Australian Alps Walking Track, hiking trail in South East Australia
The Australian Alps Walking Track is a long-distance trail running through the mountain regions of New South Wales, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory. It links several existing paths into one continuous route that crosses alpine valleys, high plateaus, and mountain ridges.
The track was created by connecting a series of existing paths to give walkers a continuous route through Australia's alpine regions. Over the decades it became one of the country's most recognized long-distance walking routes.
The track crosses three separate administrative regions, and hikers often notice how the land changes character as they move from one to another. Local communities along the route have their own relationships with the mountains, and some sections pass through land that holds deep meaning for Aboriginal peoples.
Autumn through spring offers the most manageable conditions, as snow can make higher sections impassable in winter. Mountain weather can shift rapidly, so carrying gear suited for rain, cold, and sun at the same time is a practical necessity.
Although Australia is rarely associated with alpine terrain, this track passes through some of the highest country on the continent, where snow falls regularly every winter. Many visitors are surprised to find that sections of the route look and feel much closer to a European mountain trail than anything typically imagined as Australian.
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