Strathbogies, take a scenic drive to the Gooram waterfalls or perhaps take a quick dip in one of the popular swimming holes if weather allows.
also works to create some profoundly rich natural surroundings.
