MacKenzie River / Bun-nah Trail is a 10.5km, grade 3 hike located in the Grampians National Park, Victoria. The hike should take around 3 hrs to complete.

Length: 10.5km

Duration: 3 hrs

Grade: 3

Style: One Way

Start: Wartook Valley

End: Zumsteins Picnic Area

Location: Grampians National Park

Closest town: Horsham

Victoria

From state capital: 287km

Longitude: 142.340841293335

Latitude: -37.033443112709136

Leave a review

Organise this hike as an event

Check the weather

Hike overview

The Mackenzie River/Bun-nah Trail is a historic route that stretches for 10.5km between Wartook Valley and Zumsteins Picnic Area. You can walk in either direction but my recommendation is to start at Wartook Valley as from Zumsteins walkers can continue on the Mackenzie River Trail for another 3.7km to Mackenzie Falls.

Originally known as the 'Back Track', the trail closely follows the Mackenzie River, or Bun-nah as it is known to the Traditional Owners. Along the route there are interpretive signs that detail the area's history and its significance to the Jadawadjali People. The trail is open to walkers and mountain bikers when conditions are dry. Download the brochure here.

History

For 100 years, the 'Back Track' was the main road from Wartook Valley into the Central Grampians Ranges. The Back Track was traversed by walkers, horses, carriages and bullock wagon teams. The track was used to transport supplies, animals, timber from mills, tannin bark from wattle stripping and honey and beeswax collected by local beekeepers. Bun-nah (Mackenzie River) runs through Jadawadjali country, from the northern part of Gariwerd down through the plains to its confluence with Walla Walla (the Wimmera River) at Horsham. Both rivers form a key part of the Gariwerd Creation story. As you follow the track along Bun-nah, you are following the creation story of Tyingal (Tchingal) the emu and Waa the crow.

Route and GPX file

Total distance: 10497 m
Max elevation: 289 m
Min elevation: 201 m
Total climbing: 150 m
Total descent: -115 m

Download file: MacKenzie River Bun-nah Trail.gpx

Trail features

Steep Terrain
Off Trail
Overnight Campsites

Tips

At times the Mackenzie River floods and the trail is impassable; in this instance it is best to access the trail at Cooinda Burrong.

Trail location

Getting there

Wartook Valley runs along the Grampians' western foothills, giving a completely different perspective of the mountains. Heading to or from Horsham, this is the scenic alternative to the Western Hwy (A8). From Wartook, the sealed Roses Gap Rd and Mount Victoria Rd pass through the park, and there are lots of unsealed roads and tracks passing little creeks, waterfalls and idyllic picnic spots.

This trail reopened in 2018 so the GPX file may not be completely aligned with the newly aligned trail.

Get directions

Access conditions

Drinking Water
Camping Area

Gallery

Upload your photos

If you have any photos from this hike and are happy to share them, please upload your .jpg files here.

Please note: Uploading photos does not transfer ownership of copyright away from you. If requested, you will be credited for any photos you provide and can ask they be deleted at any time.

About the region

Renowned for rugged mountain ranges, rich cultural heritage and breathtaking scenic views, the 168,000 hectare park is ideal for a wide range of outdoor activities. The many walking tracks will take you on a journey to waterfall vistas, ancient geological rock features and forests. There are guided tours, and with a large network of roads available, car touring is a great way to explore. Renowned as the major attraction in the region, the Grampians National Park is a must-visit destination for all travellers, backpackers and day-trippers in Victoria. The spectacular setting of the mountainous landscape boasts a wide array of attractions and activities for visitors to the region. The Grampians National Park (also Gariwerd), commonly referred to as The Grampians, is a national park located in the Grampians region of Victoria, Australia. The 167,219-hectare (413,210-acre) national park is situated between Stawell and Horsham on the Western Highway and Dunkeld on the Glenelg Highway, 260 kilometres west of Melbourne and 460 kilometres east of Adelaide.

Suggest an edit

Does this hikes information need updating? Sometimes the route, trail features or access conditions change.

Reviews

0 Reviews on “MacKenzie River / Bun-nah Trail (10.5km)”

Overall rating

Leah Smeaton

Gary Singh next on the list?

24/03/2022, 05:15

Like
Log in to Reply
Wayne Douglass

Michael hiking week

24/03/2022, 05:15

Like
Log in to Reply

Leave a Review. Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Similar trails

Gear to consider

My planning, food and packing checklists provide an introduction to things your could consider (as well as the Ten Essentials) on your day, overnight and multi-day adventures. Everyone, and every hike, is different, so customise your outdoor kit according to your personal needs, always considering safety first.

The HiiKER app helps you to find 1,000’s of the best bushwalking and hiking adventures, with reviews, photos, and great places to stay. I’m excited to have partnered with HiiKER to offer members of Trail hiking Australia Community an exclusive deal to help you get outdoors with extra confidence with premium mapping, planning and tracking features. Claim your offer here.

Let someone know

Let someone know where you’re going and when you plan to return. Fill in an online trip intentions form to privately send important details about your adventure to your emergency contact. They can then inform emergency services if you don’t return on time.

Weather

Acknowledgement of Country

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.