Grampians – Top 10 Attractions
1. The Pinnacles Walk
The Pinnacles walk at the Grampians National Park is one of my favourite short walks in Victoria. The walk is 4.2km return from both the Wonderland carpark and Sundial carpark or for those looking for an extra challenge you can walk from Halls Gap Caravan Park which adds approx. 2km but also allows you to visit Venus Bath and various rock pools as you start to climb up the mountain.
\For those guests looking for the easiest option, I’d suggest starting at the Sundial carpark. Parking here also gives you the option of incorporating the Lakeview lookout which will add an an additional 1km to your walk but provides awesome views over Lake Bellfield and the Mt William Range. If you are looking for a private tour of the Grampians National Park, feel free to explore our 2 Day Grampians Tour here.
Hot Tips –
- Do the walk before 10:30am to avoid the crowds on weekends.
- Make sure that if you depart from the Wonderland Range to go via The Grand Canyon route.
- If you have a spare car I suggest parking an additional car at Sundial carpark and walking the whole 7kms from Halls Gap Caravan Park to Sundial carpark or you could do this in reverse if you want to walk mostly downhill.
- There is no water on the trail and little shade so be prepared.
- There are toilets at both carparks for your convenience.
2. Venus Baths
The Venus Baths are a hidden attraction in the Grampians and can easily be missed by most visitors to the park due to most guests walking to the Pinnacle via the Wonderland or Sundial carpark. However in warmer months this is a great short and shady walk that is perfect for everyone to go and soak up the natural beauty of these pools and giant sandstone rock slab that makes up the Wonderland Range. The walk is a 2.3km return walk loop from the Halls Gap Caravan Park that sits opposite the main street of Halls Gap.
3. MacKenzies Falls
No trip to the Grampians is complete without soaking in the natural beauty and surrounds of MacKenzies Falls, one of the largest and most spectacular falls in Victoria. Upon arriving at Mackenzies Falls guests should make sure they turn left at the walking track to go view Broken Falls which is a short 100m path to a series of cascading falls which are worth checking out before walking down the steep 800m path to the base of the Falls. Once at the base of the falls, you’ll walk over a series of rocks to cross the river so you can enjoy the full view. When it’s quiet, it’s a great place to relax and bask in the sun before walking a further 15-20mins downstream to the base of Fish Falls. Even in peak season, if you want to escape the crowds, the walk to Fish Falls is perfect.
Hot Tips –
- Go early morning or late afternoon to avoid crowds and the summer heat.
- Take water as the walk uphill is steep and challenging.
- If you have time its well worth walking downstream to Fish Falls which is always quiet.
4. Fish Falls
Fish Falls is located 1.4km downstream from the base of the very popular Mackenzie Falls in the Grampians National Park. The Falls are located almost halfway along the river walk which takes you to Zumsteins Picnic Ground, however most tourists only walk to the base of Mackenzies and back. The walk to Fish Falls is quite easy and takes you through a landscape that is recovering from the January 2014 bushfires. The falls themselves drop in 4 cascades and are particulary impressive after recent rainfall.
5. Boroka Lookout
Boroka Lookout provides one of the most stunning views in the entire Grampians National Park and is perfect for those who have limited time to see the park. The drive up from Halls Gap on Mt Difficult Road is approx. 20 minutes long and will take you past the impressive Wonderland Range. The sunrise here is especially stunning (see pictures below) and the views towards Halls Gap are amazing with both the Wonderland & Mt William ranges in view. For those keen hikers there is a trail from Halls Gap that’s 6km up to the lookout.
6.Reed Lookout &The Balconies
Reed Lookout is one of the most popular lookouts in the Grampians National Park and is located approx. 15 minute drive from Halls Gap on the way to Mackenzie Falls. The westerly view over the Victoria Valley is simply stunning and provides a perfect place to watch the sunset. There are a couple of different vantage points to enjoy and visitors can also walk up towards the fire tower which provides a great view over the entire park. From Reeds Lookout it’s an easy 1km walk to the popular Balconies Lookout (formerly known as the Jaws of Death)
7. Wildlife
After spending the day hiking, I love relaxing at camp and enjoying the local wildlife. There’s always kangaroos and cockatoos everywhere in Halls Gap and you’ll most likely get the chance to see Kookaburras and Emus as well.
8. Brambruk Cultural Centre
The Brambruk Cultural centre is a fantastic attraction to learn about the history of the Grampians region and guests can provide a donation to watch 2 videos and if you are lucky, they will also take you through a demonstration of Aboriginal tools including the didgeridoo. The centre is 5 mins from Halls Gap on the way south to Dunkeld. The centre also provides tours and is home to a Cafe as well.
9. Bests Winery – Great Western
In the small little hamlet town of Great Western guests can visit the cellar door of Bests Winery which was established in 1866 and is known as the Stables. The building is in original condition and features old maps, winemaking equipment and guests can also do a self-guided tour of the underground cellar which was hand dug by miners in the 1860’s. Opposite cellar door is the Nursery Block vines which contain some of the oldest pre-phylloxera vines in the world.
10. Stargazing
When you are in regional Victoria away from Melbourne and the regional cities, you can get some pretty amazing clear nights where the stars really come out to shine. The photo below was taken on a hiking trip near Hollow Mountain in the Northern Grampians. For anyone camping or hiking in the Grampians, I’d certainly make the effort to get up at night and enjoy the stars.
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Jono Ingram – 0410 341 228 or @jonoingram