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Length: 6.4km
Duration: 2hrs
Grade: 3
Style: Circuit
Start: Echo Point car park
End: Echo Point car park

Location: Mount Buffalo National Park
Closest Town: Porepunkah
Distance from CBD: 342km
State: VIC
Latitude: -36.72221985
Longitude: 146.8212032

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Mount Buffalo National Park...

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The Monolith Circuit is a 6.4km, grade 3 circuit hike, located in Mount Buffalo National Park, Victoria. The hike should take approximately 2hrs to complete.

Hike Summary

The Monolith Circuit commences at Echo Point car park; the main day visitors area which provides vehicle access to The Gorge and the Mount Buffalo Chalet. At Echo Point there are numerous view points to explore before continuing. Don't miss the view from Bents Lookout of the sheer 300 metre cliffs of the North Wall of the Gorge and the Victorian Alps beyond. Locate the Monolith Walking Trail (also known as the Lake Catani Trail) in the south west corner of the car park. After a short distance you will reach a junction. Keep right and follow the signs to The Monolith. After approximately 1km keep right at the junction then left towards the Monolith; a giant balancing rock that towers above Lake Catani. A ladder once allowed you to climb it but has been removed for safety reasons. After appreciating the view retrace your steps to the main trail and turn left, following the trail through the forest towards the Mount Buffalo Road.

When you reach the road, near the park office, turn left and walk for approximately 500m along the road verge to reach the Lakeside Track. Take another left turn here to follow the path along the lake shore to a footbridge below the dam wall at the far end. Cross the bridge, turn left on to the View Point Nature Walk, the path that leads to the Underground River. After a short distance the trail begins to drop steeply into Haunted Gorge before crossing the river. As you are crossing the river, keep an eye out between the rocks and make sure you take a peek at the water rushing underneath you. This the entrance point to the Underground River. Do not attempt to enter the river caves as this is a place for experienced cavers only. Continue to head north as you climb out of the gorge then follow the trail through the forest to Billisons Lookout for more amazing views.

After leaving the lookout, continue north for approximately 300m back to Echo Point car park.

About the region

An all-seasons national park, Mount Buffalo has sheer cliffs, imposing granite tors, tumbling waterfalls, snow gums and stunning wildflowers. First reserved in 1898, the 31,000 hectare park contains vegetation and fauna adapted to extremes of weather, as a result of its sub-alpine location. As you drive and walk throughout the park, you will see evidence of the recent fires, but you will also see the vivid colours as species begin to regenerate. There is plenty of wildlife to see including Lyrebirds, Eastern Rosellas, Wombats and Swamp Wallabies. Many animals can be seen along the main tourist road so please drive carefully, especially at dawn and dusk.

Getting there

Drive towards Bright via Hume Highway, Wangaratta and Myrtleford. Take the turn off to Mount Buffalo near Porepunkah. Drive up to the Buffalo plateau, turning left onto the road to the chalet and drive until you reach the Echo Point carpark on your left.