On Sunday December 13, 2009, with mate Mick, we did the 250 km circle trip known as the Great Alpine Discovery Drive.
Fronm our starting point at Bright, 350 km NE of Melbourne, we travelled along the Great Alpine Road, through Harrietville, Hotham Heights, and Dinner Plain, reaching Omeo.
From there, we continued along the Omao-Mitta Mitta Rd, passing through Angler's Rest and the famous Blue Duck Hotel.
The road wound its way through the spectacular Cobrunga and Bundara River Gorges, offering glorious views of the rivers far below.
Reaching Shannonvale settlement, we turned on to the recently sealed Bogong Alpine Way, which is part of the Bogong High Plains Rd.
Climbing steadily, there were big views of the Alps around Mt Wills, and we reached the Trapyard Gap Information Board, which told us about the High Plains.
From there, we passed Buckety Plain, reaching the Rocky Valley Dam. We stopped at the access points to Cope Hut Track and Langford Gap, inspecting the Langford Gap Aqueduct and the crossing of the Australian Alps Walking Track.
Merrily we continued around the Dam, entering Falls Creek Village,
From there, it was down the valley to Mt Beauty, then back to Bright.
Our other stopping points included Danny's Lookout (near Hotham), Dinner Plain, a 3 km (return) hike to the Carmichael Waterfalls (our lunch stop) near the Dinner Plain Village, the Kusciuzko View Lookout (approaching Omeo), a petrol/icypole stop at Omeo and a photo stop at Sullivan's Lookout at Tawonga Gap, above Mt Beauty.
All this took us about six hours, Bright to Bright!
The views from the great Alpine Rd, were outstanding, as was the scenery along the Mitta Mitta Rd and the Bogong Alpine Way.
I had driven along the section between Omeo and Falls Creek many years ago, in 1974, recalling it as stony and rough!
Interestingly, it was almost 80 years ago when the Great Trail Ride took place. This started at Shannonvale, and followed what was to become part of the Bogong High Plains Rd decades later.
The 50 horsemen travelled through to Harrietville over the High Plains, with side trips to Mt Feathertop, Mt Nelse, and Mt McKay. No Rocky Valley or Happy Valleys then - no Falls Creek Village - they would appear in the 1950s!
See the complete set of Photos of our trip!
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