Table of Contents
bushwalks in Victoria's Licola region
see also:
the Licola region
- gravel road north of Licola is relatively slow going by car:
- Wellington River campsite to Arbuckle Junction (46.5km north of Licola) on Tamboritha Rd takes ~40min
- Arbuckle Junction to Bryce Gorge 23.5km takes ~20min
- Bryce Gorge to Mt Howitt carpark
- “There is only one way to access the Howitt CarPark unless you have a 4WD. Take the Princes Freeway to Traralgon, then head inland to Licola where you turn right just before the bridge and head up the Tamboritha Road. Take the left fork at the Junction (it's signposted) and keep going until you reach the Car Park - which will take a little while as it's not the best bit of gravel in the country.”
- Narre Warren to Mt Howitt carpark (81km from Licola) takes 4.5hrs drive excluding stops
- Licola to Mt Howitt carpark is ~2hrs drive
Macalister Springs and Mt Howitt day hike
- easy 15km return Howitt link day hike
- camp before walk between Licola (85km from start) and Mt Howitt carpark at bush sites near water such as Breakfast Creek, Tali Karng car park, or Bennison Plains 200m down the Kellys Lane track, or can camp at Mt Howitt carpark but there is no water
- Mt Howitt carpark to Macalister Springs is 5km, 1.5hrs and alternatively camp here, a few hundred metres NE of springs for more scenic site (water needs treatment!)
- “the walk from the car park to Macallister Springs takes about 40 minutes, an hour or so if you take the loop around the Wonnongatta Spur cliffs - which is worth the extra time and effort”
- Macalister Springs to Mt Howitt 2.5km, 1hr with under 200m ascent, then return the same route
- “from the Springs it's about another hour across Macallister Saddle (with extra time to appreciate the stunning views of Speculation, the Viking/Razor Wilderness and the Terrible Hollow) and up to Howitt itself.”
source: https://vk3yy.wordpress.com/2016/04/27/mt-howitt-vk3vt-001/
Macalister Springs to Mt Speculation via the Crosscut Saw
- 5km 1.5hr hike from mt Howitt car park to Macalister Springs to camp for 1st night
- day 2: hike to Mt Speculation and return to Macalister Springs to camp for 2nd night (or one could camp at Mt Speculation)
- day 3: hike back to car park then optional Bryces Gorge walk
- 24.7km, total ascent 1290m, total descent 1290m, max. elevation 1666m, min. elevation 1417m
- grade 4 difficulty
water availability
- from north to south:
- Catherine Saddle (head south 200 metres towards the Wonnangatta River)
- Camp Creek where it crosses the Speculation Road
- Stanley Name Spur at the campsite near the Cross Cut Saw
- Macalister Springs (can sometimes be unreliable in late summer)
- Hellfire Creek campsite on saddle between Howitt and Magdala (is sometimes reduced to a drip at dry times)
Bryce's Gorge, waterfalls and Guy's Hut day circuit
- easy 8.5km day hike circuit
- Bryces Gorge carpark is 65km from Licola
- as for Howitt Link, camp before the walk, plenty of drinking water at Pieman and Conglomerate Creeks
The Crinoline
- Mt Ligar, north of Licola in the Alps, awesome 270deg views
- 23km mod-diff strenuous walk requires a car shuffle, starts at Breakfast Creek and ends at Tamboritha Saddle and requires carrying water for whole hike, and preferably start the walk after camping at Breakfast Creek
- Breakfast Creek to Long Hill Ck camp site after passing The Crinoline is 8.5km, 3.5-4hrs with steep 900m ascent to the Crinoline over 6.5km and a fairly flat finish after 150m descent from The Crinoline
- Long Hill Ck camp site to Tamboritha Saddle has two ascents 200m to Long Hill (1290m) then a scenic descent (views to north of Mt Clear, Magdala and Howitt) past the Rock Shelter and a 400m ascent up a 4WD track
- optionally return to Breakfast Creek along a section of McMillans Walking Track (MWT) crossing Mt Tamboritha (1509m) and Mt Little Tamboritha (1468m)
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MV5ZwmKtEQ crinoline 3 day Mt Tamboritha circuit
- trail is narrow and can be hard to trace at Mt Ligar and Mt Tamboritha - you need GPS!
