The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP Victoria

Mt Buffalo National Park in Victoria is a really excellent place, and the biggest walk in the park is called, appropriately, The Big Walk. You ascend about 1000m to spectacular views of the Gorge (a gorge), and of the distant Victorian Alps.

The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP

When we climbed Victoria’s second highest mountain, Mt Feathertop, I saw a big hunk of a mountain in the distance and thought “we should really go there this holiday”. Well, we did, and it was grouse (as the Victorians say). The mountain is called Mt Buffalo, after its shape, and the pictures below are of the longest walk in the park, the so called Big Walk, but we also did three short walks higher up on the plateau after we finished – The Horn (which looks like a horn), The Hump, (which looks like a hump), and the Chalwell Galleries. All offered excellent views (especially the first two). This walk starts at the bottom of the mountain and rises about 1000m to 1350m of elevation. At the end of the walk are spectacular views of the Gorge (which is a gorge), particularly the very sheer and massive North Wall (which is the wall on the north side of the Gorge). Clearly very little mental effort was expended when naming the parts of this national park.

If you aren’t up for 1000m of ascent and descent then you can just drive straight to the views of the Gorge, and take short strolls to some of the other nearby viewpoints. Even Marriott’s Lookout can be accessed easily from the road up. But then that would be cheating.

The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP
This shot taken on the drive in from Harrietville where we were staying.

And I featured this walk in a compilation of my favourite bushwalks in Victoria.

Track Notes

You can find notes on the Parks Victoria website, and also on Trail Hiking Australia. The return walk is a long but manageable day walk, and we had time afterwards to drive up the mountain and squeeze in a series of three other short walks. A long day.

The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo: The Scenery

The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP
Near the start. The hard part of this walk is the first bit which winds through forest. Once the views start the worst is over.

The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP

The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP
View from Marriott’s Lookout.
The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP
When hair imitates rock; at Marriott’s Lookout..
The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP
The view from Marriott’s Lookout on the way up.
The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP
Burnt and recovering trees.
The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP
The North Wall of the Gorge. This was first climbed in 1965, and can still take 2-3 days to climb apparently. It was massive in real life (not sure if my photo reflects that, but I tried).
The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP
The Gorge.
The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP
The Gorge. Crystal Brook tumbling over the edge.
The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP
These lizards inhabited the rocks around the lookouts area.
The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP
A rock climber either ascending or descending.
The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP
The North Wall from another angle.

The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP

The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP
The old ski chalet, currently closed, but freshly painted.
The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP
Inside the chalet. It’s being restored.

The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP

The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP
Looking back towards the Gorge from Wilsons Lookout. You are on the edge of the North Wall here so don’t look down! (…unless you like heights, then definitely look down).
The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP
Panorama from Reeds Lookout (I think); a side trip off the Big Walk near the turnaround point.

The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP The Big Walk, Mt Buffalo NP

Author: Edward Hathway

I'm a clinical psychologist and keen hiker.

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