The Grampians (Gariwerd)

The Grampians, or Gariwerd, are a set of sandstone ranges that stand up sharply from flat farmland in western Victoria, tilted so that one side of each ridge is a long slope and the other a cliff. Halls Gap sits in a valley between two of them and is where almost everyone stays. The best-known walk climbs through a narrow rock defile to the Pinnacle, a ledge above the valley. MacKenzie Falls drops into a gorge reached by a steep staircase, and lookouts at Boroka and the Balconies can be driven to. The ranges hold the largest concentration of Aboriginal rock art in southern Australia, in shelters open to visitors, and the long Grampians Peaks Trail runs the length of the ranges.

What you actually see

• The Pinnacle - a rock ledge above Halls Gap reached through narrow sandstone passages.
• MacKenzie Falls - a broad waterfall at the bottom of a steep staircase into the gorge.
• Boroka and the Balconies - drive-up lookouts over the valleys and plains.
• Rock art shelters - protected painted sites, the densest concentration in southern Australia.

When to go

Spring brings the strongest wildflower displays and the fullest waterfalls, and autumn is stable and quiet. Summer is hot and carries fire risk, when tracks and roads may close at short notice. Kangaroos and emus graze around Halls Gap at dawn and dusk. Check current track closures before planning any specific walk.

Honest expectations

Closures are the recurring frustration here: fire, storm damage and repair work have shut individual tracks, roads and lookouts for extended periods, and the walk you drove for may not be open. Halls Gap is small and fills completely on long weekends. Summer heat on exposed sandstone is punishing, and the Pinnacle route involves steep scrambling.

Nearby

Ararat and Stawell are the nearest towns, with the Great Ocean Road reachable to the south.