G R E AT A U S S I E T R E K S E R I E S
NORTHERN
The majestic mountains and deep valleys of the northern Grampians
PICS BY RON & VIV MOON
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EXPOSURE
make this trek a great adventure, RON MOON says
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G R E AT A U S S I E T R E K S E R I E S
The Northern Grampians tracks lead
through spectacular scenery
T
his trek is an easy day drive through
the heart of Victoria’s Grampians
National Park. The park, the fourth
biggest in the state, takes up nearly
170,000ha of rugged mountainous country
that rears up abruptly from the flat surrounding mundane plains of western Victoria.
The park contains a variety of habitats
and environments, including sub-alpine and
rocky heathlands, found on the high peak of
Mt William and its surrounding plateau, to tall
forests and wet gullies spread throughout the
park. This means the area is home to more
than 1100 species of plants, 18 of which occur
nowhere else. The best time to visit to see the
flowers is, of course, Spring when it is at its
vibrant best. As well, there are 230 bird species and 40 mammal species recorded in the
park, and a healthy reptile population.
The Jardwadjali and Djab Wurrung Aboriginal people have lived in the region for
generations and their affinity with the area
is celebrated in their traditional name for the
area, ‘Gariwerd’. More than 100 art and living
sites have been found in the ranges, representing the largest collection of sites in southeastern Australia. One place was occupied as
far back as 22,000 years. Of these sites only
four are open to the public with just two in the
northern Grampians, near Mt Zero. These are
the Gulgurn Manja and Ngamadjidj Shelters
and, while the art painted here isn’t as vibrant
as the art of Arnhem Land or the Kimberley,
they are still important examples, signifying
the long and rich culture that existed here. For
modern-day visitors the Brambuk Aboriginal
Living Cultural Centre in Halls Gap is a great
place to learn about the history of the area.
In 1836 Europeans arrived in the form of
Thomas Mitchell’s expedition. So glowing
was his report of this ‘Australian Felix’ that
settlement soon followed. Vast sheep runs
surrounding the ranges had been taken up by
1841 but the Grampians, named by Mitchell,
The ranges contain more than 100 aboriginal art and
living sites; the largest collection in the south-east
The area’s dams make fantastic
fishing spots
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G R E AT A U S S I E T R E K S E R I E S
The spectacular drop of
MacKenzie Falls
Large grass trees are one example of the
park’s 1100 plant varieties
Boreang camping area is a secluded camping spot
where you will see roos, wallabies and other wildlife
were too rough and rocky to plough or graze,
but were good for timber. Until 1984, when
the area was declared a national park, the
whole park area operated as a state forest.
Smith’s Mill, a great camp spot passed close
by on this trek, was a working red gum sawmill until the 1950s. Today, old steam engines
and the like can still be found hidden in the
surrounding bush.
In the late 1880s, with development of
western Victoria thwarted by lack of water,
Australia’s first irrigation reservoir was built
on the headwaters of the MacKenzie River.
Lake Wartook, visited on this trek, was the
first of many dams, which supplies water to
more than 10,000 farms and 50 towns spread
over more than 28,500sq km of the state.
Those dams and man-made water bodies
make the area one of the best fishing spots in
southern Australia. While the current drought
has had a detrimental effect on most of the
nation’s waterways, as we found while talking to full-time fishing guide Karen O’Reiley,
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Lake Wartook can still produce some nice
fish. Karen had caught a five-pound trout just
a few days previously. The lake is also ideal
for canoeing or to launch a boat.
After visiting MacKenzie Falls, this trek
passes through Zumstein, a historic site
established in the late 1920s as a tourist
venture. Today it’s a great spot to see kangaroos up close. From here the route circumnavigates the Asses Ears, two prominent and
rugged peaks, before coming to Wallaby
Rocks. And no, we didn’t see any wallabies
on our drive through here. The route then
passes close to Burrong Falls and Boreang
camping area. This is a small, pleasant camping spot where it’s not unusual to see a lot of
roos, wallabies and other wildlife.
Such a variety of attractions and things to
do make the Grampians very popular and this
trek is just an enjoyable introduction to the
region. There’s a host of other tracks, places
to see and things to do in the area, which can
easily fill a week or more.