Hike at a glance
Length
Duration
Difficulty
Trail type
Trail details
Max elevation: 796m
Min elevation: 156m
Total Ascent: 1891m
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 this trail
Trail difficulty
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.
Planning information
Preparation matters: Plan your multi-day hike well and bring the right gear, weather-appropriate layers, food and plenty of water. Before you head out, read up on bushwalking safety and use this multi-day hike planning guide to make sure you're ready. Need help getting started? Check out the full hike preparation guide.
Map and GPX file
Safety and preparation
Think safety first
Australian conditions can turn a small oversight into a serious situation faster than most walkers expect. The Hiking Safety Systems and planning calculators are designed to help you identify and close those gaps before you leave home. Work through the Interactive Safety Scenarios to see how incidents unfold, then use the tools to build your plan and make sure a trusted contact has your trip details before you head out.
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.
Heading somewhere remote, off-track or overnight? Use the comprehensive trip intentions form instead — your emergency contact will need more detail. Register your trip plan here →
Free checklists
Download the 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.
Getting there and travel options
Accommodation nearby
Search accommodation in nearby towns: Bunyip, Garfield, Gembrook, Neerim South, Noojee, Warburton, Woori Yallock, Yarra Junction
Find somewhere to stay near the trailhead. Click the button below to open an interactive map automatically centred on this hike's location.
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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About the region
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Weather on the trail
The map below shows the rain forecast for the trail area. Tap the toggle in the top right corner to explore other layers including wind, temperature, UV index, thunderstorms, fire danger, and weather warnings — all useful for planning a safe hike.
Trail Reviews
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.
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.
8 Reviews on “Walk Into History Hike (51.2km)”
I did this as an overnight hike in June/July 2020. This was the wettest hike i’ve done, it rained both days and all night. In terms of the track condition, and noting that it may have changed since I did it, I wouldnt entirely agree with Darren/Lachie above, we didn’t have any issue with trees down blocking the track (other than one large one along the Yarra Junction-Noojee Road section), also didn’t see an issue with the numerous bridges – these were all in quite good condition and sure, you need to watch your step, but I thought they were quite good – definitely beats a river crossing!
We started at Big Pats creek and went all the way to Powelltown, camping at Federal Mill. After constant rain water was reasonably easy to come by, but you will need to filter it as the streams were all fall of mud and plant matter. Federal Mill campground is very enclosed and there is space for about 8-12 small tents. There are leeches at this camp ground. The High Lead descent – as other people have noted – is no joke, its directly down at about a 30-35 degree gradient, muddy as hell, we all fell on our arses multiple times, so be prepared for this section! We parked the car at Powelltown and did the last 9km stretch along Yarra Junction Noojee road – this section could easily be cut out if you parked a car at the section where the trail intersects the road. You wouldn’t miss much at all by doing it this way as the stretch by the road was the least pretty, you cross the road often and hear the road noise the whole time.
Has anyone done that track recently? I’m planning on doing it next week with dogs and I’d like to find track updates (eg do I need to pack a machete? is there water at campsites?)
Completed this trail in full recently, absolutely stunning – thought I’d share some thoughts I would’ve liked prior to setting out.
Warburton section is quite nice, there is an option to wade through the Yarra. BPC to Starlings is a gentle gradient. We did the hike on some very hot days and only bumped into one tiger. There is no water at any of the campsites. At Starlings gap, 300m down the track towards the crossing there is a creek the flows through the path that can be collected for filtering – very clear cold water. At the Ada camps there are rivers that flow nearby both that are quite easy to find. High lead is steep however we met a lot of people who were purposely avoiding this section and so losing a lot of the full experience. I would definitely say that with a paid of good boots and poles high lead is definitely not worth avoiding / missing out other sections over. Just past high lead, right before it spits you out onto the Yarra Junction – Noojee Road, there is a fork – one path continues forward and another bears left (south). The one forward seems logical however will only result in a painful thicket of blackberry bush. Take the left turn. One you exit here, you actually have to venture down the pioneer fireline a little before again picking up the signs for walk into history – this would be easy to get wrong I would imagine.
All in all, a really pretty hike, the history is great as is the towering mountain ash, and the Ada Tree sections Myrtle and Beech rainforest.
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