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The Grampians National Park is one of the most beautiful National Parks in Australia, located in the state of Victoria. The park was established in 1984 and covered an area of 1,412 square kilometers. Its best known for its rugged mountain range, beautiful waterfalls, stunning views, and diverse wildlife.
There are many things to do in The Grampians National Park, such as hiking, camping, and exploring Aboriginal sites. In this blog post are 11 reasons why you should visit the Grampians National Park, how to get there, where to stay in the Grampians and some extra tips!
How To Get To The Grampians National Park?
The Grampians National Park is located about three hours west of Melbourne and if you take the National Highway M8, you’ll pass the city of Ballarat, which is also worth a visit.
Halls Gap is the main gateway to the national park. However, visitors can access the park from different ways and there are even some buses running between Melbourne and Halls Gap.
I went twice to the Grampians National Park and choose to drive along the famous Great Ocean Road to get here, Although its a big detour (about 6 hours from Melbourne along the Great Ocean Road), the views and landscapes are so impressive that you will not even think about the time you spend more in the car.
The Best Time To Visit The Grampians National Park
The Grampians National Park is open all year round. However, the park’s best time to visit is during December–March’s warmer months. This is because there are more things to do and see in the park during these months, and it generally feels a lot more pleasant than visiting during winter.
There are also a lot of vineyards around the National Park, which is perfect to visit during spring and summer.
My favorite time of the year to visit the Grampians National Park is during Autumn as the temperatures are pleasant, there are fewer visitors and it is more impressive to see the waterfalls after some rainfalls.
Camping In The Grampians National Park
There are many camping areas with very basic facilities in the Grampians National Park but the views are insane and the conditions are perfect for stargazing. However, if you are looking for more comfortable facilities and accommodations, I recommend staying in Halls Gap.
I stayed at the BIG4 NRMA Halls Gap Holiday Park on a few rainy days to wash some clothes and to have a warm shower, while the Stapylton Campground and Smiths’ Mill Campground are perfect for an outdoor experience in the National Park.
The Big NRMA Halls Gap is an amazing holiday park, just outside the town. They have cabins, powered and unpowered sites with firepits, a heated pool, and great facilities.
It is a perfect place to stay when you are planning to visit the Grampians with your family or during rainy days to get a warm shower and relax in the common areas.
I love the outdoor and whenever I have the chance, I try to stay at the campgrounds of the national parks themselves. They have basic toilets, no power, and no water but the views and night skies are more beautiful than you can imagine.
Visit the website of the National Parks in Australia to find more info about camping in the Grampians National Park
How Many Days Do You Need In The Grampians National Park?
There are many amazing things to do in Grampians National Park, which means it is a great place to visit for more than one day. If you only have one day to spend at the park, I recommend taking a short drive through Western Highway and stopping at either The Balconies or The McKenzie Falls.
If you have two days, I recommend also visiting the area around Hollow Mountain and then staying overnight so you can enjoy some of the best stargazing moments.
11 reasons to visit the Grampians National Park
The Amazing Waterfalls
The number one reason to visit the Grampians is for its stunning waterfalls scattered throughout the park. From the Mackenzie Falls, with its thundering cascades and serene rock pools, to the picturesque Silverband Falls which shimmer in the sunlight, there’s no shortage of natural beauty to behold.
There are several amazing waterfalls found within the park, which range from 6 meters to 56 meters in height and The Mackenzie Falls is one of the park’s most visited and famous waterfalls in Victoria.
From the McKenzie Falls, you can continue walking to the Fish Falls. This is a gorgeous waterfall that cascades down into the canyon and where you can get closer to this one-of-a-kind waterfall by climbing over some rocks.
Further into the park, not far from the Roses Gap Recreation Center, is my favorite and lesser-known Beehive Falls.
READ ALSO: 9 Amazing Waterfalls In The Great Otway National Park
The Most Fantastic Hikes
The Grampians National Park is a paradise for hikers. There are hikes for people of all ages and fitness levels that vary from walking trails to level 5 hikes. One popular hike in the park includes the challenging hike to the Pinnacles Lookout, which takes visitors through the Canyon and ends with a spectacular panoramic view over Lake Bellfield and Halls Gap
The hike up the Hollow Mountain and Hollow Cave is for more fit and adventurous people. With amazing sunset spots and some breathtaking views, this 2-hour hike is probably my favorite one. Although I lost the hiking trail signs at a certain moment when I went up, it was more than worth it.
Stunning Panoramic Views
The Grampians National Park has many different lookouts that provide views of the surrounding areas. One very popular lookout for its fantastic view of Halls Gap and Mount William is the Hollow Mountain Lookout, which takes about an hour to walk.
Another great lookout is the Pinnacle Lookout, where you can see a huge chunk of forest fall away down a gorge after a magnificent rainforest hike up through tunnels and into a sunny alpine environment. The views from this area are breathtaking, with panoramic views over Halls Gap and the valley from high above. Besides the views, the lookouts are also great places to take photos. Boroka Lookout is another great place to take photos with the Grampians as a backdrop.
READ ALSO: Daintree Rainforest: 13 awesome things to do from Cairns to Cape Tribulation
Beautiful Sunsets And Sunrises
Amazing sunrises and sunsets view is another reason to enjoy the natural beauty of Grampians National Park. One great place to watch the sunset is at the Reed Lookout, which has an open forest with a view of Lake Bellfield. Another beautiful location for watching the sunset is the steps that lead down to Halls Gap from the main street with beautiful views of Mount William and Fortesque Range.
