Mt Bogong Summit Hike

From Central Melbourne to the top of Victoria.

I had been craving an outdoor adventure for weeks. I didn't find time to hike Mt Taranaki during the Christmas break in New Zealand, so the next best thing was to hike up Mt Bogong, the highest peak in Victoria. After moving to Melbourne last year, my best friend Adam Fleming was also keen to join. 

I woke up to my 3.30am alarm, with more energy than expected. I had spent the night before preparing gear and studying the route, determined to ensure everything went smoothly. Adam picked me up outside my apartment at 4am, and we hit the road. A 4-hour drive from Melbourne to the start of the trail at Mountain Creek Campground in the Alpine National Park. 

We grabbed coffee and a light breakfast at a McDonalds off the highway, enjoying the early start and a nice orange sunrise over the hills in the distance. With about an hour to go, we stopped in a small town called Myrtleford, grabbed a second coffee, and then drove the rest of the way through some windy roads.

We arrived at the campground around 9am, a small area surrounded by bush, with more than enough free parking spaces. After a quick change of clothes and a rogue Kangaroo sighting by Adam, we geared up and began our journey.

We set off on the trail, with the temperature already heating up. The first 2km was on a gravel 4WD track, with only a gentle incline. It was a good warm-up for what was to come. Soon we arrived at the start of the ‘Staircase’ trail, marked by a large green sign with a map of Mt Bogong. Up we went, making steady progress. The terrain was dry bush and eucalyptus trees, with lots of leaves and broken branches across the trail. This made it difficult to spot snakes, and the slightest rustle or small lizard made us jump.

We took short breaks every 20 to 30 minutes, finding logs to sit on while taking a few bites of muesli bars and sips of Powerade. The legs started to burn as we continued up, particularly for Adam as this was his first hike in a long time. I enjoyed the challenge of the constant climb, feeling my heart rate get faster. 

We eventually made it to a clearing, passing a couple of wooden huts close to 1,000m of elevation. From here the terrain started to become more alpine - rocky, with low-lying vegetation. For the last couple of kms we were exposed to the midday sun, but with the summit in our sights, we kept the pace high. The final 200m was up a steep ridge line making it all that more rewarding when we reached the top. 

I took a few pictures at the summit, 1986m above sea level, the top of Victoria. Adam joined me a few minutes later and we found a spot to sit down, eat snacks, and enjoy the mountain views. They went all the way to the horizon, showing the vast size of the National Park. 

We didn't stay too long at the top because it was so hot and insects were flying everywhere. We saw a couple of hikers with face nets on the way, which looked a lot less silly now! One of the joys of hiking in Australia. 

We started our way down via the Eskdale Spur trail, 11km from top to bottom. We were mentally prepared for the incoming leg and knee pain, and it did not disappoint. After several kms of constant downhill the pain set in, along with the frequency of Adam’s complaints, “I need a break bro”. But to be fair he continued on and even set a fast pace at times.

Halfway down we came to an intersection and with some hesitation we took a sharp left turn into denser vegetation. A steeper section of the trail with ferns brushing us from either side, hiding any possible snakes or leeches from sight. Thankfully, we took the right direction and no dangerous Aussie creatures surprised us. 

We crossed a few small streams until the trail cleared and leveled off, meeting with another 4WD track. It felt like we had reached the final stretch of the hike, however the last 5km dragged on forever. We heard the sound of a vehicle, and a ute drove slowly past us. Adam almost hitched a ride to the end, but with some convincing, he kept walking towards the finish.

It was now 2pm and 36 degrees Celsius. Our last drops of water had been consumed and every step became an effort. Our main objective was to get to the car as soon as possible so we could drink the last bottle of Powerade. 

Dusty and dehydrated, we finally made it back. Opening the car and having those first few gulps was a great feeling. We took off our day packs and shoes, and lay down on a campsite bench, resting our legs and staring up at the sky - we had achieved our goal. 

21km, 1,485m elevation, and 6 hours of hiking in the bag. Mt Bogong was a big day, with its unique challenges, but as me and Adam kept reminding ourselves, ‘nothing worth doing is easy’.