GPT on a budget

The Grampians Peaks Trail is one of Victoria’s most popular multi-day bushwalks, but can be difficult to access due to limited and expensive campsites along the trail. However, since Parks Victoria confirmed in its most recent update of the Grampians National Park that dispersed camping is still allowed, I thought it would be a great opportunity to walk the first part of the GPT on the cheap before that changes. Due to limited options for reliable wild campsites, this trip will be a little unbalanced when it comes to distances each day, and will require some extra logistics around water management. That being said, it's a great opportunity to experience some Victorian bush that is normally locked behind a paywall and (more importantly) feel great about the money you're saving whilst doing it.

Day 1 (Friday) - 20km, 1000m elev. gain:

We will meet at the clubrooms at 4am and depart for the Mt Zero picnic area. We will aim to set off from the trailhead before 10am and begin our walk to Mud Creek. It's important to note that since Mud Creek is not an official campsite, there are no facilities, and no guarantee of water. We will therefore collect water as we pass through Troopers Creek, and need to be able to carry enough to cook with and a little to start with the following day (at least 3L).

Day 2 (Saturday) - 13km, 500m elev. gain:

If we aren't too worn out from the previous day, we have the opportunity to get up early to watch the sunrise from either Briggs Bluff or Mt Difficult on Saturday morning. Otherwise, we can have a leisurely start to the easiest day and eventually commence our walk to Plantation Campsite. If we find a suitable wild campsite along the way, we might prefer to set up camp there and save ourselves the descent off the plateau. Otherwise, we will drop down to Plantation Campsite for the night.

Day 3 (Sunday) - 17km, 500m elev. gain:

Unless we managed to find a wild campsite the previous afternoon, our final day will begin with a 400m ascent, retracing our steps back up to the plateau. From there, it's an easy walk down to Halls Gap, where we will un-shuffle our cars and drive back to Melbourne. I hope to return before 7pm.

It's important to do an honest assessment of your fitness for this trip - the first day is significant, with a fair bit of elevation, and we will be carrying more weight than usual with the extra water. You will have to have previously been on an overnight bushwalk with ~15km/day to be able to participate in this trip. We will also need at least 2 cars to perform the car shuffle, so drivers will be prioritised.