Great Alpine Road

The Great Alpine Road is a picturesque tourist route that runs from Wangaratta to Bairnsdale, traversing the Victorian Alps. Today, it serves as my route home. This road is often regarded as the mountainous counterpart to Victoria’s renowned Great Ocean Road. Travelers can enjoy diverse experiences and stunning vistas while navigating through towering mountain ranges, deep valleys, vibrant forests, and expansive vineyards. The entire journey spans 339 kilometres and typically takes around 5 hours to complete.

The Great Alpine Road boasts a rich history that traces back to the early 1800s. It was originally constructed to allow access to the isolated goldfields of the Victorian Alps; at that time, it was merely a rough path fit for horses and carts. Early in the 1800s, stockmen guided cattle through this region, erecting huts and shelters across the alpine plains. The gold discovery near Omeo in 1845 triggered a population surge in the lower valleys. Although the road has been around in some capacity since colonial days, it remained unsealed for much of its history. The final sections were sealed between Slatey Cutting and Dinner Plain in 1997, with the last 12 km between Dinner Plain and Horsehair Plain completed in the 1998 financial year.

The weather looks fine, and I am looking forward to the drive.