Mt Baw Baw National Park Is Victoria’s Quiet Alpine Escape That’s Fun All Year Round

Mt Baw Baw is the Victorian alpine escape you may have overlooked in favour of the bigger mountains – but with its Snow gums, boulder playgrounds, and plenty of space to find a quiet camp, it’s a national park that should jump to the top of your ‘must explore’ list, as Lisa discovered.

We acknowledge the Gunai Kurnai People, the Traditional Custodians of the Country on which this adventure takes place, who have occupied and cared for these lands and waters for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

I’m drawn back to Baw Baw time and again, across all seasons, for its majestic expanses and that glorious feeling of total isolation. It’s been my destination for many a shakedown hike, trialling new tents, packs, and rain gear, a deliberate, solo ‘hideous weather’ adventure to test my resolve, and the place I took my daughter on her first backcountry hike. 

I wasn’t aware of how beautiful this plateau is until I started researching the iconic Australian Alps Walking Track, which winds its way through this stunning alpine gem. Depending on which way you tackle the AAWT, it’s a night or two into the journey, or your last stop before returning to civilisation (this hike still sits firmly on my bucket list). 

Read more: Australian Alps Walking Track – The 680km Thru-Hike Across Our High Country

An old Australian Alps Walking Track marker as it winds through Baw Baw

Mt Baw Baw is one of Victoria’s most accessible alpine areas, and while it doesn’t come with the endless views you get further out in the High Country, it has the most perfect Snow gums I’ve ever seen (they’re so smooth that you have to give them a pat) and it’s the ideal location for a quick night away, or a day trip, providing interesting trails, history, and solitude. 

Quick Overview

Mount Baw Baw National Park is a surprisingly diverse alpine landscape of ridgelines, subalpine forests, and quiet walking trails.

In winter, it’s a great place for tobogganing, cross country skiing, snow play, and the perfect intro to snow hiking, but go beyond Baw Baw Village and you’ll be rewarded with remote terrain – despite being just a couple of hours away from Melbourne.

About Mt Baw Baw National Park

The mountain is part of the Great Dividing Range. In spring, you’ll see an abundance of wildflowers, and the giant granite tors that form the iconic Mushroom Rocks are spectacular at any time of year. 

If you’re lucky, you’ll spot a lyrebird, or hear their song echo through the plains.

Winter at Mushroom Rocks

While the ski village is the place to be in winter, the surrounding national park is where the adventure begins, and with temperatures often 15 degrees lower than Melbourne, it’s the perfect summer mountain escape. 

Mt Baw Baw is also a great location for an overnight hike with kids, or a foray into backcountry hiking, with no facilities on trail, but well-marked tracks and a choice of short and longer adventures. 

Despite its accessibility, Baw Baw is still quite rugged. There are toilets at the main carparks and the village, but all camping is ‘wild’, so you can pitch a tent wherever you fancy, and there are no camp shelters, water tanks, or amenities.  

Baw Baw is a magical place for little people

Mt Baw Baw’s History

Mt Baw Baw is on the traditional lands of the Gunaikurnai and Taungurung peoples, who have deep cultural connections to the alpine region.

The name ‘Baw Baw’ is believed to come from an Aboriginal word meaning ‘echo’.

The area became more widely known in the early 20th century with the development of the Baw Baw Village, where you can still stay in both snow season and in summer. 

At Baw Baw, you’ll find the ruins of Whitelaw and Talbot huts, which, unlike other High Country huts, were built as a push to open the plateau to an early form of travel and adventure tourism in the very early 1900s. 

The huts are long gone, but the chimneys remain, and the sites offer good flat ground to camp. 

Unlike some of Victoria’s larger alpine resorts, Mt Baw Baw National Park remains relatively undeveloped, which is part of its appeal for hikers and families seeking quieter experiences.

How to Get to Mt Baw Baw National Park

Mt Baw Baw is around three hours from Melbourne, making it the ideal location for a weekend trip. 

