Hike at a glance

6,600

Quick overview: The 35 km Machinery & Diamantina Spurs Hike is a challenging two-day circuit in Victoria's Alpine National Park, starting and ending at Diamantina Hut. You will face a steep ascent on Diamantina Spur, navigate loose shale, and visit the historic Red Robin Gold Mine. Scrambling is required in sections, especially near the summit of Mount Feathertop, where you can take in expansive views. Carry enough water, as there are no reliable sources along the trail.

Length

35km

Duration

2 days

Difficulty

Grade 4 (Hard)

Trail type

Circuit

Trail details

Max elevation: 1898m
Min elevation: 1078m
Total Ascent: 1787m

Start: Diamantina Hut

End: Diamantina Hut

Location: Alpine National Park

State: Victoria

Nearest town: Hotham Village

State capital distance: 375km

Latitude: -36.976104646257205

Longitude: 147.12168574333194

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

Important information

This is a challenging hike, in an alpine environment, that should not be underestimated. During the winter months you should consider this a Grade 5 hike.

Route in detail

The hike commences at Diamantina Hut and follows the walking trail which can be located at the start of the tree-line on the south east side of the hut. Follow this trail as it ascends to Lookout Hut before descending back to the Great Alpine Road at 'The Cross'. Follow the road 500m east towards Hotham Heights to the start of the Machinery Spur Track.

Follow Machinery Spur north, passing the Charles Derrick Memorial Cairn, Derrick Col and Mount Loch to Red Robin Gap and gold mine at the junction of the West Kiewa Logging Track. The Red Robin Gold Mine is historically important due to its association with what is still Victoria's last discovered goldfield and subsequent rush. After exploring the mine, follow the West Kiewa Logging Track as it zig-zags east before turning north towards the Red Robin Battery. Approximately 1.6km north of the battery you will reach Blairs Hut. The area around Blairs Hut is a good place to set up camp for the night.

Continue to follow the logging track north in order to reach the start of the Diamantina Spur. The Diamantina Spur track climbs steeply west from the Kiewa River West Branch for 4 kilometres before joining the South Razorback track at High Knob, approximately three kilometres from Mount Feathertop's summit. The trail offers great views of Mount Feathertop but climbs steeply (very in places) and involves some scrambling over loose shale. There is no water on Diamantina Spur so ensure that you collect all you need before ascending.

Once on the South Razorback, turn right and follow the track north passing Molly Hill to the Memorial Cross Junction. Turning right at this point will lead you to Feathertop's summit, left is to Federation Hut. If you wanted to make this a three day hike it is my recommendation to head to the hut and set up camp before attempting the summit. Depending on the time of arrival it may be worth leaving the summit until the morning. If you are completing this hike in two days you can leave your pack at Memorial Cross and skip Federation Hut completely.

After visiting the summit, return via the same route to Memorial Cross and High Knob. Continue to follow the well defined walking track south along the Razorback, past Diamantina Spur, Twin Knobs and the aptly named Big Dipper. At 1763m elevation the track will intersect with the Bon Accord Spur to the west. Remain on the Razorback and continue to follow it south for the remaining 1.6km back to the trail head at Diamantina Hut.

Camping

Blairs Hut. Located approximately 14.4km from the trail-head, the hut is a log cabin measuring 6m by 3.8m with a gable iron roof, replacing an original bark one in 1968. The internal stone lined fireplace is unusual.

Federation Hut. Located approximately 22km from the trail-head, the hut was built as a gabled hut with aluminium siding and a corrugated iron roof. The original hut was re-clad in timber in May 1988. The hut is lined with five ply and has bunks for 10 people. It is 3.6m by 5.5m in size.

Note that the function of all alpine huts is for emergency shelter only. Do not plan to camp in huts and please leave them exactly as you found them, replenishing any fire-wood that you use.

Water

Mount Feathertop: Water can be collected from a natural spring, approximately 850m from Memorial Cross, along the North West Spur track.

