30/01/2023
Walking in the Grampians
1. River Trail - 7 km return, 2.5 hours, Easy. Departs from behind the Visitor Information Centre and makes its way down Salt Creek to the Wannon River and then on to the Mount Sturgeon Cottages. You can turn back of join the Peregrine Trail which heads to the Chinese Wall and makes its way around the base of Mount Sturgeon.
2. Peregrine Trail - 8 km return, 3-3.5 hours, Medium-Hard. Starts at the ancient gum tree at the place where Salt Creek meets the Wannon River and then heads towards the entrance to the Grampians National Park at the base of Mount Sturgeon and makes its way around the base of the mountain before joining up with the River Trail.
3. Mountain Trail - 800 metres, 10 minutes, Easy. This short trail along the base of Mount Sturgeon joins the Peregrine Trail to the Mount Sturgeon Trail. It runs from the Mount Sturgeon Car Park to the National Park gate.
4. Mt Sturgeon Trail - 7 km return, 2.5-3 hours, Hard. Located 3 km north of town, at the junction of Victoria Valley Road and Grampians Tourist Road is the Mount Sturgeon Car Park which is the start of a walking track to the top of Mount Sturgeon. The track crosses a small footbridge and ascends slowly through open forest of brown stringybark and grass trees. The track steepens and then emerges from the forest into tall heathland. A prominent rock cairn to the left offers views of Mt Abrupt and the smaller Mt Picaninny to the north-east. The track proceeds past a rock shelter on the left to the open summit (448 m above sea-level). There are swamp wallabies along the trail and in spring wildflowers abound.
5. Mt Picaninny Trail - 2.4 km return, 1-1.5 hrs - Medium. Located 4.5 km from Dunkeld, along the Grampians Tourist Road (beyond the Mt Sturgeon Car Park), is a turnoff which leads to the Picaninny parking area and the Dunkeld town reservoir. There is an easy-going walk to the peak of Mt Piccaninny (422 m above sea-level) which offers views of Dunkeld to the south, Mt Sturgeon to the south-west and Mt Abrupt to the north-east. It is possible to continue south and join up with the Mt Sturgeon Trail.
6. Mt Abrupt Trail - 6.5 km return, 2.5-3 hours, Hard. Located 8 km north of Dunkeld, along the Grampians Tourist Road, is the Mt Abrupt Car Park. A steep and difficult track to the summit of Mt Abrupt leads through thick forest then ascends steeply to a rocky ridge north of Mt Abrupt. The track then follows the ridge southwards. Watch out for small rock cairns and red arrows on boulders. A last steep ascent ends at the boulder-strewn summit (825 m) which provides some of the finest panoramic views in the district.
7. Royal Mail Hotel Boardwalk, 1 km return, 15 mins, Easy. This simple walk runs along Salt Creek and along Adams Street on boardwalks through the swampy country beside the creek. It is common to see wallabies in the early morning.
8. Dunkeld Arboretum Walk - 2 km return, 40 mins, Easy. Located on Old Ararat Road the Dunkeld Arboretum, which covers over 18 ha, was a community project based on the old Water Reserve. There are over 700 trees in the reserve, including what is reputedly the second-largest collection of oaks in Australia. As well there is a sandstone meditative labyrinth, the Water Reserve has become a lake, and there is an Old Sawmill as well as picnic facilities.
