Modern ski resort in winter, Mount Buller does not lose its beauty in summer with carpets of wild flowers, refreshing mountain streams, fern gullies and alpine panoramas.
The post describes 6 walks in Mount Buller and Mount Stirling.
Mount Buller and Mount Little Buller
The first walk was to Mount Little Buller and Mount Buller .
Mount Buller (1805 elevation) was named by explorer and surveyor Major Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell after Charles Buller, an acquaintance in the Colonial Office. The Aboriginal name for the mountain is Bulla Bulla meaning “good” (Blake, Les 1977. Place names of Victoria. Adelaide: Rigby. pp.182, 50.
At the Mount Buller summit we were spoiled with 360 degrees vistas of the surrounding mountains.
Walk Description
The walk is a mixture of tracks, including some ski runs. From Stirling Road, turn left on the Village Circuit, walk down the Canyon Rope Tow, Standard Road, down on Bull Run to Bull Run Skiosk.
From here continue on Whiskey Creek Trail to the junction with Little Buller Spur Trail. Continue on Little Buller Spur trail to reach Little Buller summit after a steep rocky climb. Retrace your steps back to the junction with Whiskey Creek Trail. Continue uphill along Wombat run or Little Buller Spur Trail, to Summit nature walk, pass the Ski Patrol. A steep detour to the summit for sweeping views from 1805 at the firewatch hut. From the summit stroll down to the village along Summit Nature walk and Athletes walk.
Total distance 10 km with an ascent of 458 meters.
Delatite River and Klingsporn Bridle Track
Next walk was a combination of two tracks, Delatite River Trail and Klingsporn Bridle Track to Mount Buller village. The walk started from Mount Buller Road on Plough Shed Track to reach Delatite river trail. We followed the beautiful scenic walk along the Delatite River with cool, ferny glades and 14 log crossings over the river. This was followed by heading up on the narrow trail Klingsporn Bridle Track to Mount Buller Village. Reaching the Picnic Ground at Mirimbah, cross Mount Buller Road to Loch Street. Start ascending from the trailhead of 8.65 km Klingsporn Bridle Track to Mount Buller village. The historic trail was cut in 1913 to provide summer access for the sheep to Mount Buller grassy slopes.
Total distance was 7.5 km with an ascent of 1035 meters.
Howqua River
The longest day was 24 km walk along Howqua River. The walk began at Seven Mile Flat, than Eight Mile Flat, following the High Track to Ritchie’s Hut. Ritchie’s Hut was built in 1947 by Bob Ritchie and Fred Fry for fishing. During the Great Divide Fire in 2006-2007, the hut was destroyed. Volunteers from Victoria High Country Hut Association with help from other groups rebuilt the hut in 2008-2009. Ritchie’s Hut was featured in the television series ” A River Somewhere”.
We continued our walk to Pikes Flat where we had lunch. We retraced our steps back to Ritchies Hut and to the High-Low Junction.
Following the Low Track after 12 invigorating river crossings, we returned to Seven Mile Flat. Despite encountering 4 snakes, we fell in love with this walk, the splendour of the Howqua River, with its impressive bends and clear cooling water.
Total distance of the walk 24 km with an ascent of 682 meters.
Mount Stirling
Mount Stirling Circuit
The walk took us from tall, tranquil forests, through the gnarled snow gums and alpine huts. Among the abundance of wild flora, we encountered varieties of daisies, blue bells, everlastings, rice flower shrubs and hyacinth orchids.
Gang- Gang cockatoo could be heard in the forests and swifts were catching insects in their flights above us. From Mount Stirling summit we took a short walk to see the toughest tree in Australia. The snow gum is more than 300 years old and sits solitary at 1725 meters, well above the tree line.
Walk Description
The walk starts at Telephone Junction Box, Chairmans Ridge Trail, turning right on Upper Baldy Trail. Turn right at Fork Creek Trail. After few hundred meters continue on Wombat Drop to reach Stirling Trail. Passing King Spur Hut, you can enjoy views of Mount Cobbler in the East framed by snow gums. Continue on the Stirling trail to GGS hut.
Turn right on Howqua Gap and soon you arrive at Mount Stirling Summit to enjoy the stunning views over the High Country. Short walk from here to the toughest tree in Australia. Continue on Howqua Gap Trail, turn right on Bluff Spur trail. Soon you reach Bluff Spur Memorial Hut. Return via Bluff Spur trail and Baldy Loop, Circuit Road to Telephone Box Junction. Total distance is 12.26 km with an ascent of 456 meters.
Mount Stirling and Mount Winstanley
This is a longer circuit that includes Mount Stirling and Mount Winstanley summit.
From Telephone Junction Box we went in reverse to Mount Stirling Summit, Circuit Road, Baldy Loop, Bluff Spur Trail, Stirling Trail to Cricket Pitch Shelter. continue on Stirling Trail, King Saddle, Hut Loop to Razorback Hut. Take Razorback Trail to Mount Winstanley. To summit Mount Winstanley the track is overgrown up to the waist. Is best to return via Number 3 Road to return to Razorback Hut and Hut Trail to Telephone Box Junction.
Total distance was 20 km with ascend of 740 meters. It will be much longer if you follow Number 3 road.
West Ridge Track
This is a scenic, exciting ridge walk to Mount Buller. From Doughty Road the West Ridge Track ascends to the summit of Mt. Buller. You have a lot of uphill to do, 900 meters to reach the summit, over a rugged terrain involving rock scrambling and loose scree.
The trail climbs to a grassy spur which twists its way up through snowgums to the top of Round Hill. As you gain height the trail becomes rocky with the final section steeply to the top.
Reaching the summit you enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding mountains.
The walk continued to Mt. Buller village and Schuss Lodge.
For information on Mount Buller walks check https://www.mtbuller.com.au/Summer/activities/walk-hike
There are numerous popular walks in Victoria. One of my favorites are in Mount Grampians.
Mount Stapylton, Grampians National Park at https://aussietrailwalker.com/mount-stapylton/
This is great Dana.
Some decent walks there.