The Hollow Mountain lookout provides stunning views of the surrounding areas, including Halls Gap and Mount William. This spot is very popular with photographers who want to capture incredible photos of this spectacular location. Finally, a sunrise that is really worth seeing with magnificent views of the Grampians and Mount William is at the Boroka Lookout. This location also provides stunning views over Halls Gap and the surrounding valley floor with a fantastic view of Mount Abrupt.
Aboriginal Rock Paintings
The Aborigines of the Grampians are known for their beautiful rock paintings. There are many Aboriginal rock paintings in Grampians National Park, but the best ones are at the Gulgurn Manja Shelter next to the Hollow Mountain hike.
These paintings date back over 8000 years and show hunting practices and animals that the Aboriginals of this area would have hunted and eaten, such as kangaroos and wallabies. Unfortunately, some of these ancient paintings were desecrated by graffiti artists, so they cannot be viewed anymore. However, a viewing platform is still set up where visitors can sneak peek at these ancient drawings without disturbing them.
Stargazing
The Grampians National Park is one of the best places in Victoria to go stargazing. The sky is very dark and clear, which makes for an incredible experience looking at the stars. One great place to do some stargazing is the Reed Lookout, which has a clear night sky view.
The Hollow Mountain lookout is also a fantastic spot for stargazing as it is away from the lights of Halls Gap. So during the winter months, when there is less light pollution, the park is the perfect place to go stargazing.
READ ALSO: 13 Beautiful Things To Do at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
Having Dinner On A Campfire
After an exhilarating day of exploring Grampians National Park, there is nothing better than having a warm meal around the campfire. This can be done at many campsites in the Grampians, especially at the Stuart’s Creek campground near Lake Bellfield.
There are also some great spots for camping overnight to enjoy an even longer stay in this remarkable national park. The best places to have some hot dogs or s ‘mores are Halls Gap, Thackery Falls, Balook, Boroka Lookouts, and Hutchinson’s Creek.
Make awesome photos at “The Balconies”
The Balconies is one of the most popular spots in Grampians National Park for taking photos. This is because of the hanging rock formation that is with stunning views over the valley and the surrounding mountains.
The Balconies are a great spot to take photos during sunrise, sunset, or even during the middle of the day. The Balconies are also a great place to hike, with moderate difficulty.
The town of Halls Gap
Halls Gap is popular in Grampians National Park, especially with hikers. Halls Gap has great views of Mount William and Fortesque Range, two of the most famous mountains in the park.
There are many cafes to get some amazing coffee or tea; restaurants serve delicious meals and accommodation ranging from backpackers to resorts. It is also possible to hire camping equipment, mountain bikes, and cars at Halls Gap, making it perfect for travelers on all budgets.
The Wineries Around The Grampians National Park
The Grampians National Park is a spectacular place for its natural beauty and wine. Many wineries around the park offer tastings and tours. One of the most famous wineries in the area is Seppelt, which offers a cellar door where visitors can taste some of their award-winning wines and a tour in one of the largest hand-digged cellars
Many other wineries in the area are worth visiting, such as Delatite Winery, Mount Langi Ghiran Winery, and Sam Miranda Wines.
READ ALSO: The best 5-day itinerary for Melbourne
The Nature And Rural Areas around the Grampians
The Grampians National Park is not the only place in the area that is worth visiting. There are many other amazing places to see around the Grampians, such as the sheep hills silo art and Rupanyup silo art.
The Sheep Hills Silo Art is a huge mural of a sheep that street artist Matt Adnate created. The mural is located on a GrainCorp grain silo, and it is one of the largest murals in Australia.
As I am into waterfalls, it was obvious to search for other amazing falls around the Grampians and I came across The wanton falls, and the Nigretta Falls in the South Grampians?
These are beautiful waterfalls and great places to visit when it has been raining because there is more chance of seeing the falls in full flow.
Grampians National Park is a beautiful place for its natural beauty, wine, and rural areas. There are many amazing places to see in the park, and I recommend spending at least two days exploring all that it has to offer.
Whether you are looking for a place to camp or just want to spend the day driving through the park, Grampians National Park is worth visiting. If you’re looking for an incredible Australian experience, then make sure to add the Grampians National Park to your list!
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Plan your visit to the Grampians National Park Park with my favorite travel apps
To plan my adventures, I use these FREE websites and apps as they provide the best information, the best deals, and they are user-friendly.
- Skyscanner – Flight deals
- Booking.com – Hotels and accommodation
- TourRadar – Group trips
- TripAdvisor – Reviews and activities
- HostelWorld – Hostels
- GetYourGuide – Activities and excursions
- RentalCars – Car rental
- Omio – Transport
- iVisa – Travel documents
- Wise – Money transfer
- World Nomads – Travel Insurance
PICTURES AND EDITING
All the pictures on this page are made and owned by me or credited to their original artist with permission. If you are interested in some pictures to use for your magazine, website, blog, or any other purpose, just send me an email and we’ll figure it out.
Do you like the edits? My Presets will be online soon so you can edit your pictures in just one click!
The camera gear I used for this trip
I never go out without my camera and many people ask me which gear I use. So to make it quite easy, I listed all the gear I used for this trip below.
Most of the time, I travel with the Sony A7III and the Sony 24-105mm/f4 as my primary lens but depending on the location, I change to another setup. However, I love the Tamron 17-28 to shoot in the big cities.
