The smaller brother of the Southern Alps Walking Track, the McMillans Track is a challenging hike along the southern edge of the Australian Alps. There is not much information available, and the trail itself might be difficult to find in places. So, you will need to be confident, self-reliant and have good navigation skills. The origin of the trail dates back to 1864, when Angus McMillan succeeded in connecting the coast to the goldfields. The original track has been restored by the Ben Cruachan Walking Club, the best place to find information.
History
In 1864, Angus McMillan led an expedition to cut a track through the high country of Victoria to link the goldfields together. It took about one year to cut an eight foot wide track that was suitable for pack horses. This was used for many years but as the goldfields declined and modern roads replaced the need for a pack horse trail, the track fell into obscurity and vanished under the scrub.
In 1983, the Ben Cruachan Walking Club began a project to discover and remark the original MacMillans Walking Track from Woods Point to Omeo. This small club based at Maffra (a town in Gippsland in eastern Victoria) was led by John Smith and took on a difficult task as the track had all but vanished. On such a project, probably the hardest job of all is getting official approval. By 1987 they had this and the track was remarked. In 1988 it was officially re-opened.
In places, the original track had been 'improved' to a road. Initially, the track follows these roads and it is intended that these sections will gradually be replaced by walking track to make it more interesting for bushwalkers. Where possible, the track follows McMillan's original route.
Access
The track crosses several major roads that cross the alpine region. The track does not pass through any towns and you can either carry all supplies or use one of the access roads to put in a food drop. The most useful roads for a re-supply point are the Jamieson-Licola Road, the Tamboritha Road (near Licola)
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It’s a good idea to let someone know where you’re going. Fill in a trip intention form to send important details about your trip to your emergency contact. If you are lost or require help and have phone reception, call 000 and ask for police. The international standard emergency number is 112, if you dial this number in Australia you will be treated exactly the same as a 000 call. If you believe your life is at risk, activate your personal locator beacon (PLB), then make your position visible to rescue teams and keep warm and dry.
The track runs from the Alpine Road, 17 km from Omeo, which is a small town in a broad valley in the centre of the alpine region. and ends at Woods Point, a small town in the mountains east of Melbourne.
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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.
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0 Reviews on “McMillians Walking Track (220km)”
Leah Jay this one only takes 14 DAYS!!! ??
Theo next time our leave lines up?
Tahnia Mcdonaldd