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Victoria
Victoria's walking and riding trails provide a diversity of scenery rare among Australian states, including everything from picturesque rainforests, secluded waterfalls, coastal heathlands, alpine high country and outback desert. As Victoria is one of Australia's smallest states, most of these walking trails are within relatively short, easy driving distance of the state's capital, Melbourne.

Wilsons Promontory, Vic
Walking is the best way to explore the natural sanctuary of Wilsons Promontory. Known as ‘The Prom’ to locals, it embraces 50,000 hectares of coastal wilderness on mainland Australia’s southernmost tip. The many well-marked trails traverse empty beaches and eucalypt forest, heath and swamp, cool rainforest gullies and rocky mountain tops. Opt for short and scenic trails, like the Loo-Errn Track, ideal for families and the mobility-impaired. Do a day trek to the lighthouse or spend three days on the Wilsons Promontory Circuit Trail, which starts from the main tourist hub of Tidal River. Scale Mount Oberon or hike out to remote and beautiful Millers Landing. Stay at campsites throughout the park and get up close to the park’s incredible array of native plants, birds and animals. You can also dive and snorkel with magical marine life in the clear, protected waters offshore. Multi-day walks.


Australian Alps Walking Track, ACT/NSW/Vic
Cross three states, four national parks and some of Australia’s highest peaks on this tough long-distance walk. The trail follows the crest of the Australian Alps for 65km, from Walhalla in Victoria to Tharwa just south of Canberra. Wind up and down the Baw Baw Plateau, Mt. Howitt, the Bogong High Plains and the Cobberras in Victoria. Traverse the rugged mountains of Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales and the rocky wilderness of Namadgi National Park near Canberra. Pitch your tent in the wilderness, stay in camping grounds, historic huts or alpine resorts close to the track. Do day treks or combine shorter, more manageable sections of the trail.  The end-to-end walk takes about 50 to 60 days and is strictly for the intrepid traveller. 650km/up to 50 days/day and multi-day walks. Other Alpine National Park walks


The Great South West Walk, Vic
This is an extended 250 km circular track in the south-west of Victoria, between Portland and Nelson, that provides some very pleasant walking. The 14 day walk passes through a region of undulating terrain close to the coast and has very few hills to climb. The track passes through three distinctly different terrain styles. The first section is through woodland, the second follows a river gorge for several days then the final half is along the southern coastline which ranges from long sandy beaches to rugged headlands. With its many access points, the walk is also suited to shorter trips and can be walked by anyone with sufficient fitness. There are four days of beach walking in soft sand which can fairly tough but as this is encountered in the second week, you should be fit enough by then to handle it with few problems.

Great Dividing Trail, Vic
Located in central Victoria, west of Melbourne, this trail passes through what was once the richest gold mining area of the world. The trail design itself is very unusual as it has three arms, which meet at the historic town of Daylesford. This means that if you walk this as a through track, you will only complete two of the arms. The walk goes from either Bendigo, Ballarat or Bacchus Marsh to Daylesford. It has been proposed to extend the track further west to the Grampians and a route has been suggested and publicly displayed. The track can be walked by anyone with average fitness. It is suitable for less experienced walkers and travellers as the weather is rarely extreme and much of the walking is on firm tracks or old roads.

The Great Ocean Walk, Vic
The Great Ocean Walk, on Victoria’s spectacular west coast, stretches 100 kms from the idyllic resort town of Apollo Bay to Glenample, 1.5km before the 12 Apostles visitor area (the homestead is unfortunately currently closed). The walk passes through the beautiful National Parks and overlooks the Marine National Park and Sanctuary. The Great Ocean Walk has been designed so that walkers can ‘step on and step off’ the trail at a number of places, completing short, day or overnight hikes.

The Grampians, Vic
The Grampians National Park in the state's west, is one of Victoria’s most popular holiday destinations. Renowned for its breathtaking rocky views, rich Aboriginal culture, European heritage and stunning spring wildflower displays, there is plenty to see and do in this rugged ancient landscape. Declared in 1984, the 168,000 hectare National park is home to a rich diversity of plants and animals, many of which are endemic to the park. Hosting over 1 million visitors each year, popular activities include bushwalking, camping, picnicking, nature study, rock-climbing, bike riding and fishing. The extensive network of roads makes car touring to surrounding villages another great way to explore. Walking maps are available from Brambuk the National Park and Cultural Centre at Halls Gap.
Overnight hiking | Guided bushwalks | Park Information

Hume and Hovell Walking Track, Vic
The Hume and Hovell Walking Track stretches over 440km between Yass and Albury and allows walkers to rediscover the route of explorers Hamilton Hume and William Hovell on their expedition to Port Phillip in 1824. The route offers a variety of topographies, vegetation types and land uses, as well as numerous points of historic interest. Apart from bush walking, the track gives access to other recreational activities including camping, fishing, swimming, nature study, photography and wildlife observation. The track starts at Cooma Cottage on the outskirts of Yass and finishes at the Hovell Tree on the banks of the Murray River in Albury. It has three track heads approximately 100 kms apart - James Fitzpatrick at Wee Jasper, Thomas Boyd on the Goobarragandra River 23 kms from Tumut and Henry Angel on Burra Creek near Tumbarumba.



Victorian bushwalking resources online