Nine new Victorian walking and hiking trails have opened thanks to the state government's $106.6 million Victoria’s Great Outdoors funding program.
The Victoria’s Great Outdoors program is aimed at boosting regional tourism and delivering better walking trails, campgrounds, four-wheel drive tracks and visitor facilities. It’s latest announcement is the opening of nine new hiking and walking trails across the state. These add to the government’s recent announcement of plans to build new accessible walking trails at the 1000 Steps.
Under the funding program, the Keppel Lookout Trail near Marysville opened last month, offering an 11-kilometre circuit walk with panoramic views towards the Cathedral Range and Lake Mountain. Snobs Creek Falls in Eildon has a newly opened walking track leading you right up to the waterfalls and a new 4km loop walk has been constructed in the Rubicon Valley Historic Area allowing people to explore the history of Victoria’s first hydro-electric power scheme.
New Victorian hiking and walking trails
- Flat Spur Walk – Mount Buller
- Herman’s Hill – Rainbow
- Keppel Lookout Trail – Yarra Ranges
- Latrobe River Walk, Noojee Trail, Toorongo Falls Linking Track – Noojee
- Mt Hendrick Walk – near Maffra
- Reid’s Tramline – Powelltown
- Rubicon Heritage – near Eildon
- Snobs Creek Falls Walk – near Eildon
- Wirrawilla Rainforest Walk – Toolangi
In Gippsland, Mt Hendrick Walk starts at the gateway to Victoria’s famous high country and climbs through forest towards the peak of Mt Hedrick with picturesque views of the valley below. The much-loved Noojee Trail, Latrobe River Walk and Toorongo Falls linking track have reopened for Victorians to take in beautiful temperate rainforest walks and cross the historic Noojee Trestle Bridge. These trails offer easy walking within a two hours drive of the Melbourne CBD.
Other recently opened trails include Flat Spur Walk near Mount Buller and Herman’s Hill in the state’s north-east. Work is also underway to upgrade 500 metres of walking trail and 200 metres of boardwalks at Stevensons Falls campground in the Otways. These works improve access to the waterfall and trails in the day visitor area ensuring people of all abilities can access one of Victoria’s most popular waterfalls.
Works continue on a further 13 kilometers of trails near Lake Burrumbeet, Mt Baw Baw Alpine Resort and Toolangi which are expected to open mid next year. Victoria’s Great Outdoors also includes a $1 million upgrade to enhance visitor facilities and improve trails linking current parks and reserves to the newly established Yallock-Bulluk Marine and Coastal Park.
“Walking is a wonderful and affordable way to get out into nature, and these new trails will give people more option to do exactly that,” Victorian environment minister Lily D’Ambrosio said. “We’re helping bring visitors and tourists to regional communities – creating jobs and boosting local economies.”
“From tough hiking trails through to short walks featuring our most beautiful waterfalls, there’s a great range of options for Victorians to get out and enjoy our state’s spectacular flora and fauna.”
Read the announcement here. For a list and map of trails visit: exploreoutdoors.vic.gov.au/ or download the More To Explore app.
