Mt Hotham Track Notes

Brabralung Trail (Hotham - Dinner Plain) Flora and Fauna During warmer months wildflowers are abundant, Huts Trail Cycling Walking Running Heritage including the remarkable Grass-leaf Trigger Plants – Aboriginal Aboriginal High Country Stylidium graminifolium - with their spikes of pink flowers and unique styles which are cocked, ready for Walk, ride or run this ancient pathway that insects to trigger the pollinating mechanism. Along the runs parallel to the through the way, you may also see Emus, which are resident at JB , linking the Hotham resort to Plain. Dinner Plain. Learn of the past, understand the present and discover the future aspirations of the Aboriginal first History peoples of the alps. The trail features interpretive signs Aboriginal peoples have a shared history of the region highlighting the Indigenous association with the high spanning many thousands of years and covered long country. Panoramic views of the high country are also distances to come to the alps. The area was used by the found with numerous areas to rest and picnic along the Dhudhuroa from the Murray River side, the Yaitmathang way. Starting from the General Store at Hotham Village, from the to the north and the Gunaikurnai follow Davenport Drive south past Little Mount Higgin- from Gipplsand. botham where the trail continues past Wire Plain and Brabralung is the Gunaikurnai name for this part of Whiskey Flat into the Alpine National Park. Return by Gippsland, including Mitchel River, Tambo River, the same route. Side walks can be found at The Big Spur, Bruthen and the alps. It means male, Berry Worcat Dargo Lookout and the Brandy Creek Access Track. (female), means ‘the people’. Despite squatting runs being taken up from the mid- Differing landscapes 1830s in the foothills throughout the region, the ranges From Snow Gum forests, open grassy plains to wetland of eastern were little explored by Europeans. bogs of national significance, the Brabralung Trail offers Rich gold discoveries in the region in early 1852 on both great opportunities to experience a variety of alpine sides of the range at Beechworth and attracted a landscapes. These include the naturally occurring open large and industrious population in the district for the plains, JB Plain and Paw Paw Plain, where only low-grow- first time in history. ing plants such as grasses, heaths and alpine bog plants are able to survive due the phenomenon known as ‘cold air drainage’.

Wetlands are a key feature of the landscapes along the trail. At JB Plain and Paw Paw Plain look for the Sphagnum Moss communities which form bright green hummocky mounds. These moss beds play a crucial role in regulating water flow from the mountains to the valleys below thanks to their ability to absorb, hold and filter huge quantities of moisture. Billy Howards Hut, Wire Plain Plain Wire Hut, Billy Howards

Billy Howards Hut Surrounded by snowgums, this neat little green corrugated-iron hut is situated next to the Great Alpine Road at Wire Plain. Billy Howard, a mountain cattleman from Harrietville erected this hut in 1962. The main building was prefabricated and brought in by truck. The hut was possibly purchased from the nearby Kiewa Hydro Scheme. The skillion section of the hut was added to store saddles and a water tank. The hut was used for

Aboriginal coolamon, a carrying vessel a carryingAboriginal vessel coolamon, bark. made from usually Howard’s cattle grazing runs in the locality. Today the locality is a great spot for a picnic.

Mount Management Board & Transit Lounge

Corral Carpark

RMB Office i

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Brabralung Hull Bridge

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0 0 Mt Higginbotham e v 1814m i Trail r D B500 i g The i g Be Prepared H

The best months for walking the Brabralung Trail are from General i P

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change rapidly, and snowfalls and blizzards can occur at any time n Trail Head n g e

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of the year. (Mt Hotham’s Bushwalking Season is from the November S (Car parking) D t

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n Silver Cup Weekend to mid May.) S

Davenport p Brumby BT04 C

u r r e Village Edelweiss Tk e Hut 2km k K CLOSEDG A L

B W R Be prepared with: R MOUNT S E

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B Mt Higginbotham A U • Wind and waterproof jackets H R T HOTHAM 1762m THE HUTS E A WALK T H A L