Kiewa River West Branch: Pure, clear, sparkling, very cold, alpine water, easily accessible from Red Robin Battery through to the foot of the Diamantina Spur.

Ensure you treat all water before drinking

Trail difficulty

Grade 4 (hard) badge

Grade 4 (Hard)

For experienced bushwalkers

Grade 4 walks may be long, rough or very steep, and directional signage may be limited. Bushwalking experience is recommended, along with the ability to be self-reliant and manage navigation, weather and emergencies. Walks may exceed 20km.

Good to know: Not every Grade 4 characteristic will apply to every walk, so check the route description for the specific challenges of this hike.

Map and GPX file

Machinery & Diamantina Spurs Hike (35km)

Map of the route “Machinery & Diamantina Spurs Hike (35km)”: 35.16 km, 1,787 m of climbing and 1,787 m of descent, elevation between 1,078 m and 1,896 m. It is a loop that starts and ends at -36.97625, 147.12192 (latitude, longitude).

Total distance: 35.18 km
Max elevation: 1898 m
Min elevation: 1078 m
Total climbing: 1787 m
Total descent: 1787 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

Trail tips

This is a challenging hike, in an alpine environment, that should not be underestimated. During the winter months you should consider this a Grade 5 hike.
This hike requires that you have a sufficient level of equipment (in good working order), fitness and self-reliance.

Plan and prepare

Australian conditions can turn a small oversight into a serious situation faster than most walkers expect. For an overnight hike, that means the right gear, weather-appropriate layers, enough food and water, and a plan for where you'll camp. The overnight 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

The Machinery and Diamantina Spurs hike commences at Diamantina Hut, 2.5 km on the Harrietville side of the Hotham Village.

Get there with Google Maps

Accommodation nearby

Search accommodation in nearby towns: Bright, Falls Creek, Harrietville, Hotham Village, Mount Beauty, Omeo

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

Accommodation →

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 →
Get travel insurance →
Discover experiences →

Photo gallery

Machinery & Diamantina Spurs Hike (35km)

Do you have any photos from this hike?
Your photos can help others plan. Share shots from along the trail so fellow hikers know what to expect.

Share your photos here →

Explore the region

About the region

Much of Alpine National Park sits high in the Victorian Alps, where long ridgelines, snowgrass plains, alpine ash forests and deeply cut river valleys meet across a huge sweep of eastern Victoria. It forms the largest national park in the state and anchors Victoria's part of the Australian Alps, so the country here changes markedly with elevation, from sheltered forests and watercourses to exposed tops that can stay snow-covered through winter. That range is a big part of what gives the park its particular character: it is not a single mountain block, but an expansive piece of high country with many distinct landscapes within it.

The park protects some of Victoria's most important alpine and subalpine environments, including herbfields, heathlands, bogs and mossbeds that exist in a narrow climatic zone and recover slowly when damaged. Above the tree line the country can feel open and spare, while lower slopes carry extensive forests of alpine ash, montane eucalypts and mixed woodland. Major headwaters rise in these mountains and feed river systems that run north, south and east, which means the park is as much about water as it is about summits. Its scale also helps explain why conditions, vegetation and even the feel of the landscape can shift quickly from one part of the park to another.

Fire is part of the story of this high country. Large bushfires this century have reshaped broad areas of the Alps, and in some places the pattern of regrowth, dead standing trunks and young forest is still obvious. In alpine and subalpine country, repeated fire can have lasting effects on fragile plant communities, especially wetlands and boggy ground. Introduced animals, including deer, pigs and horses, have also affected sensitive habitats, particularly in wetter alpine areas where trampling and erosion can be hard to reverse.

Alpine National Park is also part of an Aboriginal cultural landscape with connections to multiple Traditional Owner groups across the Victorian Alps. The broader management plan for the region names Bidawal, Dhudhuroa, Gunaikurnai, Jaithmathang, Mitambuta, Monero-Ngarigo, Ngarigu-Currawong, Taungurung, Waywurru and Wurundjeri as First Peoples of these mountains and rivers, reflecting how extensive and interconnected this country is. For walkers, that wider context matters: the park is not just high scenery, but a large, layered alpine region shaped by climate, fire, water and long human connection.

