Victoria's Grampians National Park

White Australians saw the Grampians for the first time in 1836, with Major Thomas Mitchell, the Surveyor General of the day, naming the range after a mountain range in his native Scotland.
Aboriginals inhabited parts of the Grampians for at least 3,000 years prior to Mitchell's arrival, and cave art from the Buandik tribe has been preserved.
Getting there
Access to the Grampians is via road, with the northern entry south from the Western Highway at Stawell.
Skirting the southern end of the park is the Glenelg Highway. The main north south road runs from Dunkeld to Halls Gap and on to Stawell.
Halls Gap is the principle town servicing the Grampians and is a bustling centre where campers and visitors are well catered for. The town offers a variety of accommodation, comprehensive shopping centre and information centre. Halls Gap is located in the Fyans Valley and is a mecca for various outdoor activities. Here you can hire a bicycle, go horse riding, play tennis, golf, hire a canoe, throw a line, visit the wildlife park, take a 4WD?tour, swim, go bird watching or bushwalking, or just relax in the beautiful setting.
Activities
The Grampians National Park consist of rugged sandstone ranges, clad with forests and rich in wildlife. In January 2006 a large bushfire swept through the central part of the Grampians National Park, but already environmental regeneration and the recovery of park facilities is well in hand.
The best thing about the Grampians is that there is something for everyone to do. Whether you are into adventure sports, such as mountain biking, rock climbing, abseiling, or passive recreation such as fishing, viewing the wild flowers or enjoying the Aboriginal art or local waterfalls, they are all in handy reach of Halls Gap. The National Parks Service also provides numerous camping areas in the park in a variety of settings directly accessible by car. They have pit toilets, fireplaces and picnic tables.
Rock climbing
The Grampians are the second most popular area for rock climbers in Victoria (following Mt. Arapiles). The Victorian Climbing Club has estimated 4,000 climbs are currently known to exist throughout the Grampians. Access to these climbs range from near bitumen roads to extensive walks along foot tracks.
An easy way to participate in the outdoor activity of your choice is to take advantage of any of the local tour operators.
Offering personalised tours, adventures and bushwalking is the company run by Mr Noel Nicholls at Halls Gap.
He can be reached either by phoning 03-5356 4654 or by email at [email protected]
Activities offered include abseiling, bicycle touring, bird watching, bushwalking, canoeing/kayaking, bus tours, 4WD?tours, mountain bike riding, rock climbing, spotlight tours and nightwalks.
While using a tour operator isn't necessarily everyone's cup of tea, they know all the best spots, generally can provide the equipment you need and take care of transport.If you are on a quick break, they can make life a whole lot easier for you to enjoy the great outdoors.


Catch a fish!
The Grampians offers plenty of opportunities for keen fishermen.
Lake Wartook is considered to be one of the more attractive waters in the region and is well regarded for trout fishing by bait and fly-fishers.
Lake Bellfield is also popular, with both the lakes stocked annually with trout. To a lesser extent there is some fishing in the main reservoirs and main rivers and at Lake Fyans.
Boating is allowed on Lake Wartook with restrictions on speed and power limits.
Moora Moora Reservoir is popular with canoeists.


More information
Contact Brambuk - The National Park and Cultural Centre at Halls Gap, Ph. (03) 5361 4000.
(open 9-5pm daily) or visit www.parkweb.vic.gov.au


BUSHWALKING Walking the Grampians
The Grampians consist of standstone ranges formed 400 million years ago when sandy sediments were tilted, uplifted and eroded.
While much of the Grampians is wild and undisturbed, many walking tracks have been established. These range from 2km strolls through gently undulating bush to full-on, map and compass, overnight adventures for experienced bushwalkers.
Tracks and signs are clear and reward walkers with some spectacular views, fascinating vegetation including over 1000 varieties of flowers and ferns, 100 species of orchid and 15 species of eucalypts.
Populating the bush are over 200 species of birdlife, while koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, possums and emus abound.
There are more than 50 walks in the park, many developed around picnic areas, lookouts, waterfalls and Aboriginal art sites. there are a number of longer day walks from Halls Gap, and between some of the camping areas. A small amount of remote camping occurs, usually associated with longer hikes on the Major Mitchell Plateau and in the Victoria and Mt. Difficult Ranges.
Short Walks
_ Halls Gap to Venus Baths (30 mins)
_ Halls Gap to Splitters Falls (1 3/4 hrs)
_ Halls Gap to Mackey Peak (1 1/4 hrs)
_ Halls Gap to Clematis Falls &?Chatauqua Peak (2 1/4 hrs)
_ Wonderland Turntable to Pinnacle Lookout (3 hrs)
_ Sundial Turntable to Pinnacle Lookout (2 1/4 hrs)
_ Lutheran Camp to Boronia Peak (1 1/4 hrs)
_ Silverband Falls to Dellets Dell (1 1/2 hrs)
Mt William Carpark to Summit (1 1/2 hrs)
Some longer walks
_ Rosea Turntable to Mt Rosea (4 hrs)
_ Sundial Turntable to Sundial Peak, Delley Dell, Rosea Turntable and return to Sundial Turntable (4-5 hrs)
_ Halls Gap to Splitters Falls, Wonderland Turntable, Pinnacle Lookout and return past Relph Peak & Mackey Peak (5-6 hrs)
_ Halls Gap to Splitters Falls, Wonderland Turntable, Pinnacle Lookout, Lake View Lookout, Delley Dell, Silverband Falls, Lake Bellfield and return on the Grampians Road (6-8 hrs)