• Warm clothing – hat, gloves, sunglasses, and strong 1 U L 6 Spargo’s 0 ALPINE0 N P 50 0 G 1 I N Hut footwear r TR

A E 0 I 0 e RESORT L 4 • Food and water 1 v BT05 R i RMB O R A S w • First aid kit and sunscreen 150 Workshop i D n 0 d l 0 o e

30 BT06 1 r ’

1 1 500 s 2 g

• Map and compass C 1 C 0 O r

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• Check the weather forecast before departing 1 D A

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0 1300 D 0 BT08 r I e T • Let someone know where you are going 900m C

p Slatey Cutting 1 H

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p 2 0 0 0 BT09 0 1 • Mobile phone (reception in some areas) W U The Big6 Snow Play Area & P 0 Spur 0 A

’ Public Shelter L

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Flat A CK 1

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Bushfires have damaged snow gums, which are now re- 0 0 Howard’s

Dargo 1 4 generating but dead branches are shedding with the Hut 0 0 Lookout BT12 1 5 0 new growth. High wind days may result in falling limbs BT13 Wire Plain 0

and branches. It is not recommended to use the track on 1.1km

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windy days. Please be aware that snakes are active during 1 Trail COBUNGRA BT14 DITCH WALK warm months. Tunnel Scale in Kilometres Whiskey M in u

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0 6 h 1 r BT15 e BT17 Flat p See also ‘Mt Hotham Track Notes - Bushwalker Code’ n y n 800m Biathlon ’ Emergency i s D Range BT18 P C Marker -

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7 th Marker

0 k 0 o 0 1 2 3 IL H MTH009 TRA Brabralung Trail NG BC01 U L A BC02 R B P A R BC03 CD10 B CD08 Paw Paw 2.2km Plain Brandy Gate 1 Grade of Walk: Grade 3, as per The Australian Walking 4 0 Emergency Creek 0 BT20Marker Track Grading System MTH007 Brandy B r a n d Distance: 12km one way Creek Mine y C k Elevated Walkway F BT21 Mother Johnson’s i r e T k Time: 4 hours one way Alpine Cyclists Dismount Winter Resort Entry Gradient: Mostly level with some gradual National Park Map Legend Brabralung Trail C r e e k steep sections 1.6km n d y Hotham - Dinner Plain PB r aParking Quality of Path: Good compacted gravel surface B Mother Cobungra Ditch R Public Toilets A Johnson’s The Huts Walk Steps: Elevated walkway at Paw Paw Plain B Accommodation

R Shrort Walks r Picnic 1

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L & Link Tracks

Experience required: No bushwalking experience Area 0 v U Food/dining

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required i 1 a

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Marker BT22 Trailhead /Track Information r 4

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B500 P b H WF01 Track Marker Post For more information on Mt Hotham’s Iconic Tracks & Trails, I Picnic table o o N

t E h 1.7km C M a R Picnic shelter visit www.mthotham.com.au. For Resort track & trail m T O 1 T 4 Approximate distance - A A 0 1300 D 0 1 B D Bushwalking/hiking camping between points 20 conditions, email [email protected], or telephone L in 0 E n e 1.7km T r D 03 5759 3550 during business hours. O P E P la A 1 i D 5 i 0 n W P T 0 Emergency I Alpine AL Marker M K B IN MTH005 BT23 National We hope you enjoy the walk. G T E R A R Park CK H1 6 0 I 0 JB Plain L L

EXPLORE THE TRACKS & Hut W th A Nor TRAILS OF MT HOTHAM WITH 1.7km L tic K gne YOUR MOBILE DEVICE OR Ma SMART PHONE EXPLORE MT HOTHAM explore.mthotham.com.au BT24 CRB DIGITAL TOUR Brabralung Hut South GUIde ROOM WITH A VIEW Trail Head Emergency WALKING TRACK (Car parking) Marker MTH035 i P DINNER PLAIN VILLAGE

Mount Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board