Hike at a glance

34,919

Quick overview: The Australian Alps Walking Track is a challenging 655 km trail that starts in Walhalla, Victoria, and ends at Tharwa near Canberra. This Grade 5 hike takes you over Australia's highest peaks, including Mount Kosciuszko and Bimberi Peak, while navigating through high plains and national parks. Expect limited access to towns, so plan your food and supplies accordingly. Strong navigation skills are essential due to the sparse signposting along the route.

Length

655km

Duration

5-8 weeks

Difficulty

Grade 5 (Difficult)

Trail type

One Way

Trail details

Max elevation: 2175m
Min elevation: 250m
Total Ascent: 30779m

Start: Walhalla

End: Tharwa

Location: Australian Alps

State: Victoria

Nearest town: Walhalla

State capital distance: 184km

Latitude: -37.94278452232095

Longitude: 146.45055145025256

Check current conditions
Track conditions, access and closures can change quickly due to weather, fire, maintenance or safety concerns. Always check the relevant land manager’s website before you visit. Trail Hiking Australia does not provide real-time track and closure monitoring, and land managers remain the authoritative source for current alerts, closures and access restrictions.

About this trail

Difficulty

Planning

Safety

Getting there

The region

Photos

Weather

About this trail

The Australian Alps Walking Track traverses rugged remote alpine country in Victoria, NSW and the ACT. Bushwalkers must always be experienced, self reliant and have good navigational skills. It is important that you plan, prepare and equip yourself well for a walk on the Alps Track.

Note, the Poverty Point bridge near Walhalla has been closed for some time so you will need to cross to the opposite side of the river at Thompson Bridge.

The 655km Australian Alps Walking Track (AAWT) is a long distance walking trail through the alpine areas of Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Starting at Walhalla, Victoria and running through to Tharwa near Canberra, the AAWT weaves mainly though Australian national parks, such as Alpine National Park and Kosciuszko National Park, though it is not exclusively restricted to national parks.

The AAWT ascends many peaks including Mount Kosciuszko, Mount Bogong, and Bimberi Peak, the highest points in NSW, Victoria, and the ACT respectively. The AAWT crosses exposed high plains including the Victorian Bogong High Plains and the Main Range in NSW.

To walk the entire trail can take between 5 to 8 weeks. Food drops or a support crew are necessary, as the trail passes through no towns, although it passes close to the ski resorts of Mount Hotham, Falls Creek, Mount Baw Baw, Thredbo, Charlotte Pass and Perisher.

The AAWT has been signposted for part of its length in a tri-state agreement. However, most parts of the track require hikers to have highly developed navigation skills, particularly in wilderness areas.

The Australian Alps Walking Track is an extension of the older Victorian Alpine Walking Track, established during the 1970s. The Victorian track was extended after many years of promotion by the Federation of Victorian Walking Clubs and various government departments. The NSW stretch of the walk is less imaginative than the Victorian section. Where the Victorian section typically follows spurs and ridges, the NSW section typically follows fire trails/tracks. The route recommended by John Siseman adds some interest to the NSW section of the walk.

Between Walhalla and Tharwa the AAWT passes through the following National Parks

Baw Baw National Park

Alpine National Park (including Cobberas Wilderness Area), up to the New South Wales border.

Kosciuszko National Park (including Jagungal Wilderness Area), immediately north of the border.

Namadgi National Park, adjoining Kosciuszko National Park.

Brindabella National Park

Additional resources

Australian Alps Walking Track guide

The map guides

The following maps should only be used as a guide and are not designed for navigation in the field.

Map downloads

1 - Walhalla - Thomson Valley Rd 40km (PDF)
2 - Thomson Valley - Mount Shillinglaw 50km (PDF)
3 - Mount Shillinglaw - Mount Mc Donald 37km (PDF)
4 - Mount McDonald - Barry Saddle 46km (PDF)
5 - Barry Saddle - Mount Hotham 46km (PDF)
6 - Mount Hotham - Maddisons Hut Site 47km (PDF)
7 - Maddisons Hut Site - Mitta Mitta River 42km (PDF)
8 - Mitta Mitta River - Buenba Hut Site 34km (PDF)
9 - Buenba Hut Site - Cowombat Flat 46km (PDF)
10 - Cowombat Flat - Dead Horse Gap 40km (PDF)
11 - Dead Horse Gap - Guthega 39km (PDF)
12 - Guthega - McKeahnies Creek 52km (PDF)
13 - McKeahnies Creek - Kiandra 30km (PDF)
14 - Kiandra - Murrumbidgee River 23km (PDF)
15 - Murrumbidgee River - Murrays Gap 38km (PDF)
16 - Murrays Gap - Namadgi Visitor Centre 40km (PDF)

To plan your trip along the Australian Alps Walking Track (AAWT) view the detailed track notes at www.theaustralianalpsnationalparks.org/experience/aawt/

Trail difficulty

Grade 5 (difficult) badge

Grade 5 (Difficult)

Remote, unmarked, and high consequence
These are the most challenging walks and are only suited to highly experienced and well-prepared hikers.

