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Bushwalking in Victoria
There are other sites which are based upon
bushwalking in states other than Victoria, or bushwalking in general.
This section attempts to introduce the reader to bushwalking conditions
in Victoria.
It is intended to be an over-view
and so contains little specific information.
Undoubtedly the best way to get information on bushwalking is
to join a club.
On the Internet, don't forget the newsgroup "aus.bushwalking"
which can provide a quick response to your questions.
Popular bushwalking areas in Victoria range from
desert (e.g. Little Desert, Wyperfeld, etc)
to alpine (e.g. Mt Buffalo, Alpine National Park, etc).
Desert Areas
- Water can be very hard to find.
Established campsites may have water tanks.
Plan trips and seek advice from rangers etc.
- Tracks
- Weather. It's desert because the annual rainfall
is low but that doesn't mean that it won't rain while you are there.
Can have a pattern of hot days and cool/cold nights.
- Topography. Usually rather flat with some undulations.
- Botany. The amateur botanist usually finds plenty
of interesting stuff in these areas.
Alpine Areas
The main alpine areas are
The Alpine National Park, the Buffalo National Park,
and the Baw Baw National Park.
- Water is generally readily available, but
because walking routes tend to follow ridge lines
it may be difficult to find water in summer on some routes.
- Tracks usually follow ridge lines.
Some easy rock scrambling may be needed.
Some tracks are marked by snow poles.
- Weather. Snow/hail/blizzards may be encountered on any day of the
year. The weather can change very rapidly and it is prudent to carry
appropriate clothing and equipment.
Coastal Areas
Among the many coastal walking areas are: the Great Southwest Walk,
The Otways, Wilsons Promontary and Croajingalong.
- Water may be infrequent along coastal tracks.
- Tracks are varied. In some areas it is possible to
walk for many kilometres along the beach, in other areas
high cliffs plunge to the sea and the walking tracks are
some distance from the sea.
- Weather
Other Areas
There are a number of other major and minor bushwalking
areas such as The Grampians, and the hill country around Melbourne.
There are usually some tracks,
access roads and other facilities which
are
closed in our national parks.
A very good starting point for information on these closures
is the Parks Victoria web site,
look for "temporary park and road closures".
Walkers wishing to report upon walking track conditions can use the
VicWalk form to submit a report to VicWalk.
For the Australian Alps Walking Track, reports can also be submitted to
the area managers via the Australian Alps web site.
