Trip Overview

YHA Bushwalking will walk the popular Eastern Plain Circuit in the Bogong High Plains this March where you will be able to visit historic alpine huts in the area with side trips along the way. You will visit Kelly Hut and Fitzgerald Hut while all the time witnessing some amazing views of the beautiful Victorian Alpine National Park.

The walk will start from the junction of the Bogong High Plains Rd and Big River Fire Track near Falls Creek then proceed via Marums Point Track, Kelly Track, Kelly Hut, Fitzgerald Hut, and Langford East Aqueduct Trail to return to our walk start/finish.

Grade: Medium    Group Limit: 12

Area: Alpine National Park

Driving Distance from Melbourne: 394km

Walk Type: Pack Carry circuit walk with Friday night base camp or own accommodation option in Mt Beauty.

Equipment/Clothing: This walk is in an alpine area and the weather can change very quickly so you will need to pack gear and clothing that will keep you warm and dry when the weather goes south. Good quality tent, sleeping bag, mat, stove, fuel, waterproof jacket pants, boots, sunhat, sunglasses, beanie, gloves and first aid kit are required for this trip.

Food: 1 x Dinner, 2 x Lunch, 1 x Breakfast, high energy snacks and the capacity to carry three litres of water minimum.

This trip is suitable for beginners provided you have the required equipment/clothing for alpine conditions.

 

Camping

Friday night: Base Camp at Mt Beauty – Mountain Creek camp ground.

Saturday night: Camp at Fitzgerald Hut.

Both campsites are free. You are welcome to book your own alternative accommodation on Friday night at your own cost.

 

Itinerary and Walk Descriptions

Total Distance: Approx. 20km with possible extra for side trips.

Friday March 15: There is a Base Camp and dinner option on the Friday night before the walk at Mt Beauty. This will be ideal for those who can get away early to break up the long drive from Melbourne. This will also allow a shorter drive to the start of walk on the Saturday with free camping at Mountain Creek campground.

Saturday March 16: 10am Start from Big River Fire Track, Murums Point Track, Kelly Track, Kelly Hut to Fitzgerald Hut where we will camp for the night. Distance: 8 to 10km with side trips.

Sunday March 17: Fitzgerald Hut, short off track section to Langford East Aqueduct Trail to Snow Pole 661. At SP 661 we can take the track back up to SP 740 to Big River Fire Track or head out to Langford Gap Hut and then follow the Bogong High Plains Road back to the Start/Finish of the walk, hopefully by 3pm.  Distance: 10 to 12km with side trips.

 

Transport

Transport to and from the walk location is by car. Please indicate your transport requirements and preferences on the booking request form when you book in.

If you don’t have a car, we can’t guarantee to provide you with a lift – this will depend on available drivers and their locations.

Passengers must pay the driver their share of car-pooling costs as described on the Car-pooling page. Please discuss the preferred method of payment with your driver.

 

Booking

Booking is required for this walk. Please indicate what similar walks you have done recently (i.e. in the past few months) to give the leader confidence that you are capable of doing this one. Refer to Walking Grades which, in conjunction with the walk description, will help you assess whether you have the required walking fitness and experience to do this walk.

The Leader will confirm your acceptance on the walk, or not, via email.  The leader will provide details of where and when to meet.

By booking into this event you acknowledge that you agree to abide by our Code of Conduct.

Booking Fee:
Members: free.     Non-members: $10.

Payment:
To avoid handling cash, non-members are required to pre-pay their booking fee.
You can pay by Paypal. If you are not a Paypal member, you can use Paypal to pay by credit or debit card.

Cancellation:
If you need to cancel, please advise the leader as soon as possible, so that someone else has the opportunity.
There will be no refunds, so please do not book unless you are fully committed to walking.

 

What to Bring

• All the equipment, clothing, food and water you will need for the walks and overnight stays (refer Trip details above).

• To help manage the Covid risk, the following may be useful: Hand Sanitiser, Face Mask(s), RAT test(s).

Refer to our Gear Checklist page for more details, or discuss with the leader.  If you are not properly equipped, the walk leader can decide not to let you participate on this walk.

 

Emergency Club Contact

The emergency club contact for this walk is Ken.  The leader can provide you with the contact’s phone number, if you wish to pass this on to any friend/family member who may be concerned if you return late.

 

Safety and Ambulance Insurance

We strongly recommend that you have Ambulance cover. If conditions are hazardous, the walk may be cancelled. If any doubts at all, check your emails the night before and the morning of the event. For more details refer to: Joining a walk and your safety

If you are Covid-19 positive, have any Covid-19 symptoms or are a contact of someone with Covid-19, please follow the instructions in the Coronavirus Victoria website.

 

Still have questions?

Check out What happens on a walk.

Check out Weekend and extended walks.

Members who wish to submit photos for social media or Yeti should refer to Member Resources.

Contact the leader using the “Enquiry” button.

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