Expect very rough, steep, and often unmarked terrain, with limited or no signage. Navigation skills are essential, and you must be self-reliant, including emergency preparedness. Distances may exceed 20km, and conditions can quickly become serious if things go wrong.

Safety note: There is little margin for error. Mistakes in navigation, weather judgement, or preparation can have serious consequences.

Planning information

Preparation matters: Plan your multi-day hike well and bring the right gear, weather-appropriate layers, food and plenty of water. Before you head out, read up on bushwalking safety and use this multi-day hike planning guide to make sure you're ready. Need help getting started? Check out the full hike preparation guide.

If you are commencing your walk at Walhalla you will probably find the section after the Thomson Valley Road to be quite tough. There are many steep descents and climbs in and out of river valleys. The forests along this section can be very thick making travel slow. Beware of leeches and mosquitoes during wet weather in this section.

Alpine Region
Rivers
Scenic Viewpoints
Alpine Huts
Exposed Ledges
Rock Scrambling
Steep Terrain
River Crossings
Untreated Water
Overnight Campsites

Map and GPX file

Australian Alps Walking Track - AAWT (655km)

Clean copy

Total distance: 689941 m
Max elevation: 2175 m
Min elevation: 250 m
Total climbing: 30779 m
Total descent: -30518 m

GPX files, maps and content are copyright Trail Hiking Australia. Not to be copied, redistributed or uploaded to other platforms including AllTrails.

File with waypoints

Key: H: Hut, W: Water, C: Campsite

Total distance: 689941 m
Max elevation: 2175 m
Min elevation: 250 m
Total climbing: 30779 m
Total descent: -30518 m

GPX files, maps and content are copyright Trail Hiking Australia. Not to be copied, redistributed or uploaded to other platforms including AllTrails.

Safety and preparation

Think safety first

Australian conditions can turn a small oversight into a serious situation faster than most walkers expect. The Hiking Safety Systems and planning calculators are designed to help you identify and close those gaps before you leave home. Work through the Interactive Safety Scenarios to see how incidents unfold, then use the tools to build your plan and make sure a trusted contact has your trip details before you head out.

Free checklists

Download the hiking preparation and safety checklists before leaving home to help you think through your plans. They help ensure important considerations are not overlooked and support safer decision-making on the trail.

Let someone know

Before you go, complete a trip intentions form and share it with a trusted contact. Agree on a Late-Back Time and ask them to call 000 (Police) if you have not checked in. A clear trip plan is one of the simplest and most effective safety steps you can take, and it only takes two minutes.

Let someone know your plans →

Heading somewhere remote, off-track or overnight? Use the comprehensive trip intentions form instead — your emergency contact will need more detail. Register your trip plan here →

Getting there and travel options

Australian Alps

Starting at Walhalla (Victoria): Walhalla is located 180km east of central Melbourne via CityLink and the Princes Fwy (M1) exit at Moe then via Erica and Rawson. Allow 2 hours & 30 minutes. Alternative route via Lilydale and Noojee.

Starting at the Namadgi National Park Visitors Centre (NSW): The Namadgi National Park is located at the northern end of the Australian Alps, 45 minutes' drive from Canberra city. From Tharwa, continue south and turn left to the Namadgi National Park Visitors Centre. It is 2.5km south of Tharwa Bridge.

Get there with Google Maps

2WD Access
Bitumen Road
Winding Road
Large Car Park
Public Toilets
Drinking Water
Picnic Shelter
Picnic Table

Travel arrangements

Whether you are travelling from across Australia or exploring closer to home, these options can help you organise your journey to the trail and make the most of your visit.

✈️ Find flights →
🚗 Compare car hire →
🥾 Explore nearby experiences →

Accommodation before / after your walk

Find hotels, cabins, and campgrounds near the trailhead. Click the button below to open an interactive map automatically centred on this hike's location — no searching required.

Or search accommodation in nearby towns: Bright, Mount Beauty, Myrtleford, Tallangatta, Wangaratta

Accommodation →

Explore the region

About the region

Across Victoria, the Australian Alps gather the state's highest country into a broad sweep of plateaus, ridgelines and deeply cut river valleys that continue north into New South Wales and the ACT. In Victoria this alpine and eastern highland region covers more than 900,000 hectares of public land, including Alpine, Mount Buffalo, Baw Baw and Snowy River national parks and Avon Wilderness. It is one of the few parts of the state with reliable winter snow, but the country is just as distinctive in the warmer months, when open high plains, snow gum woodland, wet forest and boggy headwaters sit side by side.

What makes this region unusual in Australia is not simply altitude, but the range of mountain environments packed into one connected landscape. There are treeless alpine areas above the snow gum belt, ferny gullies and ash forests lower down, and fragile sphagnum bogs and peatlands that help hold and release water through the headwaters of major rivers. The Alps are also a stronghold for cold-climate plants and animals found in few other places on the mainland, and they remain one of Victoria's most important areas for native biodiversity.