It’s also surrounded by quaint, historical towns like the former gold-mining village Walhalla – which is home to only 20 permanent residents, and one of the steepest cemeteries in Australia. There’s a long-told story that the graveyard is so steep, the ‘residents’ were buried standing up. My Dad also told me this when we visited as kids – something I believed was true until I started researching this story!   

By Car

The most common route is via the Princes Freeway and then through Moe and Erica before heading up the mountain via the Mt Baw Baw Tourist Road.

You can also come in via Noojee, home of the famous Noojee Pub (and the car stickers) and the Ada Tree, Victoria’s tallest and oldest tree, which is around 300 years old.  

Noojee’s T-Rex was first built in 1960 and restored in 2015 to celebrate the pub’s 90 year anniversary!

By Public Transport

Public transport options are limited to get to Baw Baw itself. You can take a V/Line train to Moe, but from there you’ll need a car or private transfer to reach the mountain.

Where to Stay at Mt Baw Baw

Camping

There are plenty of options for camping at Mt Baw Baw National Park, but you’ll need to leave the car and hike in, taking all your supplies with you. 

There’s no shortage of pretty spots to camp

Depending on your route, you can park at the Village, Mt Erica carpark, or Mt St Gwinear. 

While dispersed camping is allowed within the national park, there are a few sites perfect to pitch a tent. 

• Mushroom Rocks – Perfect for kids as it’s only 3km return from Mt Erica carpark. There’s no water here, so you’ll need to bring your own. Camp amongst the granite giants that give this special place its name. 
• Rock Shelter – This site sits around 6km from Baw Baw Village and a few clicks from Mt St Gwinear carpark, with plenty of flat spots to lay a tent. There’s a reasonable water source about 200m before the campsite. 
• Mt St Phillack – a nice grassy spot to camp, with stunning wildflowers in spring and mountain views. There’s no water at this site. 
• Whitelaw Hut Ruins – There’s reliable water here and a very cute campsite near what remains of the hut. 
• Talbot Hut Ruins – This site is on the trail that leads from Mushroom Rocks towards the village or Mt St Gwinear. It has reliable water from the creek and is one of the larger sites but with room to find your own space. 

Nearby Accommodation

• The Mt Baw Baw Alpine Resort offers accommodation outside of winter, including lodges and cabins.
• Erica and Rawson (at the base of the mountain) have small motels.
• Walhalla offers boutique stays and a good base for exploring the wider region.

Where to Eat at Mt Baw Baw

• Options on the mountain are limited and seasonal, with most closed in the green season. 
• The Noojee Hotel is a destination in itself. With a big log fire, an enclosed outdoor dining area and the best post-hike pizza I’ve ever inhaled, it’s worth a stop before or after your visit. 
• The Erica Hotel proudly boasts that it’s ‘not fancy’, which is exactly what you want to hear when you’re covered in dirt wearing three day old clothes after a hike, and their classic pub fare hits the spot. 

Thing To Do at Mt Baw Baw

In winter Baw Baw is a great mountain for the kids’ first snow experience, with toboggan runs and snow play. There are cross country snow trails, accessible from the main resort or Mt St Gwinear carpark, which has an amenity facility. 

If I was inclined to hike in the snow, which so far I’m not, this is where I’d start, with a variety of short overnighters to give you a taste of what it’s like. 

Read more: Tips For Your First Winter Trip Into The Backcountry (From Someone Who’s Been There)

Most of my visits to Baw Baw have been solo, and while sometimes an out and back hike can feel repetitive, here it’s the opposite. Starting off, you might see some slithery friends and the sun high over the plains, while the morning light and dew dances off the Snow gums, the scent of damp dirt and leaves enlivening your senses. 

My favourite camping spot of all time lies in a small clearing near Talbot Hut ruins. You can’t see it from the track, and I found it while exploring with my daughter – it’s a place I often return to, whiling away an afternoon reading in the sun, or holed up in torrential rain – as is the unpredictable nature of the alpine environment.  

