Short overnight hike for kids SW Vic

[treading]

Hi, am about to introduce my 12 yr old to overnight hiking. I am looking for a walk that is about 2-3 hours in, not too hard so to turn her off. Any suggestions for the Grampians, or other areas within 2 hours of Warrnambool. Thanks, Tim.

[MickyB]

G'day treading. Welcome to the forum.

How about doing a section or two of the Great South West Walk. I have never walked any of this track but I have heard it's beautiful and one I'd like to do in the future.

http://www.greatsouthwestwalk.com/intro/overview.php

[walk2wineries]

12 and female - and do you mean in the near future ie winter? Seriously suggest picking a nice established campsite with toilets that aren't too repellent and walking into it. If I remember it right (I'm in SA, visited GSWW in summer but may be muddled!) Surrey Ridge is a pretty site NE part of the GSWW, and there's lots of access points, if you are comfortable leaving your car on the road, pick your distance and walk to a nice site with established firepit, and loos which remove the need to squat in wet bushes!
Similarly if you do choose Grampians, maybe choose an access point your chosen distance from Mt Zero grounds or one of the other sites.
I quite often look at established walks which start from a town and do them in reverse - eg instead of walking to a lookout, if there is parking there I will drive to it, walk to town and have lunch and a wash and walk back, or I go to the far end of the rail trail and walk in-and-out instead of out-and-in. Keeps the bush clean, lunch can be a treat instead of school-lunch-sandwhiches-even-on-Saturday-yuck!
I went camping with the girl guides when I was 12 and the latrine tent put me off camping for the next 20 years..
Enjoy your walk

[peregrinator]

Hi, am about to introduce my 12 yr old to overnight hiking. I am looking for a walk that is about 2-3 hours in, not too hard so to turn her off. Any suggestions for the Grampians, or other areas within 2 hours of Warrnambool. Thanks, Tim.

Mt Eccles - Budj Bim National Park should meet your requirements. It's also closer to Warrnambool than the Grampians and the GSWW.

http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/mount-eccles-national-park

[Eremophila]

Beeripmo Walk? You could go in reverse direction, from Richards Campground to Mugwamp Campground which is very easy. Set up camp and do the short section to Mt Buangor Lookout.

About 2 1/2 hours to get there.

There's a thread on here which has some nice pics too.

http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/__data/assets ... o_Walk.pdf

[treading]

Thanks for the replies. I think we'll probably head to the Gramps, then the full Beeripmo walk later on. We have done a fair bit of walking and car camping but now want to do the backpack thing. I reckon you can ingrain in your kids a lifetime love of camping/bushwalking/nature if introduced right. Cheers, Tim.