Day 22 hiking the Australian Alps Walking Track solo

Australian Alps Walking Trail, Hiking, Trail Journal

Bogong Plains trek with river views, coffee at Bongong River Chalet, then a busy Anzac Day trail and cosy campfire near Dibbins Hut.

Edmondson Hut to Dibbins Hut (27km) | TOTAL – 471.8km

I started the day’s trek at 7.30am and at around 1800m altitude, with few trees surrounding me on the rolling Bogong Plains.

I caught a glimpse of Hotham Ski Village off in the distance – a sight I imagine would be akin to seeing a glowing lighthouse out at sea.

The trail initially followed a 4WD track, but soon detoured down a thin but easy-to-follow foot trail and away from the snow pole markers I had become so familiar with.

Green bushes adorned with tiny white flowers lined the track.

The foot trail crossed a sheltered bridge over a waterway and rejoined a 4WD track on the other side which made for easy walking.

Water sources had also been abundant since leaving Edmondson Hut.

The 4WD track stayed high above the valley, with only gentle changes in elevation and dramatic views of the tree-lined slopes below.

At the turn off to Wallace’s Hut, I continued on the aqueduct alternate track.

It was on this track that I stumbled across the Bongong River Chalet, run by the Scouts, and was invited in for a tour and coffee.

The place was buzzing as it was their annual ‘Food Weekend’, which saw them stock up on pantry supplies for winter – a time when the site can only be accessed by skiing.

Shortly after, I called into Cope Hut then arrived at a surprisingly busy carpark and crossed the sealed road to join a well-formed foot track that followed wooden snow poles toward Hotham.

The terrain continued to be kind, with only modest changes in elevation in a very exposed and largely treeless landscape.

It’d had been a very social Anzac Day long weekend on trail, and the final 10 kilometre stretch to Dibbins Hut was quite the thoroughfare.

At one point, I looked ahead and there 20 people on the trail, in addition to the eight or so I’d recently passed. It felt like a pilgrimage.

Around three kilometres before reaching Dibbins Hut, the track swung south and afforded incredible views of mountain ranges disappearing into the distance.

The trail then descended to the valley floor, which was home to a campground offering tent platforms, a stream, and on the other side, Dibbins Hut.

Anticipating the crowds would flock to the campground, I found a flat patch of earth next to a makeshift fire pit 50 metres or so from the hut. By 3pm, my home was set up and I had a fire going.

Not long after, a 13th birthday party crew rolled in, parents apologising in advance for their squealing daughters, and set up camp beside Dibbins Hut. Another hour on, a couple of chicks came through in search of ground, as the other side of the creek had filled up. I invited them to camp nearby and join my fire, which they did.

A couple hours on, five guys walked towards us in darkness, in search of a patch of earth. We invited them to set up near us, which was pretty cosy, with the nearest tent just three metres from mine.