Hike at a glance

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Quick overview: The Grass Tree Walk is a 14 km circuit in Brisbane Ranges National Park, starting at Boar Gully Camping Ground. This Grade 3 hike has moderately challenging terrain, including some steep sections. As you walk, you may encounter eastern grey kangaroos, wallabies, and echidnas. The well-marked paths take you through areas with grass trees alongside manna and swamp gums. The hike typically takes around four hours to complete.

Length

14km

Duration

4 hrs

Difficulty

Grade 3 (Moderate)

Trail type

Circuit

Trail details

Max elevation: 441m
Min elevation: 319m
Total Ascent: 431m

Start: Boar Gully Camping Ground

End: Boar Gully Camping Ground

Location: Brisbane Ranges National Park

State: Victoria

Nearest town: Anakie

State capital distance: 75km

Latitude: -37.767572534031

Longitude: 144.26235965117

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 and conditions 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 the trail

Difficulty

Route map

Preparation

Getting there

Photos

The region

Weather

About this trail

Route in detail

Grass Tree Walk is a 14 km, grade 3 hike in Brisbane Ranges National Park in Victoria, and it usually takes around four hours to complete. The walk begins at Boar Gully Camping Ground in the northern part of the park and follows a well defined and clearly marked route that makes it an approachable option for walkers looking for a steady day out rather than a demanding climb.

Much of the route shares alignment with the Burchell Trail, including sections along the Kangaroo and Wallaby Tracks. While some parts follow management tracks, which are common across the Brisbane Ranges, these sections provide easy going underfoot and help link quieter trails through the forest. The overall terrain is moderate, with only one notable change in elevation, making the walk feel consistent and manageable from start to finish.

The defining feature of this walk is the sheer number of grass trees scattered throughout the landscape. Tall stands rise from open forest of manna gum and swamp gum, creating a strong sense of place that feels distinctly local to this part of Victoria. These grass trees give the walk much of its character and provide frequent moments to pause and take in the surroundings without the need for steep climbs or exposed sections.

Wildlife is commonly seen along the route, particularly eastern grey kangaroos and wallabies moving through the forest clearings. Echidnas are also known to wander across the tracks, especially in quieter sections away from the campground. Most of the walking is on narrow bush tracks, with four wheel drive sections used mainly to connect different parts of the trail network rather than dominate the experience.

Grass Tree Walk suits walkers who enjoy a relaxed but engaging hike through varied forest, with clear navigation and plenty of visual interest along the way. It is a reliable choice for those wanting to explore the Brisbane Ranges at a comfortable pace while still covering a satisfying distance.

Camping - Boar Gully Campgound

Enjoy quiet, secluded camping an easy drive from Melbourne in the Brisbane Ranges. Immerse yourself in nature, refresh your soul and experience the feeling of being away from it all, in wilderness just relaxing or enjoying a range of scenic walks and wildflowers.

Basic camping facilities provided include non-flush toilets, picnic tables and fireplaces. Fires may be lit in the fireplaces provided by Parks Victoria. Firewood collection is not permitted. Campers should bring their own firewood or a fuel stove for cooking. Tank water is available, but it is not suitable for drinking – supply your own drinking water.

Trail difficulty

Grade 3 (moderate) badge

Grade 3 (Moderate)

Moderate walks with some obstacles

Grade 3 walks may include short steep hills, formed tracks with some obstacles, rougher surfaces and many steps. Some bushwalking experience is recommended, and walkers may encounter natural hazards such as steep slopes, unstable surfaces or minor water crossings. Grade 3 walks are no longer than 20km.

Good to know: Not every Grade 3 characteristic will apply to every walk, so check the route description for the specific challenges of this hike.

Map and GPX file

Grass Tree Walk (14km)

Map of the route “Grass Tree Walk (14km)”: 13.81 km, 431 m of climbing and 431 m of descent, elevation between 319 m and 441 m, time 03:43:06. It is a loop that starts and ends at -37.76752, 144.26219 (latitude, longitude).

Total distance: 13.85 km
Max elevation: 441 m
Min elevation: 319 m
Total climbing: 431 m
Total descent: 431 m

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

Preparation and safety

Plan and prepare

Australian conditions can turn a small oversight into a serious situation faster than most walkers expect. For a day hike, that means the right gear, weather-appropriate layers, enough food and water, and allowing time to finish in daylight. The day hike planning guide walks you through it.

The Hiking Safety Systems and planning calculators help you understand and close the gaps before you leave home. The Interactive Safety Scenarios show how small gaps turn into real incidents. If you’re new to planning hikes, start with the hike preparation guide.

Download the free 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, as your emergency contact will need more detail. Register your trip plan here →

Getting there and where to stay

Directions

From Melbourne, take the Western Freeway towards Bacchus Marsh, then continue towards Geelong via Geelong–Ballan Road. Turn onto Brisbane Ranges Road and follow signs to Boar Gully Camping Ground. This approach provides a straightforward route to the campground.

Alternative access: The campground can also be reached from the Bacchus Marsh side via Geelong Road, Glenmore Road and Reids Road. This route includes sections of unsealed road, where conditions can vary depending on recent weather and maintenance. Allow extra time and drive to the conditions.

Get there with Google Maps

Accommodation nearby

Search accommodation in nearby towns: Anakie, Bacchus Marsh, Ballan, Bannockburn, Bungaree, Elaine, Lara, Maddingley, Melton

Find somewhere to stay near the trailhead. Click the button below to open an interactive map automatically centred on this hike's location.

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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.