The Victorian section of the Australian Alps lies within an Aboriginal cultural landscape with many deep and continuing connections to Country. Parks Victoria's broader alpine management plan identifies the Bidawal, Dhudhuroa, Gunaikurnai, Jaithmathang, Mitambuta, Monero-Ngarigo, Ngarigu-Currawong, Taungurung, Waywurru and Wurundjeri as the First Peoples of the mountains and rivers of the Victorian Alps. Seasonal movement through the high country has long been part of this landscape, including the cultural importance of the Bogong Moth in alpine areas.

The region also carries the marks of more recent history, from grazing huts and old mining country to the long use of the High Country for recreation and winter travel. Yet its wider importance goes beyond scenery or heritage. The Australian Alps have national significance as a rare concentration of alpine and subalpine environments in a mostly low, dry continent, and as the source country for many of south-eastern Australia's rivers. That combination of elevation, water, ecological sensitivity and cultural depth gives the Victorian Alps their particular character.

More hikes nearby

Photo gallery

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Weather on the trail

Australian Alps

The map below shows the rain forecast for the trail area. Tap the toggle in the top right corner to explore other layers including wind, temperature, UV index, thunderstorms, fire danger, and weather warnings — all useful for planning a safe hike.

Trail Reviews

2 Reviews on “Australian Alps Walking Track - AAWT (655km)”

Overall rating

Darren Edwards Trail Author

I have only walked sections of the AAWT rather than the full length, but even those parts give a strong sense of how special this track is. Remote alpine country, long days, and a real need for good planning and bush skills come with the territory. From what I have experienced, it absolutely deserves its reputation as one of Australia’s great long distance walks.

08/01/2026, 11:21

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Susan Curtis

Have just completed the mid section from Mt Hotham to Thredbo. Just great satisfaction and elation. Will be back to do the Walhalla-Hotham section in November and final section Thredbo to Thawa in March/April 2018. Can you tell me if there is a badge, either cloth or metal – which can celebrate the track. I would like one for my collection of completed tracks. Details of contact, price, etc. would be appreciated. Many thanks. Sue Curtis.

24/03/2022, 05:17

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1. Houston Bodenhamer
  
  hey im thinking about doing this in winter. thoughts?
  
  24/03/2022, 05:17
  
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2. Darren Edwards Trail Author
  
  Hi Ben. Great question. The following waypoints are identified by letters:
  H: Hut
  W: Water
  C: Campsite
  
  Do let me know if I missed any.
  
  24/03/2022, 05:17
  
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3. Ben Vereb
  
  Hi,
  in the GPX file is there a key for what each letter means? For example I think the checkpoints you have the letter H is for Hut, W is for water etc…
  
  24/03/2022, 05:17
  
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4. Darren Edwards Trail Author
  
  It is a tough hike over that distance in any weather. Winter certainly would not be recommended for the entire length but shorter sections would be enjoyable if you have the necessary experience.
  
  24/03/2022, 05:17
  
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5. Darren Edwards Trail Author
  
  No problem Susan. I sent you an email and will try to get this one on mys site soon
  
  24/03/2022, 05:17
  
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6. Darren Edwards Trail Author
  
  Well done, that’s an awesome effort. There is no badge or certificate available to my knowledge. Your best bet would be to contact Parks Victoria and see if they have any such program.
  
  24/03/2022, 05:17
  
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7. Susan McDonald
  
  Would like info on Walhalla to Britannia Creek Circuit Walk please
  
  24/03/2022, 05:17
  
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Adriaan Homburg

Does anyone know of any issue with this GPX?

I imported it into my garmin connect and it only uploaded from Walhalla to O’Sheas Mill.

Cheers
Adriaan

11/05/2021, 14:09

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Acknowledgement of Country

Australian alps walking track - aawt (655km) - trail hiking australia

Trail Hiking Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we hike and pay respects to their Elders, past and present, and we acknowledge the First Nations people of other communities who may be here today.

Curated by: Darren Edwards | Trail Hiking Australia

Last modified:

August 12, 2026

Australian Alps Walking Track - AAWT (655km)

Hike at a glance

Trail details

About this trail

Important Info

Route in detail

Additional information

Between Walhalla and Tharwa the AAWT passes through the following National Parks

Additional resources

Map downloads

Trail difficulty

Grade 5 (Difficult)

Planning information

Trail tips

Walk features

Map and GPX file

Clean copy

File with waypoints

Safety and preparation

Think safety first

Free checklists

Let someone know

Getting there and travel options

Access conditions

Travel arrangements

Accommodation before / after your walk

Explore the region

About the region

More hikes nearby

Walhalla to Thomson Station – Poverty Point Hike (12.5km)

Aberfeldy Thompson Loop Hike (50km)

Great Walhalla Alpine Trail (42km)

Walhalla to Britannia Creek Circuit Hike (17km)

Photo gallery

Weather on the trail

Trail Reviews

2 Reviews on “Australian Alps Walking Track - AAWT (655km)”

Leave a Review. Cancel reply

Notice something different about this trail?

Acknowledgement of Country

Curated by: Darren Edwards | Trail Hiking Australia

Last modified:

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