Category: Grampians Peak Trail

Grampians Peak Trail hike December 2022

Clive and Catherine decided to end 2022 walking the Grampians Peak Trail (GPT) from north to south. Here’s their diary with their photos.

Along the way we found water tanks at all campsites and some intermediate water tanks as marked on the map. This meant that we rarely had to collect water from creeks, but we took sterilising tablets just in case. Six of the camps had shelters which provided shade and a place to sit and cook and socialise. The other 5 camp sites had a communal area with tables but no shade. (This information is all provided on the Grampians Peak Trail maps).
We did find the suggested walking times were inconsistent. Map times differed from the signs on the ground; and the times on the signs did not always tally with the time already done. Causing some confusion at times. Everyone walks at a different pace, carrying … Read the rest

ADVISORY GROUP MEETING – JUNE 29, 2021 Peaks Trail and McKenzie Falls

Present: Eight AG members plus quite a few park staff in addition to the GPT staff. We went in mixed groups of AG members and staff in each car.

The morning was very cold, heavy mist. First stop was the group camp site on Stony Ck Rd which is still under construction but close to finished. We first looked at the platforms erected for the tent sites. Rather different to the ones I had seen at the Bugiga camp site. They have a new arrangement to assist in tying the tents down. Also a metal plate so a fuel stove is not on the wooden base. Next the outdoor sitting are with a long table and seats, designed to make removing them very difficult. Then we went on to the large group meeting spot. It has large perspex windows (we were told there is a good view from the end … Read the rest

Update On The Grampians Peaks Trail: August 5 2020

Rhonda arranged a presentation on the status of the Peaks Trail to both the Advisory Group and members of FOGGS. Due to the Covid restrictions most attended via Microsoft Teams, and only five of us sat in the Mural Room at HG, four from the AG (including me) and one other from FOGGS. On line were two FOGGIES and two AG members and a few more Melbourne Park staff. Prue Daley co-ordinated it but the presentation was from Koel Wrigley from head office in Melbourne. Rhonda was also with us at the start but could not stay due to urgent work commitments. Those of us in the room tended to keep our questions until later, whereas apparently some in the online group were asking questions from early on. However, unfortunately technical problems meant that those of us in the room at HG couldn’t see the questions that were coming in … Read the rest

Grampians Peaks Trail Update

The Peaks Trail team send out a community report every few months. The last one was in November so I won’t put it here but can forward it to you if you ask. Or you can learn more by registering on   to get it mailed to you.

Just a very brief summary: Though summer weather conditions have been harsh, construction works on the Mt Difficult to Halls Gap section remain on schedule for completion by Sept 2019. Parks Victoria is working to identify Cinnamon Fungus, along the trail alignment. Cinnamon Fungus, a microscopic, soil borne pathogen attacks and destroys plant root systems causing plants to die through lack of water and nutrients. It is found across the Grampians and is commonly spread through the movement of contaminated soil and gravel carried by vehicle or foot traffic.

Hiker camp construction is set to start by April.

Follow the progress of … Read the rest

Grampians Peak Trail Interpretation Meeting

I represented FOGGS (and the HG Grampians Flora Botanic Garden) at a meeting on October 8. There were five from the consultants’ team and five of us: neighbours, artists and a (local) geologist. (There had been a separate meeting with tourism people).

The consultants have been asked to prepare an Interpretation and Signature Experiences Activation Plan for the Grampians Peaks Trail, with the aim of positioning the Grampians Peaks Trail as a world-class iconic walking experience, showcasing the beauty and majesty of the Grampians National Park’s natural and cultural landscapes.  The consultants’ responsibility is to finalise a plan by early December. Others will then be employed to actually do it.

We were told that the Interpretation and Visitor Experience component will:

  • Leverage, consolidate and ‘re-package’ existing work including earlier interpretation plans;
  • Be reflective of contemporary, world-class interpretation and embrace best practice storytelling and a mix of powerful visual media such
… Read the rest

Peaks Trail July Update

Traditional Owners are engaged with Parks Victoria through collaborative governance on the Grampians Peaks Trail. The full delivery of the project has been pushed out to 2020 as a result of a native title claim lodged on 27 May 2016 which extends across the entire Grampians National Park. To enable works to progress, and to ensure native title is maintained under section 238 of the Native Title Act 1993, an Integrated Land Use Agreement was signed by the State of Victoria with the claimants on 5 June 2018.

Construction of Stage Two is well underway and continues with upgrades to approximately 60 km of existing walking tracks that will form part of the trail. Stage Two will be complete in September this year.

Approvals for the new works – approximately 85-100 km of new walking tracks and 10 new hiker camps and one school camp – are nearly complete.

GPT … Read the rest

From Our Park Rangers

Ranger Tammy Schoo  has sent us a detailed Grampians National Park Community Update and we have more from other staff. Thank you Tammy, Mike and Tracey. Our readers from afar really appreciate learning more about our great Park from those who work in it.

Update from Tammy:

With winter officially over and Spring (or Petyan) finally here, the Grampians National Park is starting to put on its annual wildflower show. Here’s a few finds from the Northern Grampians recently.

 

Flood recovery

Works were recently completed on the Stapylton and Asses Ears Flood Recovery Packages. Cultural heritage inspections and preservation works have been an important part of the process. After final inspections and gate removals, Asses Ears, along with a number of other roads in the north, will open mid-September.

This means that the only roads that will remain closed (pending further culvert and crossing works) are Redman and Mitchell roads … Read the rest

Peaks Trail August 2017

Mark Gallon

Works progress on the Grampians Peaks Trail with a number of upgrades to pre-existing tracks on the alignment being brought up to a sustainable standard and improved with good drainage and stone steps in certain areas.  Approximately half of the 60KM of pre-existing tracks that can be upgraded are under contract at the moment with the balance out for public tender.  We anticipate that the remaining 30km or so of pre-existing tracks on the alignment will be under contract by Summer.

A number of local and interstate Contractors have established themselves on sections of trail between the Mt William summit on the Major Mitchell Plateau to Jimmy Creek and are busy organising materials and set out of the works for this very difficult part of the project.  The work through this section could take up to a year to complete.  You may have seen recent footage on the … Read the rest

Update On The Grampians Peaks Trail

We don’t have an update from PV for this issue, but it was good to see the project co-ordinator Anne Wilson on WIN TV explaining that experienced hikers from various bushwalking groups are being asked for input to guide in fine tuning the route. So we fervently hope that some items in the similar ambitious proposal at Mt Hotham don’t get reconsidered here in our Park. The VNPA magazine reports that Parks Victoria, in liaison with Regional Development Victoria, is planning a multi-million dollar revamp of the walking tracks between the Falls Creek and Mount Hotham alpine resorts, with the aim of discouraging use by the current self-sufficient bushwalkers, who they say are low spenders. They are aiming at the ‘high-yield’ luxury market, with the provision of privately built and serviced lodges along the track.

The full ‘Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing’ is a five day walk, with four overnight … Read the rest

Grampians Peaks Trail Update

From Grampians Tourism’s last newsletter.

Extensive work is continuing behind the scenes, with the planning team focussing on finalising the trail alignment and trailhead designs. Parks Victoria is working with Gariwerd Traditional Owner representatives on designs and other project opportunities, like ways to share cultural stories as part of the walk experience. Project planners have also met with a number of key local groups. This includes being part of onsite inspections with bushwalking clubs to discuss designs for hiker camps and trailheads. Parks Victoria will be working with the wider community on options for some of the key trailheads soon.… Read the rest