Mount Beauty, sitting in the wide picturesque Kiewa Valley, is the perfect base for your outdoor activities. Discover the walks in and around the township, pack a picnic, and enjoy the tranquillity.
Pondage Walk
3 km / 45 mins return
No bushwalking experience required. Well-formed, flat track with no steps. Clearly sign posted.
Start from the Lakeside picnic and playground area and walk north towards Embankment Drive following the path around the pondage wall. Follow the track over the spillway and continue along over the Tail Race Channel bridge and you will be behind the Secondary College, the tennis courts, the Primary School, past the oval and back to where you started. A pleasant walk with lovely views in all directions.
Survey Track / Pole Track
4.5 km / 2 hours return
No bushwalking experience required. Formed track with some obstacles, short steep hills and occasional steps. Sign posted.
The Survey Track is a shared walking and mountain bike track that commences opposite the Mount Beauty Golf Course Club House in Tawonga Crescent. Park at the top of Tawonga Crescent or at the Big Hill Mountain Bike Park, if doing the full loop that includes the Pole Track. The Survey Track is the original route to Bogong Village and provides views over the east branch of the Kiewa River as it winds upwards, through dry forest and areas of wildflowers to a hairpin turn on the Bogong High Plains Road called ‘Cranky Charlie’. A couple of fire trails have to be crossed, look for the restart of the track on the other side. On reaching Cranky Charlie either return the way you came, or cross the Bogong High Plains Road and walk up West Kiewa Road for approximately 500m to where the Pole Track branches off to the right. Pass through the gate and descend back down to Mount Beauty to a second gate then join the Aqueduct Track to return to the Big Hill Mountain Bike Park. This return route offers great views over Mount Beauty and the Kiewa Valley. The track may also be done in reverse, along the Pole Track from the Big Hill Mountain Bike Park, turning around when you have had enough. This scenic route is a shorter alternative to the full loop.
Mount Beauty River Walk
4 km / 1 hour return
No bushwalking experience required. Flat well-formed track with no steps. Clearly sign posted.
The track starts at the commencement of Embankment Drive off the Bogong High Plains Road at the entrance to Mount Beauty. This sealed track crosses the Pondage spillway and then meanders along the west branch of the Kiewa River all the way to Pebble Beach. Enjoy lovely views across the farmlands and towards Mount Bogong with the track perfect for walking or riding. For good swimmers, there is a long deep pool at the turn around point.
Mount Beauty Gorge Walk
2.8 km / 1.5 hours return
No bushwalking experience required. Formed track with some obstacles, short steep hills and occasional steps. Sign posted.
The Mount Beauty Gorge Walk is situated upstream from Mount Beauty on the west branch of the Kiewa River. Park at the Big Hill Mountain Bike Park, off the Bogong High Plains Road. Walk south-west uphill to the Aqueduct Track and turn right. Follow the signposted track for 1km to a swing bridge over the Kiewa River, where there is a swimming hole. Cross the swing bridge and proceed up the foot track, where the best views of the Gorge are obtained. Along this track you will climb up past an adit which was dug during the construction days of the Kiewa Scheme and then descend back to the banks of the river. During summer, when the rocks are dry in the river bed, it is possible to walk, wade and swim upstream for 400 metres to an impressive canyon. It is not advisable to do this last section if the rocks are wet and slippery. This last section of the canyon is best in the late afternoon.
