Walk Description

It is not often you get to bag two of Victoria’s most iconic peaks in the one weekend! This trip intends to do the Mount Feathertop descent on the Saturday of the Labour Day weekend, as well as the Big Walk at Mount Buffalo!

We will stay at Harrietville, 10 minutes from beautiful Bright, surrounded by many National and State Parks, scenic reserves, historic areas, heritage rivers, outdoor activities and natural beauty.

Although the booking says ‘four people’, we actually are 11, with the other places sold prior to advertising.

Accommodation

Myrtle Lodge: We have booked an Air BnB, which comes with kitchen facilities, a parkland setting and even a pool. Configuration is bunk bed style, so you won’t get a private room.

I will try to separate genders where possible, but this is not guaranteed.

Cost is $160 per person per weekend.

Getting there and away

Bright is a good 3.5 hour drive from Melbourne via Hume Highway. Transport will be via car-pooling, but sensible public transport options also exist. However, we will try to match you to a driver where possible.

Passengers must pay the driver their share of car-pooling costs as described on the Car-pooling page. Please bring cash for this purpose.

Housekeeping

We commence each day’s hikes at 8.00 am.

The house has cooking facilities, so you can bring all your own meals if you wish.

We’ll have a group dinner at the local pub on Saturday night. Other than that, it’s own arrangements.

Harrietville has a coffee shop, but you may not get breakfast in the morning, and you may not be able to buy a take-away lunch. Please bring them with you.

Hikes

Please note that it is my intention to leave for each day at 8:00 am.

You can, of course, leave later if you wish to. But I am leaving at 8:00 am and that is that. You are welcome to make your own arrangements otherwise!

The hike leader is Craig B.
This trip is graded as Medium. Most people with an average level of fitness will be able to do this. However, please be honest with yourself about your ability – it’s a hiking trip. You need to be able to keep up, so you cannot be particularly unfit or a very slow walker.
Trip leaders may decline a booking if they are not confident that you have the requisite fitness.
We aim to commence each day’s hikes at 8.00 am. Punctuality is appreciated and expected. We will not wait for late comers.

Saturday: Mt Feathertop, 22 km (7 hours). (From our friends at trailhiking.com.au)

We leave Harrietville at 8:00 by private bus. We commence at the Diamantina Hut. The Razorback is a high ridge linking Mount Hotham (1861 metres) and Mount Feathertop (1922 metres). The route is generally above the tree line, so excellent views are available much of the walk. However, the ridge is very exposed. It intersects the Bungalow Spur track 1.5 from the summit of Mount Feathertop at a site called The Cross. The final climb to the top is steep but well worth it! Return back to the Spur Track, which is the most popular approach to Mount Feathertop. A well graded and sheltered hike down to Harrietville is then undertaken.

We have arranged a mini bus to take us to the top of Mount Hotham to commence the hike on the Saturday hike. The bus will cost around $35. It depends on how many people we get.

Sunday:

OPTION 1: Local Hike around Bright – 10-20 km.

A number of local hikes can be combined into a 20 kilometre hike around Bright. These are the Canyon Walk, which leads along the northern and southern banks of the Ovens River, before forming into the Cherry Walk, a relaxed walk around the Centenary Park and continuing along the river. This is then combined with the Wandi Walk, Huggins Lookout Walk and/or the Apex Walking Track which are all within a short radius of each other. The beauty of this walk is that it can be shortened or lengthened, with food and coffee readily available along the way!

OPTION 2: The Big Walk, Mount Buffalow – 11.3 km (Preferred)

This walk will require a car shuffle; so we will need at least two cars. Buffalo is approximately 30 minutes from our accommodation. Following one of the original routes onto the Mount Buffalo Plateau, this walk climbs 1000 metres in 9 km. The track begins at the Eurobin Creek Picnic Area a tht epark entrance and culminates at the Gorge Day Visitor Area. We will pass through several vegetation zones as the altitude increases while enjoying spectacular views of the Australian Alps and the Gorge from the numerous lookouts. The track is steep but well signposted.

Notably, a few people indicate that this is easier to walk up as opposed to down.

A handful of short (1.5 to 4 km) walks also exist and are readily accessible from parking lots along the road to Mount Buffalo, so if time permits, we can do more hiking if desired.

Indications are that these hikes are open and not damaged by the recent fires.

Monday:

OPTION 1: Local Hike around Bright – 10 km (Preferred)

Same as Option 1 fro Saturday, except we will drop the Wandi Walk leg.

A number of local hikes can be combined into a 10 kilometre hike around Bright. These are the Canyon Walk, which leads along the northern and southern banks of the Ovens River, before forming into the Cherry Walk, a relaxed walk around the Centenary Park and continuing along the river.

The Huggins Lookout Walk and/or the Apex Walking Track can be reached separately by car and also completed if we wish to do more than 10 km.

OPTION 2: Local Hike around Myrtleford – 8 km

A number of short hikes can be completed around Myrtleford. These are the Ovens River Trail, a scenic loop from within the township, along the Rotary Park and native bush. This can be combined with numerous, short tracks at Reform Hill, being the Lookout and the Mining Loop Track.

Cost, Booking and Payment

The cost of the trip is the accommodation cost of $160 per person plus the booking fee ($10 for non-members, free for members):

Booking is  required for this walk.  The Leader will confirm your acceptance onto the walk, or not, via email. Payment in full is required once the leader accepts you onto the walk.

Note that payment will be made to the leader directly via direct debit before hand.

Age Limit
This event is aimed at adults, both in terms of the hikes selected and the dinner and drinks venues. Over 18s only please.

What to bring for each days’ walk

• Day pack
• Sufficient water (2 litres, more on hot summer days)
• Lunch and snacks
• Hat, sun screen
• Suitable outdoor clothing (no jeans/sneakers!)
• Rainwear & warm jacket
• Proper walking shoes/boots

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

Still have questions?

Check out Joining a walk and your safety

Check out What happens on a walk.

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Contact the leader using the “Enquiry” button.

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