Australian Alps Walking Track

A sign marking the trail on the Bogong High Plains.

The Australian Alps Walking Track is a long distance walking trail through the alpine areas of Victoria, New South Wales and ACT. It is 655km long, starting at Walhalla, Victoria and running through to Tharwa, ACT near Canberra. The track weaves mainly though Australian national parks, such as Alpine National Park and Kosciuszko National Park, though it is not exclusively restricted to national parks. It ascends many peaks including Mount Kosciuszko, Mount Bogong, and Bimberi Peak, the highest points in N.S.W., Victoria, and the A.C.T. respectively. The AAWT crosses exposed high plains including the Victorian Bogong High Plains and the Main Range in NSW. To walk the whole trail can take between 5 to 8 weeks.

It has been signposted for part of its length in a tri-state agreement. However, most parts of the Track require hikers to have highly developed navigation skills.

The Australian Alps Walking Track is an extension of the older Victorian Alpine Walking Track, established during the 1970s. The Victorian track was extended after many years of promotion by the Federation of Victorian Walking Clubs and various government departments. The NSW stretch of the walk is less imaginative then the Victorian section. Where the Victorian section typically follows spurs and ridges, the NSW section typically follows fire trails/tracks. The route recommended by John Siseman adds some interest to the NSW section of the walk.^{[citation needed]}

Between Walhalla and Tharwa it passes through these National Parks:

• Baw Baw National Park
• Alpine National Park
• Kosciuszko National Park
• Namadgi National Park
• Brindabella National Park

References

• Craig's AAWT site
• Nigel's AAWT 2006 experience
• Rohan & Nigel's AAWT 2008 experience
• Luke and Simon Perraton's AAWT Winter 2009 experience
• Australian Alps Walking Track - Brochure
• Australian Alps Walking Track - Official National Parks site
• Australian Alps Walking Track Logbook