Overview

Wangaratta to Metung
339 km/211 miles, about 5 hours

Wind your way along Victoria's Great Alpine Road, from Wangaratta through the Ovens Valley to Harrietville, up and over the alpine resort of Mount Hotham, then down to the lovely coastal village of Metung on the Gippsland Lakes.

The 339-kilometre adventure along Australia's highest year-round accessible sealed road takes you right up close to Victoria's diverse landscapes. Travel through lofty mountain ranges, down plunging valleys, into lush forests, and past rolling vineyards along the way to the sparkling waterways on Gippsland's coast.

If travelling to Mt Hotham or Dinner Plain you may like to try this route in reverse. Start in Gippsland and travel north from Bairnsdale, diverting west from Omeo.

Be guaranteed an amazing journey year-round, with warm weather walking, cycling, camping and high-adrenaline adventure opportunities, during the perennially popular wintertime snow season and throughout long and lazy summer days.

Whatever the season you'll be sure of breathtaking views, unforgettable scenery and warm welcomes in the villages along the way.

  • Wangaratta to Bright

    83 kilometres, about 1 hour

    Start in Wangaratta, home to beautiful gardens, stately river red gums and riverside cafes. Time your visit for the annual November jazz festival, when the city really kicks up its heels.

    Making mouth-watering memories

    This northern leg of the Great Alpine Road is characterised not only by spectacular scenery and crisp mountain air, but also by fine wine and local valley produce.

    In Milawa, stop in at the famed Brown Brothers Cellar Door, and sample fine cheese from Milawa Cheese.

    Detour to the village of Beechworth, built on 19th-century gold rush wealth. Explore the historic honey granite buildings, including the courthouse where the final trial of iconic bushranger Ned Kelly commenced. Get a taste of Beechworth's booming food and wine scene: try for a reservation at acclaimed Provenance or pop in for pizza and a beer at Bridge Road Brewers.

    Make a stop at picturesque Myrtleford via the stunning avenue of golden poplars lining the town entrance. Grab gourmet fare and top-notch coffee at the town’s range of cafes.

    Alternatively, break your journey with a pub meal at the Ovens Hotel – replenishing travelers since 1854.

    Alpine adventuring

    Take time to explore Mount Buffalo National Park and its unique rock formations. Stretch your legs along gentle walking tracks to waterfalls, massive granite formations and lookouts with views of the Australian Alps, or head out on horseback or two wheels. Look to local tour companies for guided adventures. Try caving or abseiling down the Cathedral Peak, followed by a cooling dip in Lake Catani. The summit of Mount Buffalo is also popular for tobogganing and cross-country or downhill skiing in winter.

    This leg ends at Bright, a beautiful town on the Ovens River, filled with grand deciduous trees that are simply stunning in autumn. Mark the first stage of your drive with a casual beer and bite at the Bright Brewery or settle in for a memorable meal and a gin flight at Reed & Co.

  • Bright to Omeo

    110 kilometres/68 miles, about 2 hours

    The second leg of the Great Alpine Road gives the route its name, travelling from leafy Bright into the High Country's breathtaking alpine area and onwards to the historic Gippsland town of Omeo.

    Higher-altitudes

    Drag yourself away from the cafes and colours of Bright to ascend along the Great Alpine Road through to charming Harrietville. Along with ample accommodation options and cosy cafes and pubs, Harrietville makes the perfect base for some of the best alpine walking of the region. The landscape changes from alpine ash to snow gum forest and heathland, as you climb to Mt Hotham.

    As Victoria's highest alpine village, Mt Hotham offers 245 hectares of ski area, including a wide selection of downhill and cross-country trails for beginners as well as experienced skiers and snowboarders.

    Take advantage of mild summer temperatures on Mount Hotham by trekking along fields of wildflowers. Enjoy spectacular views from Danny's Lookout to the summit of Mount Feathertop, over the Alpine National Park and as far as Falls Creek and Mount Buffalo on a clear day. You can then follow the Razorback Trail, which takes you out along the exposed ridge, to the summit of Mount Feathertop, the second-highest mountain in the state.

    Nestle in among the snowgums and the spring wildflowers is the architecturally designed village of Dinner Plain, just 10 kilometres south of Mount Hotham. The well-marked trails for walkers and mountain bikers in summer are too fantastic for cross country skiers in winter. Dinner Plain is a popular centre for horseback trail rides, with local tour operators offering year-round treks through the High Country.

    What goes up must come down

    After conquering the alpine areas it's time to descend to the old gold town of Omeo, as the landscape changes from alpine beauty to lush grazing fields. With vistas out over the Snowy Mountains and gorgeous goldrush-era buildings, Omeo will quickly make an impression.

  • Omeo to Metung

    120 km/75 miles, about 1 hour and 40 minutes

    Depart Omeo, and follow the Great Alpine Road south past Bairnsdale, East Gippsland's only city, and on to Metung, starting point for exploring the spectacular Gippsland Lakes.

    Travel temptations

    First stops: Swifts Creek and Ensay, small towns with a long history of mining, grazing and timber milling and a modern-day passion for freshly baked goods, just-picked fruit, and local wines. Next is Bruthen, a rustic village overlooking the Tambo River with its very own brewery. Be tempted by a pot of refreshing ale before you explore the township's many heritage buildings.

    Bustling Bairnsdale

    Your last stop before Metung and the seemingly endless expanses of the Gippsland Lakes is Bairnsdale, on the banks of the Mitchell River and originally settled as an inland port. Bairnsdale is now a major gateway to Victoria's east, with everything you need and all the cafes and restaurants to sustain you for some time.

    Pay a visit to St Mary's Roman Catholic Church, the interior of which was painted in the 1930s by Francesco Floreani. Attend an annual musical and sporting event or explore the Mitchell River silt jetties that extend 8 kilometres into nearby Lake King. Whet your appetite at local cafes and restaurants, to ready yourself for exploration of the Gippsland Lakes.

    Life on the Lakes

    With five main lakes, fed by the waters of four major rivers, and fringed by the Ninety Mile Beach, the Gippsland Lakes system is the biggest expanse of inland waterways in the southern hemisphere. Over 400 square kilometres of lakes, rivers and lagoons make this region an ideal location for all forms of water-based fun, sport and exceptional fishing.

    Carry on to Metung, where the Great Alpine Road touring route ends. Life assumes a relaxed pace in this picture-book village, on the shores of Bancroft Bay and Lake King. Follow your nose to the harbourside restaurants to indulge in quality local seafood and wine, spend a day floating around in a boat and stroll along the water's edge at sunset, cooking up your next adventure.