Guide · Victorian High Country drives ·
Great Alpine Road drive: Wangaratta to Bairnsdale
Great Alpine Road drive: Wangaratta to Bairnsdale is a trip of about 303 km through Victoria's High Country, and it can be done in a long day. The route is numbered B500. It climbs from the Ovens Valley to the Mount Hotham section, which reaches about 1,840 m, then drops through Omeo and the Tambo Valley to the Gippsland plains. Allow six to eight hours with stops, and more if you want to walk or eat well on the way.
This guide gives the order of towns, the best places to stop, what to expect on the mountain and the rule about snow chains.
Sources for this section: Wikipedia, Great Alpine Road; Wikipedia, Mount Hotham.
Route at a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Length | About 303 km |
| Route number | B500 |
| Direction used here | Wangaratta to Bairnsdale (west to east) |
| Highest section | Mount Hotham, about 1,840 m above sea level |
| Name | Great Alpine Road since late 1996 |
| Sealing | Last unsealed 12 km, Dinner Plain to Horsehair Plain, finished in 1997-98 |
The road has been described as the highest year-round open sealed road in Australia. It has been fully sealed for well over a decade, so any car can drive it in dry summer weather.
Sources for this section: Wikipedia, Great Alpine Road.
The towns in order
From Wangaratta you pass Tarrawingee, Gapsted and Myrtleford, then Ovens and Porepunkah. Next come Bright, Germantown and Harrietville at the foot of the climb. Past the mountain are Hotham Heights, Dinner Plain, Cobungra and Omeo. The last stretch runs through Swifts Creek, Ensay and Bruthen before Bairnsdale.
Fuel is a planning point. Towns are small and far apart on the mountain section, so fill up before the climb and again after Omeo.
Sources for this section: Wikipedia, Great Alpine Road.
Bright and Harrietville: the climb begins
Bright is the best first stop. It sits in the Ovens Valley and is the last big town before the range. Buy lunch supplies and check the weather for the mountain.
At Germantown a side road, Tawonga Gap Road, leads to Mount Beauty. Stay on the Great Alpine Road for Harrietville, a small town where the real climb starts. From here to Hotham Heights the road is steep, narrow in places and full of bends. Drive in a low gear on the way up and again on the way down, so you do not wear out your brakes.
Sources for this section: Wikipedia, Great Alpine Road.
Mount Hotham and Dinner Plain
The road tops out in the Mount Hotham section. The mountain itself is about 1,862 m and is named after Charles Hotham, who was Governor of Victoria from 1854 to 1855. Hotham Heights is the alpine village at the top, and the views across the ranges are the reason to pause.
Snow falls heavily here in winter, so crews clear the road each day. Even so, bad weather can close the section between Harrietville and Omeo. Check conditions before you leave, not at the foot of the climb. A side road, Dargo High Plains Road, leaves the highway at Hotham Heights and heads towards Dargo.
Dinner Plain is a short drive east of the summit. It is a small village and a quieter place to eat or stay the night than Hotham Heights.
Sources for this section: Wikipedia, Great Alpine Road; Wikipedia, Mount Hotham.
Winter and snow chain rules
In the snow season you must carry wheel chains if you drive the Great Alpine Road between Harrietville and Omeo. The season usually runs from the Queen's Birthday long weekend in June to the first weekend in October. The chains must be the diamond pattern type. You must also fit them when a sign or an officer tells you to.
- Practise first. Fit the chains once at home, in daylight and dry weather.
- Fit them on the driving wheels. Pull over where it is safe, not on a bend.
- Slow down. Chains are for low speed, and you should take them off when the road is clear.
- Carry the basics. Pack warm clothes, water, food and a full tank, in case you are stopped by a closure.
Rules and season dates can change, so confirm them with the road authority and the resort before you go.
Sources for this section: Wikipedia, Mount Hotham; Wikipedia, Great Alpine Road.
Omeo and the last leg
Omeo sits at about 685 m, 402 km by road from Melbourne. Gold was found at Livingstone Creek in 1845, and the town grew fast in the gold years. Earthquakes in 1885 and 1892 brought down many buildings, and the Black Friday bushfires of 1939 destroyed more. It is a good place to stretch your legs.
East of Omeo the road follows the Tambo River valley. Look out for the descent between Omeo and Swifts Creek, known as the Gap. After Swifts Creek and Ensay you reach Bruthen, then flatter country and the finish at Bairnsdale. If you are driving the other way, the same rules apply, and the Omeo side of the mountain is a long steady climb.
Sources for this section: Wikipedia, Omeo, Victoria; Wikipedia, Great Alpine Road.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Great Alpine Road: en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, Mount Hotham: en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, Omeo, Victoria: en.wikipedia.org