Jun 17, 20235 min read

5-Day Wonangatta & Macalister River 4WD Trip with Overnight Mt Howitt Hike

Locations: Mt Howitt, Macalister Springs, Wonangatta Station & Macalister River

Iconic 4WD Tracks: Zeka Spur Track & Butcher Country Track

High Country Hiking Tracks: Mt Howitt Summit

Length: 5 days minimum

Total Car Travel Time: Approx 12.5hrs

Day One: Mount Howitt

Nestled in the Victorian High Country, the Macalister Springs campground is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered by those willing to lace up their hiking boots and trek the 5km through snow gums and grass plains to the secluded campground.

Leaving Friday afternoon after work we reached Howitt Road and the carpark at the trailhead of the Mt Howitt Summit hike at around midnight. Trying not to disturb the other campers we quickly set up our swag and jumped into bed for an early start in the morning.

Route

Travel Time from Lilydale to Mt Howitt carpark: Approx 5hrs

Day Two: Overnight Hike to Macalister Springs Campground & Mt Howitt Summit

In the morning we said goodbye to our camping luxuries and started our trek to Macalister Springs which sits at around 1600m elevation with only our hiking packs. It’s mostly a slight descent and flat ground with a relatively steep ascent just before you reach the campground. It’s described as a gentle walk but carrying an overnight hiking pack (filled with only her clothes and the water for the trip) for the first time on a hot 28 degree summer's day was more of a challenge for Tiahn. The snowgum woodlands and alpine meadows make for a scenic 1.5 hour walk and well worth the effort.

When you first arrive at Mac Springs you’ll come across the Vallejo-Gantner Hut, an impressive A-frame style alpine hut. The hut was completed in 1971 as a memorial following the hunting accident death of Vallejo Gantner, the grandson of Sidney Myer the founder of the Myer department store chain. You can stay in the hut or head towards the clearing and pitch your tent.

When we arrived the campsite was quite busy, but it was the Australia Day long weekend with people making the most of the beautiful summer weather. The campground features a small spring that runs most of the year and the renowned loo with a view where you can answer the call of nature while taking in the sweeping valley from the huge window.

Camping at Macalister Springs

Walk-in camp only, no vehicles
Toilet with a view
Natural spring and rainwater tank for water sources
No fires allowed
No dogs allowed
Hiking trails

Things to do at Macalister Springs

Hike to the rugged Mt Howitt summit
Wander through the alpine meadows filled with wildflowers in summer
Explore the Vallejo-Gantner Memorial Hut
Hike the narrow Crosscut Saw to Mt Speculation with incredible views
Pick a spot along the trails and have lunch (or in our case dinner!) with a view

Once we set up camp we decided to continue along the trail from Mac Springs to the Mt Howitt summit. It’s a 4km return moderate grade accent to 1742m well above the tree line on the very exposed peak.

It was well into the summer afternoon and with little shelter from the hot sun this was a real challenge for Tiahn. She persevered, trekking through the open fields filled with incredible wildflowers and we made it to the rugged summit and its spectacular views.

The return to Mac Springs is a leisurely 2km stroll back with most of it downhill. We stopped along the way and cooked some rice for dinner on our jet cooker and had dinner with a view. We then had to race against the setting sun, doing some of the trek back to camp in the dark which we wouldn’t recommend but it made for an adventure.

Day Two Pictures From The Trail

Day Three: Mount Howitt to Wonnangatta Station

via Zeka Spur Track

The next morning we hiked the 5km slight ascent back to the car and headed off to Wonnangatta Station, one of our favourite spots in the entire high country.

Route

Travel Time from Mt Howitt to Wonangatta Station: 2.5hrs

Turn left out of the carpark onto Howitt Rd and follow until you see Zeka Spur Tk on the left-hand side. Follow Zeka Spur down into the valley. Take The Wonnagatta Tk to the right and follow into the valley and camping area.

Zeka Spur Track

4x4 Earth Grading: Moderate

As the most popular route into the Wonnangatta Valley, Zeka Spur offers a spectacular descent into the infamous and secluded station. With plenty of sharp turns and washouts, it takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete due to the challenging nature of the descent. You can read more about the track on 4x4 Earth.

Wonnangatta Station

The remote Wonnangatta Station is rich in both beauty and history, with many site remains, ruins and walking tracks to explore. The old cemetery and burnt remains of the main homestead tell the story of struggle and isolation of those who lived there.

You can find out about the lives of those who lived and work there, included two men who ran the station that were found murdered in 1918 here. The murders to this day have never been solved.

Things to do on the way to Wonnangatta Station

Stop in at Moroka and Howitt Huts
Take in the mountains and scenery at Dimmicks Lookout
Hike out to the spectacular Pieman Falls
Marvel at the Snowy Range Airport
Explore the Wonnangatta Station ruins, cemetery and walking trails

Camping at Wonnangatta Station

Caravan access
Toilets
Swimming
Fishing
Historical sites
Walking trails
No dogs allowed

Day Three Pictures From The Road

Day Four: Wonangatta Sation to Macalister River

via Butcher Country Track

Our last day before we head home we decided to tackle the lengthy but beautiful Butcher Country Track and set up camp along the bank of the Macalister River. Popular with hunters, fishing enthusiasts and 4wders, the camp spots along here are high up on our list as some of the best in the high country. Spending most of our day going back up Zeka Spur Track and then along the Butcher Country Track, we found an incredible spot along the river just as the daylight faded.

Route

Travel Time from Wonangatta Station to Macalister River: Approx 5hrs

Take Zeka Spur Tk out of Wonangatta Valley. Turn right on Howitt Rd and drive a few hundred meters until you see the start of the Butcher Country Tk on the left. Follow Butcher Country Tk until you reach Macalister River Tk. Choose your campsite along Macalister River Tk.

Butcher Country Track

4x4 Earth Grading: Difficult

It's surprising that Butcher Country isn't as renowned as some of the other iconic Vic high country 4wd tracks. It's challenging, lengthy and offers some incredible views across the valleys. Depending on the conditions, the entire track can take between 2.5-4 hours with several river crossings, steep climbs, sharp descents, and narrow ridge crossings. After rain parts of the track can be muddy, boggy and slippery. While most travel up the steep ascent from Licola onto the high plains, we drove the decent into the valley. You can read more about the track on 4x4 Earth.