Discover activities

More hikes nearby

Explore hikes by town

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

7 Reviews on “Machinery & Diamantina Spurs Hike (35km)”

Overall rating

Tayla Gobbo

Adeline Dickson

24/03/2022, 05:22

Like
Log in to Reply
1. Darren Edwards Trail Author
  
  But good fun
  
  24/03/2022, 05:22
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
2. Ziggy Stardust
  
  Consider doing this in the reverse direction.
  You avoid going up Diamantina Spur which is a slog.
  
  24/03/2022, 05:22
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
3. Jenny Chant
  
  Dominique Smith looks good
  
  24/03/2022, 05:22
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
4. Sascha Hovens
  
  Emma Mickle with our fast pace and lack of water we can do this in a day.
  
  24/03/2022, 05:22
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
5. Elliot T
  
  Great hike. I agree with the previous comment. This is really a three day hike especially if traveling from Melbourne and starting out around 1 pm on the first day. Can be done in two but you would pushing it – Diamantina spur is very steep. Very busy at Easter but met great people.
  
  24/03/2022, 05:22
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
6. Darren Edwards Trail Author
  
  Hi Brodie. There is a fire pit with steel contraption to hang pots etc off.
  
  24/03/2022, 05:22
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
7. Tam Wright
  
  Hi Darren,
  
  Do you park your car at Diamantina Hut also?
  
  Many thanks
  
  24/03/2022, 05:22
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
8. Brodie Dakin
  
  Hi there,
  
  Is there an outdoor fireplace at/around Blair’s hut?
  
  Cheers,
  Brodie
  
  24/03/2022, 05:22
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
9. Lou Neale
  
  Jenny Chant Hi there. Was up there re entry when hubby ran the alpine challenge. Diamintina spur is very steep. The water from the spring left several people with diarrhea. Awesome track but be careful with your due diligence. Lou xx
  
  24/03/2022, 05:22
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
10. Dominique Smith
  
  Jenny Chant looks awesome!!!
  
  24/03/2022, 05:22
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
11. Michelle Kerwood
  
  Julia Whitlock Catherine Jane
  
  24/03/2022, 05:22
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
12. Jenny Chant
  
  Lou Neale thanks x
  
  24/03/2022, 05:22
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
13. Teigan Pearson
  
  Mat Ross let’s go
  
  24/03/2022, 05:22
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
14. Emma Mickle
  
  Sascha Hovens
  
  24/03/2022, 05:22
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
15. Emma Mickle
  
  Sascha Hovens added to the list
  
  24/03/2022, 05:22
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply
16. Anita Cook
  
  Tracey Thwaites
  
  24/03/2022, 05:22
  
  Like
  Log in to Reply

Leave a Review. Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Notice something different about this trail?

Whether it’s a new feature, a route change, or permanent closure, share your update so we can keep our info accurate and helpful for fellow hikers.

Suggest an edit here →

Acknowledgement of Country

Machinery & diamantina spurs hike (35km) - 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:

August 12, 2026

Hike at a glance

Trail details

About this trail

Important information

Route in detail

Camping

Water

Trail difficulty

Grade 4 (Hard)

Map and GPX file

Preparation and safety

Trail tips

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

Mount Feathertop: The Razorback Hike (22km)

Feathertop & Highplains Circuit Hike (47km)

Derrick Hut via Mount Loch Hike (10km)

Mount Loch Summit Hike (7km)

Explore hikes by town

Weather on the trail

Trail reviews

7 Reviews on “Machinery & Diamantina Spurs Hike (35km)”

Leave a Review. Cancel reply

Notice something different about this trail?

Acknowledgement of Country

Curated by: Darren Edwards | Trail Hiking Australia

Last checked:

Tips and advice

Get involved

About