The Great Alpine Road Circuit

We had decided to do the Great Alpine Road circuit today, but got off to a bad start when Cameron began complaining that an earache he had had for the last couple of days was getting worse and was now also affecting his jaw.  We decided to get him checked by a doctor in BRIGHT, so it was about 11.30 before we left town.  The Great Alpine Road goes from BRIGHT through the Alpine National Park and down to OMEO. On the way it passes through the towns of HARRIETVILLE, HOTHAM HEIGHTS Alpine Village, and DINNERPLAIN, another Alpine Village.  If you continue on south from OMEO you come out at BRUTHEN, which you may remember was where we spent our first night on the road after leaving TRARALGON.

However to avoid backtracking, once you get to OMEO you can return to BRIGHT via a second road through the Alpine Park,  passing through the towns of  FALLS CREEK Alpine Village, and MOUNT BEAUTY,  hence the Great Alpine Road circuit.  We had been advised by the Information Centre at BRIGHT that it was best to do the trip in the reverse order so that’s what we did.  The total round trip is about 250 km and we were told to allow about 7hrs.  We realised it was going to be a long day.

After leaving BRIGHT we were very soon climbing a range topping out at 900m, with beautiful views from the top overlooking MOUNT BEAUTY township, nestled in the valley below. 

We dropped down into MOUNT BEAUTY and then immediately started climbing again towards FALLS CREEK.  This time after a long, slow, very windy 30km climb, we arrived at FALLS CREEK at an altitude of 1700m. (And we thought our trip up Mt Buffalo yesterday was a good one).  On the way up we took a short walk to a waterfall which no one knew existed until it was uncovered by bushfires in 2006.

Once up on the tops at FALLS CREEK we travelled for about 15km along the tops.  It was like driving through a lunar landscape with views for miles in all directions.  We did another short walk to see a Hut, (or hoot as the Irish lady at the Information Centre called it).  This is the oldest known existing hut that was used by early graziers when they bought their cattle up to graze the ‘high country’.  It was built in 1869.  Very reminiscent of the high country hut seen in the film, The Man From Snowy River.

After having lunch beside the ‘hoot’, we descended to OMEO, about 75 km away, another slow very windy road, arriving there at 4.30. We ordered some ‘fush and chups’, and while they were cooking had a beer in the local.

At about 6.00 we started the return journey, climbing up through the flash ski resort town of DINNER PLAIN, and out onto the tops again, arriving at HOTHAM HEIGHTS Alpine village at an altitude of 1800m.  We had been told that this is the highest sealed road in Australia.  Another short walk took us up to the stone cairn marking Mount Hotham itself, at an altitude of 6100 feet.  I think Egmont is 8260 feet.  By this time it was about 7.15 and the sun was starting to set out to the west.  We could see in the distance the ragged tops of Mount Buffalo about 50km away, and a 360 degree panorama of mountains and ranges all around us.  Not at all like looking at New Zealand mountains.  These were all very rounded, or almost flat plateaus. You could see why the old timers went to all the trouble to bring their cattle up here to graze.  Thousands and thousands of acres of grazing land.

From there it was a slow winding steep descent of 30 odd km back down to the old Gold Mining settlement of HARRIETVILLE, and then back to camp arriving at about 8.30pm.  A long day, but what a wonderful scenic trip.  Oh, the drops the doctor prescribed for Cameron’s ear seem to be doing the trick.