Australian Alps Walking Track Chapman

The famous Australian Alps Walking Track AAWT travels over the highest peaks in Victoria, NSW and ACT.

The 5th edition is the same size as the previous edition. While the track has remained in the same location, there are many small changes like water tanks, minor road and track re-alignments and an alternative route for when the Murrumbidgee River is too dangerous to cross safely. Also due to a new walking track being created, the official route of the track through part of the Kosciuszko National Park has been moved to a much better alignment. Its still not as interesting as the untracked route across the Rolling Grounds but if you have to leave the tops is a far more pleasant walk than the previous alignment which was nearly all road bashing.

The 4th edition sold out in late 2020. Due to the Covid lockdowns, we were unable to rewalk the track as originally planned in the spring of 2020, we had to do it in sections between lockdowns and did not complete checking until late May 2021. As part of the track was closed, we were unable to rewalk the Johnnies Top section – due to the recent fire its possible some of the vehicle tracks around Johnnies Top have changed. The rangers tell us the water tank was not damaged and apart from heavy fire damage to the forest not much else changed. If we waited until that section opened so we could walk it before working on the new edition, the guide would have been delayed until the middle of 2022 or later. We decided most walkers want it earlier than that so we decided to print it this summer without a recent check of Johnnies Top. We did do a drive around on the roads that were open, visited Buenba Creek, Mt Hope Road etc and did some short walk-ins to see how extensive the fire was (basically the fires were intense, easy walking this year but in 5 years time, it could be very thick scrub!).

ISBN 9781920995218