Trail Fast Facts

Great Walhalla Alpine Trail is a 42km, grade 4 hike in Baw Baw National Park, Victoria. This hike typically takes 3 days to complete.

Length: 42km

Duration: 3 days

Grade 4 (Hard)

Style: One way

Start: Walhalla

End: Baw Baw Alpine Resort

Location: Baw Baw National Park

State: Victoria

Nearby town: Walhalla

From state capital: 184km

Latitude: -37.94213937

Longitude: 146.45055145025256

Overview

Map and GPX file

Directions

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Hike Overview

The Great Walhalla Alpine Trail follows the first 40 kilometre section of the Australian Alps Walking Track, one of the world's great Alpine walks stretching 650 kilometres from Walhalla to Canberra.

Offering an abridged taste of the epic Australian Alpine Walking Track, the 40km Great Walhalla Alpine Trail links the historic mining township of Walhalla to the pristine snowgum environment of the Baw Baw National Park plateau and its nearby resort village. Hikers can choose a downhill or uphill end-to-end itinerary, enjoying a two-day journey through alpine plains alive with native wildflowers, twisted snowgums, towering mountain ash, and pre-historic myrtle beech.

Hikers will pass through the wonderland of geological formations found at Mushroom Rocks, see the ruins of Talbot Peak hut, cross mountain streams and wild rivers, pass through fern groves and, of course, get to know the timber and gold heritage of Walhalla.

The Great Walhalla Alpine Trail can be started at either end. Those seeking summit rewards begin in Walhalla, where a quick walk up the main street takes in the Long Tunnel Extended Mine, before linking onto the tramway that benches high above the town. This flat path weaves around the valley contours giving excellent views back over the township.

The trail sweeps around the spur to slowly descend towards the mighty Thomson River and a crossing at Point Poverty Bridge. This marks the first serious climb, with a steep section leading up Fingerboard Spur to a crossing of the Thomson Valley Road.

There is brief respite with a descent to O'Sheas Mill, a pretty creekside site where you can camp, although facilities are limited.

The major climb of the hike begins at the small creek crossing, with the trail rising steeply through stands of giant eucalypt and fern undergrowth, eventually popping out on a dirt road to the Mt Erica Car Park halfway point. Here the environment begins to transform as you climb higher; the bigger forest transitioning to alpine heathland, grassy plains and on into the gnarled stands of snowgum as you get closer to Baw Baw.

One of the walk highlights is Mushroom Rocks, a garden' of giant granite tors two kilometres from the car park. Although the campsite has no facilities, it makes an ideal spot for an enchanting overnight stay.

From Mushroom Rocks, the trail continues its steep ascent to Mt Erica. Beyond the summit you pass the old Talbot Peak hut ruins, just a short distance off the main trail. The trail undulates along the plateau, cumulatively rising towards the peaks of Mt St Gwinear (a 1.5-kilometre return side trip that's worth it for views) and Mt St Phillack.

After St Phillack saddle, the Australian Alpine Walking Track continues on north towards its Canberra terminus, while the Great Walhalla Alpine Trail turns left on a link trail to the rear of Baw Baw Alpine Resort. A final short climb reaches the Baw Baw summit and then it's down to the resort village for a celebration at the restaurant bar.

Tips

There are no seasonal closures, although walkers should be aware that sections of the trail are often covered with snow in winter

Getting there

Great Walhalla Alpine Trail Walk (42km)

Walhalla: From Melbourne, the drive is approximately 2.5 hours via the Monash Freeway, the Princes Highway and the Moe-Walhalla Rd.

Mount Baw Baw: Mt Baw Baw is located just 2.5 hours from Melbourne and 1 hour from Gippsland and is Melbourne's closest ski resort. Mt Baw Baw is accessible by bus transfer from Melbourne and Gippsland, car and train (to Moe, bus transfer required). Your Mt Baw Baw adventure is a short 1 hour drive from Central Gippsland, 2 1/2 hours from Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula. There are three main routes.

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Access conditions

Campfire Pit
Camping Area

Map and GPX file

Great Walhalla Alpine Trail Walk (42km)

Total distance: 41561 m
Max elevation: 1572 m
Min elevation: 240 m
Total climbing: 3198 m
Total descent: -2063 m

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Track Grade

Grade 4 (Hard) - Challenging Walks for Experienced Walkers: Grade 4 on the AWTGS signifies challenging walking tracks. Bushwalking experience is recommended for these tracks, which may be long, rough, and very steep. Directional signage may be limited, requiring a good sense of navigation. These walks are suited for experienced walkers who are comfortable with steeper inclines, rougher terrain, and potentially longer distances.

About the region

Walhalla Historic Area

Walhalla, a rich gold producer for 50 years, is a remote and picturesque mountain township. It is hard to imagine a more difficult site for a town than the steep, narrow valley of Stringers Creek as it winds down through the dense forests of the Baws Baws. Yet in its heyday, between 1880 and 1895, more than 4000 people lived there. The town is the start of the 650 km Australian Alps Walking Track to the ACT. But most people come to discover the remnants of a community that defied a forbidding environment in its quest for gold. The best way to see the town is on foot.

