Major Mitchell Plateau Hike

A 41 km (about 25.5 mile) closed loop walked over three days, starting and finishing at Sheep Hills Carpark. Total climb is around 2,030 m, the low point sits near 320 m and the high point is Mount William (Duwul) at roughly 1,167 m, the highest ground in the Grampians. Graded for experienced walkers, and Parks Victoria treats it as an overnight option for people who already know how to look after themselves in remote country.

The payoff is the middle day: hours of quiet, open high country with broad views across ranges and valleys.

• Day 1, about 13 km: Sheep Hills up through open stringybark and banksia forest, a short sealed-road section near Mount William, over Duwul, then on to First Wannon Hiker Camp, a small bush camp in a saddle at the creek headwaters among stunted eucalypts and sub-alpine plants.
• Day 2, about 13 km: the steep Boundary Gap (Dirag) scramble, then the Major Mitchell Plateau itself, exposed heath, rock outcrops and sandstone slabs, before a long descent to Jimmy Creek.
• Day 3, about 15 km: forest and firelines back to Sheep Hills, including a Wannon River crossing.

Roughly 15 hours of walking spread across the three days, so five hours or so per day on paper. Add time for pack weight, the climbing, the scramble and slow going on rock, and full days are realistic rather than half days. Footing swings between graded track, loose steep ground at Boundary Gap, and bare slab and rock where you pick your own line. Shelter up high is limited and weather can change quickly, so wind and cold gear matter even when the forecast looks kind.

This is the part people underestimate. The plateau can be indistinct, dark and rocky, and the loop uses management tracks and firelines that are less obvious than the main walking routes. Carry a map and compass, know how to use them, and do not rely on following a worn path across the open sections.

Access to First Wannon is also possible from Mount William Carpark (6.8 km) or Jimmy Creek Campground (12 km), useful for planning bail-out options.

• An individual camping permit for First Wannon Hiker Camp is bookable online, with a maximum of 16 people at the camp.
• A Trip Intention Form or Group Activity Statement is required.
• Water at hike-in camps is untreated, so treat everything you drink.
• Open fires are not appropriate on this route, so plan on a stove.
• Dogs are not permitted in Victorian national parks; assistance dogs are covered by separate entry requirements.

The nearby Grampians Peaks Trail is the more formal, booking-heavy way to see this country. This loop is quieter with simpler camping arrangements, and it asks more of you in return.