Legends and High Country Attractions

646,000ha.This national park was established in 1989-90 by the amalgamation of three existing national parks (Bogong N.P., Cobberas-Tingaringy N.P. and Wonnangatta-Moroka N.P.) and other reserves, making it the third largest national park in Victoria. It extends east from Mansfield (see Lake Eildon) by way of the Central Highlands and the Victorian Alps to the borders of New South Wales, where it joins up with Kosciusko National Park (NSW) and Namadgi National Park (ACT).In Bogong National Park are the two highest peaks in Victoria, Mount Bogong and Mount Feathertop. In Falls Creek and Hotham Heights there are excellent winter sports facilities (cross-country skiing), and in summer the Bogong plateau is good country for walking (with some trails that are extremely strenuous) and riding.Cobberas-Tingaringy National Park (area 18,000ha) is a region of magnificent mountains, rugged landscape and Alpine forests.In the north of Wonnangatta-Moroka National Park are the high peaks of the Victorian Alps, a watershed for the rivers and streams which have carved deep valleys and gorges from the plateau.In these Alpine regions the weather is very changeable, and it is essential to take protective clothing and emergency provisions. In spring and summer the land is carpeted with flowers.

Beechworth (pop. 3700) was once the center of the Ovens goldfields and now the administrative center of northeastern Victoria and lies in the foothills of the Victorian Alps. The rich Beechworth goldfield was discovered by a shepherd in the 1850s, and in 14 years more than 85 metric tons of gold were found. During the gold boom the population of the town rose to 8000 and it had 61 hotels and a theater in which world-famous actors appeared.The town is famed for its well-preserved 19th C buildings, more than 30 of which have been classified by the National Trust as of historical importance. Particularly notable are the powder magazine and the mid-19th C government buildings, built in the local granite, and a number of museums. The old jail, in which Ned Kelly was imprisoned, is still in use and some of his memorabilia are in the Burke Museum.

Benalla (pop. 9200) features Lake Benalla (water sports, bird sanctuary), an artificial lake created by a dam on Broken River. In the late 1870s Benalla was a frequent target of raids by Ned Kelly's gang, who were finally caught in 1880 in the nearby town of Glenrowan.Benalla is famed for its rose gardens (Rose Festival in October/November). Benalla Art Gallery displays the Ledger Collection of Australian painting.

31,000ha.The skiing area in Mount Buffalo National Park has attracted skiers since 1930, making it the oldest winter sports region in Victoria. In summer it appeals to walkers and rock climbers.

Bright (pop. 2000) was founded after the discovery of gold in the area. This was the center of the Buckland Valley riots on 1857 when white prospectors drove out their Chinese rivals with considerable brutality.Bright, situated in the Ovens valley at the foot of the Victorian Alps, is the center of a popular winter sports area and a good base for walks in summer. The area is seen at its most beautiful in autumn, when the European deciduous trees take on their autumn coloring. Bright, well equipped with shops and restaurants, is a supply center for holidaymakers in the surrounding area.There are a number of beautiful walking trails leading to good viewpoints (Clearspot Lookout, Huggins Lookout). On the Alpine Road leading to Mount Hotham there are fine views of Mount Feathertop, the Razor Back and Mount Bogong.

On Mount Hotham is a popular winter sports area which because of its height has reliable snow cover. There are good pistes in all grades of difficulty and excellent cross-country skiing on Dargo High Plains. The skiing village of Hotham Heights straggles along the road, and the ski-lifts are at some distance from one another. The village can be reached on the Hume Highway to Wangaratta, then the Ovens Highway to Bright and the scenic Alpine Way via Harrietville; from Gippsland it can be reached by way of Bairnsdale and Omeo. Like Falls Creek, Mount Hotham lies within the former Bogong National Park (see Alpine National Park), but Hotham Heights is outside the park in the valley. During the season there is a bus service to Bright, where cheaper accommodation is available. Mount Hotham is also a popular holiday area in summer (walking, climbing, riding).

Falls Creek is one of the most popular winter sports areas in Victoria. The skiing area includes the former Bogong National Park, now part of the Alpine National Park, and the country round Mount Hotham. Falls Creek is reached from the Hume Highway, turning off at Wangaratta into the Ovens Highway; then from Bright via Bogong to the Falls Creek holiday village. From the south it is reached by way of Bairnsdale, Omeo and Shannonvale (snow chains essential in winter; during the season there are buses to Mount Beauty and Albury-Wodonga).In the winter sports area there are numerous well co-ordinated lifts, pistes in all grades of difficulty and cross-country skiing trails. In summer this is a popular holiday region (walking, riding, climbing).

The Victorian Alps - gently rounded foothills of the Great Dividing Range, the counterparts to the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales - extend into the eastern and northeastern outskirts of Melbourne. They are not high enough to have a permanent snow cover, but during the winter (June-October) they usually have reliable snow, offering good and sometimes excellent conditions for winter sports. In summer they are popular with climbers, riders and walkers. There are good trout streams and lakes with excellent facilities for water sports. In northern Victoria the Alps tail off in gentle hills.The Alpine Walking Track, a beautiful long-distance route, runs from Mount Kosciusko in New South Wales to the old gold-mining settlement of Walhalla in Baw Baw National Park.

Mount Beauty (pop. 2100), in the upper Kiewa valley, was originally established in the 1940s to house workers on the Kiewa hydro-electric scheme. Thereafter it developed into a well equipped holiday village at the foot of Mount Bogong (1986m), Victoria's highest mountain, the gateway to Bogong National Park, which is now incorporated in the Alpine National Park. Mount Beauty is an important winter sports center. A beautiful mountain road leads to Falls Creek and the Bogong High Plains. Water sports on the Rocky Valley Dam.

17,600ha.The most striking features of this national park are its massive granite crags and impressive waterfalls. There are campsites and rest areas near the Cudgewa Bluff Falls from which there are various walking trails. The isolated granite dome of Pine Mountain (1062m) rises steeply out of the Murray plain. It is a fairly stiff climb to the summit, from which there are spectacular panoramic views. To the south is Mount Burrowa (1300m).

Harrietville, a charming little mountain village is a good base for ski treks in winter and for walks in Bogong National Park (Alpine National Park) in summer.