Great Victorian Alpine Walk - 4 Days

Life’s An Adventure invites you on a 4-day Pack Free guided walking tour through Victoria’s High Country, a stunning alpine region located about 380 km northeast of Melbourne.

This tour takes you deep into the heart of the Victorian Alps, where diverse landscapes of forests, alpine grasslands, snow-covered peaks, and high plains create a remarkable setting for an unforgettable walking experience. The tour is designed to showcase the region’s natural beauty and rich history, providing a journey that blends exploration with comfort.

The walk is based in Falls Creek, where we access the Bogong High Plains, an area characterized by high undulating terrain dotted with streams, granite outcrops, and vast herb fields. Above the snow gum treeline, the plains transform into a vibrant tapestry of alpine wildflowers during the warmer months, including alpine marsh-marigolds, mountain heath-myrtle, yellow kunzea, mint bush, and a variety of daisies and everlastings. The unique snow gums, with their twisted trunks and beautifully patterned white and pink bark, add a distinctive charm to the landscape.

Explore trails that traverse a variety of environments, from lush forests to open high plains, and take in the spectacular views from precipitous ridges and mountain summits. The area is steeped in history, with stories of early cattle graziers, the development of the Hydro-Electric Power Scheme, and the area’s significance as a seasonal migration route for Indigenous Australians. Our knowledgeable guides share these fascinating insights along the way, enriching your experience with the cultural and historical context of the High Country.

Accommodation is carefully selected to ensure a comfortable stay, with lodgings that reflect the beauty and serenity of the alpine setting. Each evening, unwind in a welcoming atmosphere and enjoy gourmet meals featuring fresh local produce, providing a taste of the region’s culinary delights.

The Pack Free approach ensures a relaxed and enjoyable journey, allowing you to explore the trails without the burden of carrying a heavy pack. With private transfers and flexible daily walking options, the tour caters to different fitness levels and preferences, making it accessible for all.

The 4-day Great Victorian Alpine Walk by Life’s An Adventure is more than just a hike—it’s an immersive journey through some of Australia’s most beautiful alpine landscapes, where nature’s wonders, cultural history, and personal adventure come together. Join us for a Pack Free adventure that captures the essence of Victoria’s High Country, offering stunning scenery, fascinating stories, and unforgettable memories.

Itinerary

Day 1: Melbourne to Victorian Alps

DEPARTURE TIME: 7.30am (For Self Drives pick up is at 1:30pm at St Falls Resort (formerly QT), Falls Creek)

TRAIL NOTES: 6kms. 2.5 hours walking with breaks. Medium Grade.

TERRAIN: Narrow foot track through Alpine grassland and woodland. Open walking with very few obstacles but some short, steady ascents and descents.

WALK ITINERARY: Meet your Life’s An Adventure representative in the foyer of the The Langham Melbourne at 7.00am. From here we drive north with stops at Euroa and Bright on the way to Falls Creek. On arrival, we head out on our walks from the Wallaces Hut Track, just beyond Falls Creek, on this lovely historic circuit walk. These huts are amongst the oldest on the Bogong High Plains. Wallaces Hut, dating from 1889, is classified by the National Trust and is a stunning piece of bush architecture. Built by brother Arthur, Stewart and William Wallace using snow gum drop-log construction it originally had split woolybutt shingles on the roof. The internal rafters carry the carved names of cattlemen and visitors. Cope Hut, the only hut on the high plains built specifically for ski-tourers, dates from 1929 and is equally enthralling. The hut was called “The Menzies of the High Plains” by early skiers because of its size and comfort.

Our accommodation for the next three nights is at the stylish St Falls Resort (formerly QT) in a stylish one bedroom apartment. Tonight our accommodation, where we have time to relax before joining the group for dinner in the restaurant featuring local produce and Victorian wines

*You will stay in either 1 or 2-bedroom apartments. Each bedroom has its own bathroom. (NOTE: you may be sharing an apartment with fellow travellers on your tour).

Day 2: Mt Jaithmathang

TRAIL NOTES: 13-18 km, approx. 6 hours, moderate. Medium Grade

TERRAIN: Mostly gentle undulations with a short, steep climb to Mt Jaithmathang; compact surfaces shifting between uneven/rocky narrow foot track to gravel management/4WD tracks. 

WALK ITINERARY: Enjoy breakfast in the hotel restaurant before heading out on the day’s adventures. An easy climb over the Bogong High Plains leads to an old cattle yard and stream at Tawonga Huts, with impressive views of Mt Feathertop and The Jaithmathangs along the way. We start today’s walk along the Mt Fainter Fire Track from Pretty Valley Pondage to Tawonga Huts where we stop for morning tea and on to Mt Jaimathang for lunch. These huts nestle in a small snow plain below the rocky top of the mountain ahead. On the return trip, guests can choose to return to the vehicle on the Mt Fainter track at 13km, for those who are keen to continue we walk back along the trail and then find the summit of Mt Jim after some steady but not steep climbing. After our walk, we return to our accommodation with time to relax before joining the group for an a la carte dinner in the hotel restaurant served with Australian wines.

Day 3: Fitzgerald & Kelly Huts

TRAIL NOTES: 12.5 km approx. 3.5-4 hours. Grade: easy-moderate

TERRAIN: Mostly gentle undulations but some steeper climbs. Compact surfaces shifting between uneven/rocky narrow foot track to gravel management/4WD tracks. Open walking with very few obstacles through Alpine grassland and woodland.

WALK ITINERARY: This morning enjoy a hearty breakfast before we head out walking. A pleasant stroll through grassy plains and snow gum forest this morning leads to two huts with an interesting history. Each was named after graziers who ran cattle on the nearby plains. The original Fitzgerald Hut was one of the oldest and most appealing of the cattlemen’s huts in the Alpine National Park. It was destroyed by fire in December 1991 but skilfully rebuilt in 1993 using salvaged and recycled timbers. Later we return to our accommodation with time to relax before dinner in the restaurant. Enjoy a la carte dining accompanied by local wine.

Day 4: Beechworth and Woolshed Falls

TRAIL NOTES: 6kms. 2 hours

TERRAIN: Well formed, compact path interspersed with some rocky sections. Some slippery rocks and unfenced cliff lines. Gently undulating.

WALK ITINERARY: This morning enjoy a hearty breakfast before setting out on our last day of walking. Located in the Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, Woolshed Falls is a popular destination for nature lovers and history buffs. The area was once the centre of one of the richest goldfields in Australia, where up to 8,000 prospectors camped along the banks of Spring Creek, in search of their fortune. The bushranger Ned Kelly had many links with Beechworth – he spent time in HM Prison Beechworth and gang members Aaron Sherritt and Joe Byrne came from the Woolshed mining camp.

The falls are a ten-minute drive north from Beechworth, where you can view the cascading falls, and take a self-guided walk around the alluvial gold workings. An observation deck provides views to falls and the valley below, which is particularly spectacular after heavy rainfalls.

A celebratory lunch will follow before we make the return journey to Melbourne.

ARRIVAL TIME: Approximately 5.30pm at The Langham Melbourne.

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