Baw Baw is also a great place for trail running, with compact dirt tracks and not a lot to trip over while you marvel at the surroundings. 

Big sky on the Baw Baw plains

Day Walks

• Mt Baw Baw Summit Walk – short and accessible with sweeping alpine views. 4.5kms.
• Mushroom Rocks Walk  – one of Victoria’s iconic short walks at only 3km return, you can marvel at the unique granite formations and be home in time for dinner.
• Blue Run – This trail extends the summit loop, taking in Muellers lookout and McMillans trail. At 6.3km it’s a fun hike to do in the snow.

Wild rock formations are a Baw Baw special

Overnight Hiking

• Mt St Gwinear to Talbot Hut return – 23km
  
  This hike starts from the Mt St Gwinear carpark and takes you up the mountain of the same name, where you’ll see the best views of the range. Follow the track to Rock Shelter for a lunch stop and continue along the AAWT on undulating paths through Snow gum forests, camping at the hut ruins. There’s a small, reliable creek for water.

• Mt Baw Baw to Mushroom Rocks return – 30km

  Begin your adventure on the Village Trail, passing through Phillack Saddle and onto the AAWT, following the same route as the above hike. After a lunch stop and water fill at Talbot Hut, continue up Mt Erica before descending to Mushroom Rocks where you’ll camp. If you have two cars, you can take the short walk out to the Mt Erica carpark, or return via the same route, noting you will need enough water to get you back to Talbot Hut.

• Walhalla to Thomson Valley Road – 42km

  If you’re feeling adventurous, but don’t have a spare six weeks, you can experience the start of the AAWT on this point to point trail, which starts at Walhalla, taking you along an historic tramway before winding its way through the national park. You can power through for a single night or stop at Stronachs Camping Area and Saint Phillack Saddle. Much of this hike is uphill, and there’s a few heart-pumping climbs – you have been warned!   

Multi day camp amongst the shelter of gums

Essential Gear for Exploring Mt Baw Baw

Don’t be fooled by the proximity to Melbourne, Baw Baw gets very cold and temperatures can change quickly. 

This mountain taught me a valuable lesson when I first started hiking, starting in sunshine and ending up with sleet and snow, thankful I’d brought all the appropriate gear! 

• Warm layers including a puffer and rain jacket
• Plenty of water (limited reliable sources)
• Navigation tools (map, GPS, or GPX loaded device)
• Food for the duration of your trip
• First aid kit and PLB, as there’s little to no phone service
• Sun protection
• Pants and gaiters are recommended in summer as the track is often overgrown and scratchy and there are snakes

Read more: Why I’m Thankful I Didn’t Finish My Multi-Day Hike in Tassie

Winding through dense gum forest

What it’s Like to Visit Mt Baw Baw

Mt Baw Baw feels different to Victoria’s more popular alpine parks.

It’s quieter, less polished and at times a little rough around the edges. But that’s where its charm lies.

It’s a place where you can explore at your own pace, whether that’s a short summit walk or a longer route.

The landscape shifts quickly from open alpine areas to dense forest, and the weather can turn just as fast, reminding you that this is still a true alpine environment.

Read more: Mt Buffalo National Park is the High Country’s Quiet Achiever – Especially in Summer

A cheeky rock shelter

Tips for Visiting Mt Baw Baw

• Check weather conditions before you go as alpine weather changes quickly
• Bring everything you need, and only attempt overnight hikes here if you are confident in areas with no facilities
• Make sure you know where the water sources are and check availability with hikers who have recently been here on a Facebook page like Vic Hikers. If you’re unsure, carry extra water
• Be comfortable with navigation, especially if heading beyond the main tracks
• Mobile reception is sketchy at best, so always carry a PLB and let someone know your plans
• If there’s been storms or bad weather, check the road conditions with VicRoads or Parks Victoria, as trees often come down and shut off roads
• If you’re hiking here in the warmer months, bring the insect repellant as the March flies are savage and relentless. Bushmans works well!