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Photo gallery

Grass Tree Walk (14km)

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Explore the region

About the region

Brisbane Ranges National Park rises from the dry country between Melbourne, Geelong and Ballarat as a belt of low, folded hills cut by rocky gullies and steep little valleys. That terrain helps explain why the park feels different from the farmland around it. Its sandstone, shale and slate country has sheltered plant communities that have disappeared from much of the wider district, giving the ranges an unusually rich bush flora for this part of Victoria.

Wildflowers are central to the character of the park, but the detail is what makes the place distinctive. Brisbane Ranges National Park is recognised as Victoria's richest wildflower habitat, and orchids are a major part of that story, with 61 species recorded in the park. The bush here is mostly open forest and woodland rather than tall mountain forest, with messmate and red stringybark, broad-leaf peppermint, red ironbark, manna gum and other eucalypts shaping a drier, more open landscape that still holds remarkable botanical variety.

The ranges also carry a long human history. The park lies on Wadawurrung Country, and older records for the area refer to Wathaurong people regularly occupying the Brisbane Ranges before colonisation brought violent disruption and dispossession. Nearby Steiglitz adds another layer to the setting. Gold-era clearing, timber cutting and quarrying changed much of the original vegetation, so many of the trees seen now are regrowth from that period rather than untouched forest, which gives the area its own mix of resilience and disturbance.

That combination of geology, regrowth bush and isolated gullies has also made the park an important refuge for wildlife and for plant species at the edge of their range. Koalas are one of the better-known animals here, and the broader ecological value of the ranges is unusually high for a park of modest elevation. Brisbane Ranges National Park is not alpine, coastal or rainforest country. Its interest lies in something subtler: a rugged inland block of surviving bush where western Victorian landscapes, goldfields history and enduring cultural connections meet.

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Weather on the trail

The map shows the rain forecast for the trail area. Use the toggle in the top right corner to switch layers, including wind, temperature, UV index, thunderstorms, fire danger and weather warnings. Windy is a forecast model, not an official warning service. Check the Bureau of Meteorology for current warnings before you go.

Trail reviews

4 Reviews on “Grass Tree Walk (14km)”

Overall rating

Jen

An enjoyable hike, but please note that Glenmore Road turns into Reids Road and becomes dirt, with deep corrugations and potholes.
Instead, enter Boar Gully campground from Brisbane Ranges Road (western entry) off Geelong-Ballan Road, Bitumen all the way!

23/08/2026, 17:16

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1. Darren Edwards Trail Author
  
  HI Jen, thanks for the feedback and for sharing the access route. I’ve updated the hike information to include the Brisbane Ranges Road approach as the primary approach and added a note about the Glenmore Road/Reids Road route and variable unsealed road conditions. Appreciate you taking the time to help improve the info.
  
  24/08/2026, 09:11
  
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Timothy Lefebvre

An absolute cracker of a walk for a cold day. Beautiful stands of grass trees set in classic forests of manna and swamp gums. Plenty of kangaroos and wallabies around. Used the GPX file for the first time with the Organic Maps app and it worked a treat. I suggest you do the circuit clockwise as I did it anti-clockwise and found the descent on shale down Birchell trail a bit tricky. The information provided was spot on.

14/07/2024, 14:47

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1. Darren Edwards Trail Author
  
  Hey Timothy, really glad you enjoyed this walk. It is fantastic. I’m lucky enough to live nearby. Really glad to hear the info and GPX file was spot on too. The Brisbane Ranges always surprises me, so much variation.
  
  17/07/2024, 00:12
  
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Grant Walker

Beautiful walk. I’m really enjoying hiking in the Brisbane Ranges. It’s full of surprises

20/02/2024, 22:15

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Heike Krumm

The Grass Tree Walk is a lovely, beautiful and relatively easy walk in the Brisbane Ranges. There’s only one major ascent on the walk, the rest is fairly easy walking. There are hundreds if not thousands of Grass Trees along the way which makes it very pretty. Major 4WD tracks are only used to link the different trails and most of the walking is on smaller tracks or trails. Despite the wet weather over the last half a year, there were no muddy bits on the trail. It’s a great hike in summer and winter. Will definitely do it again!

07/10/2022, 12:00

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V B

Did this walk recently – nice and quite walk out in the bush.
Spotted roos and wallabies early in the trail.
Some sections bit overgrown and/or trees have fallen (e.g. bit of Wallaby Track) – follow GPX file and bush bash for a bit, the cleared path shows up soon enough.
As we had done this anti-clockwise, it was a steep decline midway followed by a short incline after ; both don’t last long before you’re back on the flats

24/03/2022, 05:23

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Acknowledgement of Country

Grass tree walk (14km) - 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 checked:

October 30, 2026

Hike at a glance

Trail details

About this trail

Route in detail

Camping - Boar Gully Campgound

Trail difficulty

Grade 3 (Moderate)

Map and GPX file

Preparation and safety

Plan and prepare

Let someone know

Getting there and where to stay

Directions

Accommodation nearby

Travel arrangements

Photo gallery

Explore the region

About the region

Discover activities

More hikes nearby

Northern Brisbane Ranges Circuit Hike (19.5km)

Little River Gorge Walk (7.5km)

Ted Errey Nature Circuit Hike (12.5km)

The Burchell Trail Hike (35km)

Explore hikes by town

Weather on the trail

Trail reviews

4 Reviews on “Grass Tree Walk (14km)”

Leave a Review. Cancel reply

Notice something different about this trail?

Acknowledgement of Country

Curated by: Darren Edwards | Trail Hiking Australia

Last checked:

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