- day 1 ~1000m ascent ~9km to Crinoline then camp at Mt Ligar wth lyrebirds
- day 2 water available in small stream just after Mt Ligar camp;
- day 3 water available just after Mt Tamboritha camp; very steep descent back
MacFarlane Saddle carpark - Spion Kopje / Nyimba overnight camp - Lake Tali Karng
- 2-2.5hr fairly flat 8.5km hike along the Wellington Plains from MacFarlane Saddle carpark to the overnight camp at Nyimba (no facilities, c1400m elevation, snow gums)
- this bypasses hike up to Mt Wellington which is an alternate route - see below
- then strenuous return day hike down to Lake Tali Karng (see below) and back up (750m ascent, 5.5km, ~2-3hrs return from the lake)
- optional 20-30min 1.4km 64m ascent hike to Miller's Hut (2nd oldest hut on public land, built 1916, can also 4WD to this hut from MacFarlane Saddle via Mt Wellington cairn but steep and needs lots of clearance)
- Nigothoruk falls are not far from Miller's Hut but are down a fairly steep section and presumably are not accessible
- optional further hike up to The Sentinels and Gables End for fantastic views - 5km each way - with total ascent 173m and descents 83m getting there - perhaps a 3.5hr return hike (Gables End adds ~30min plus viewing time)
McFarlane Saddle, Mt Wellington, Millers Hut, Lake Tali Karng and the Valley of Destruction
- 37.5km, mod. grade requiring car shuffle - can camp at MacFarlane Saddle carpark (toilets) before starting out on this longer hike
- or, 33.5km mod. grade circuit via climbing Spion Kopje on return
- there is water that needs treatment at 13.5km mark
- McFarlane Saddle start (~1500m) to Mt Wellington (1620m elevation) 8km, 2-2.5hrs with total gains of around 300m
- Mt Wellington to Lake Tali Karng is 11.5km mainly descent of 900m and a 150m gain past Millers Hut and takes 3-3.5hrs
- Lake Tali Karng camp site descent to Tali Karng carpark 18km taking 5-5.5hrs along a faint track by the Wellington River requiring 15 river crossings which will keep your feet wet! A difficult part of the river is bypassed by climbing to Shaws Gap (~100m ascent) some 4km before the car park
- optionally, return to McFarlane Saddle from Lake Tali Karng to Nyimba camp site/ Spion Kopje which is a 750m ascent over 5.5km taking 2-2.5hrs then a gentle descent from Nyimba camp back to carpark over 8.5km taking a further 2-2.5hrs
- Clive Lanigan Walking track
Lake Tali Karng
- this is the only natural alpine lake in Victoria, and is held behind a rock barrier created thousands of years ago
- it is quite remote as its hike-in only
- it is the source of the Wellington River
- the underground stream it feeds emerges at the infant Wellington River 150m below in the Valley of Destruction.
- Tali Karng is a sacred place to the Gunaikurnai and in keeping with their law, Aboriginals are not allowed to go there, and non-indigenous are requested not to camp there.
Moroka Gorge, Snowy Bluff
- avoid after heavy rains as Moroka River will not be crossable
- remote wilderness experience with cascades and if you walk to Snowy Bluff then great remote views but tracks may be overgrown and stinging nettles can be problematic for your legs
- Snowy Bluff is 43km return of moderate grade
- camp before walk at Horseyard Flat
- Horseyard Flat to Moroka Gorge 5km, 1.5hrs, 150m descent
- Moroka Gorge to Shanty Hollow camp site via Moroka Falls (backpack off for short walk along river) is 7km, 2.5-3hrs with 350m ascent
- Shanty Hollow camp site to east peak of Snowy Bluff (1323m) and return is 20km 5.5-6.5hrs with initial 300m ascent, some ups and downs then 200m ascent to Snowy Bluff
- Shanty Hollow camp site back to Horseyard Flat 11km 3-3.5hrs