Baw Baw National Park

Spectacular year round, Baw Baw National Park covers a substantial part of the Baw Baw Plateau. As the snow melts see the hills come alive with vivid wildflower displays. Explore the wonderland of geological formations and walk or snowshoe one of the many trails that criss-cross through tangled snowgum forests. Walk a section of the Australian Alps Walking Track and discover Mushroom Rocks, a maze of giant granite tors rising from the forest. Head to Mount St Gwinear. Snowshoe, toboggan or cross-country ski one of the many trails that criss-cross the twisted snowgum forests. Walk the same trails in spring and see the Baw Baw Plateau come alive with a vivid display of wildflowers.

Suggest an edit

Spotted a change on this trail? Maybe there are new features, the route has shifted, or the trail is permanently closed. Whatever the update, I’d love your input. Your feedback helps fellow hikers stay informed and ensures that our trail info stays fresh and reliable.

Similar trails nearby

Looking for things to do in Baw Baw National Park or nearby? Try these similar hikes or bushwalks.

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Reviews

Great Walhalla Alpine Trail Walk (42km)

1 Review on “Great Walhalla Alpine Trail Walk (42km)”

Overall rating

Benjamin Kloester

This took us 2.5 days to do one way, and we are fit (in our 30s) and reasonably experienced hikers. I can’t imagine doing the whole 82km in 3 days in the current track condition.

The steel bridge is still out, so you must walk a bit extra to the bridge at Walhalla rd (this is reflected in the existing Alltrails route).

The track between Thomson River and Mt Erica Rd is in a pretty poor state as of Jan 2023 – extremely overgrown, including with blackberry, and numerous fallen trees, perhaps as often as every 10-20 metres in sections. We lost the trail at one point about 1km before Tyers campground as there were 3-4 trees all fallen in a row and the most obvious path was not the way. Tyers camp was great though, it’s beautiful and we had a swim in the river below the waterfall.

The section from Tyers to Mt Erica rd was definitely the hardest section, it was very overgrown and looked as though it doesn’t see much traffic. A machete (or better yet a chainsaw!) would have been helpful. Some of the fallen trees were huge and required some creative approaches to get over or under.

The trail from Mt Erica carpark was well maintained and clear, and by comparison an absolute joy to hike. There were also numerous creeks running fast and fresh between the carpark and mushroom rocks – I recommend filling up in one if they are running. The water in the tank by the scout camp at mushroom rocks is dubious. The creek was running at Talbot hut, but very gently so best to fill up at one of the earlier sources near Mt Erica carpark.

Overall I give this hike 4 stars for the section from Erica car park to Baw Baw, and 2 stars for the earlier sections.

16/01/2023, 22:04

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1. Darren Edwards Trail Author
  
  Thanks so much for the trail condition update. I am a bit confused about your note regarding doing to the entire 82km in the current track condition. The description of the hike says it is 42km and should take approximately 3 days. As such, the return 84km should take around 6 days (not 3 days as you indicated).
  
  20/01/2023, 17:31
  
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  1. Kim Booth
    
    Beautiful hike. We did Walhalla to Mt Baw Baw Resort. 3 days and 2 nights.
    
    Nice and quiet track, we only sighted one other hiking party travelling in the opposite direction.
    
    Notes: Day 1 started opposite the pub in Wahalla (AAWT starting point). We took the Poverty Gully track and avoided the closed bridge. 1st Night camped at Eastern Tyres. Plenty of water available at camp spot river and bonus toilet, picnic table and firepit.
    
    Day 2 is a tough uphill day, track has been recently cleared so we made good progress. We had lunch at picnic tables at Mt Erica carpark. Then hiked to the beautiful Talbot Hut ruins to camp for night 2 (there is water at the back of the camp). Plenty of camp spots at Mushrooms rocks as well (and a toilet at the Scout hut).
    
    Day 3 we hiked along AAWT path to the well signed turnoff to Mt Baw Baw resort.
    
    Overall a really lovely, adventurous hike, landscape and surroundings change regularly.
    
    30/12/2023, 20:12
    
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Kelvin W

Going to try to get this one done soon.

04/04/2022, 09:51

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1. Darren Edwards Trail Author
  
  Nice, you’ll have to let everyone know how it goes.
  
  05/04/2022, 14:11
  
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James Harris

Leesa Harris

24/03/2022, 05:20

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Mandy Stowe Ellis

Bucket list

24/03/2022, 05:20

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Col McCluskey

Robyn Cole

24/03/2022, 05:20

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Tanya Elsegood

Heather Sayer

24/03/2022, 05:20

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John N Lyn Daly

Another incredible walk that we have written up in Take A Walk i Victoria’s National Parks available from http://www.takeawalk.com.au

24/03/2022, 05:20

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Liv Brewer

Rosalie

24/03/2022, 05:20

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Liz Thomas

James Thomas

24/03/2022, 05:20

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Stephanie Brosnan

Brad Atkinson list it

24/03/2022, 05:20

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Gina Bromiley

Tanya Marshall-Disher

03/02/2020, 23:11

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Ben Forsyth

Spencer Paulin

03/02/2020, 21:08

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Diane Sellner

Luke Sellner

03/02/2020, 16:20

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Chris Walker

Mushroom rock Tracy?

03/02/2020, 15:19

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Cassie Pronk

Shani Kirby ??

03/02/2020, 12:14

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Ellicul Watto

Christine Watterson

03/02/2020, 10:08

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Gear to consider

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