Elisha
The Bogong High Plains at Falls Creek offer some of the best hiking views in Victoria, with rolling ridgelines and vistas of the state’s highest peaks. There are plenty of options for an overnight hike at Falls Creek, and this one includes camping at Roper’s Hut, one of my favourite High Country huts.
I decided to drag my parents along for this overnight hike, which saw us tackle the lesser known and incredibly steep Spion Kopje Track to Roper’s Hut. The next day we headed out via the Australian Alps Walking Track to Falls Creek. It was a challenging introduction to overnight hiking for my parents (who’d only done a short overnight hike previously at Lake Tali Karng last year).
However, the views were incredible for most of the trail and you can easily visit different peaks and huts along the way as well. For fit hikers, I’d say this is one of the best overnight hikes you can do at Falls Creek. Here’s everything you need to know to tackle Spion Kopje and Mount Nelse in 24 hours.
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About This Overnight Hike at Falls Creek
The Spion Kopje Track is an old, unused fire trail that runs from the lower slopes of the Bogong High Plains Road up to Spion Kopje Peak and connects onto Big River Firetrail on the plains. It’s a long track, but for hikers, it’s much shorter if you start at Howmans Gap near Falls Creek, cross over Rocky Valley Creek and head up the steep Spion Kopje Track, a single trail that pops out onto the Spion Kopje Firetrail.
From there, you can then head along the old fire trail (which in some sections is not really a fire trail) all the way until it intersects with Big River Firetrail. From there, you can head left to Ropers Hut and Mount Bogong or turn right for Falls Creek.
We camped down at Ropers Hut, before returning to the intersection the next morning and continuing on the Big River Firetrail to Heathy Spur which took us back to Falls Creek/Rocky Valley Storage. Along the way back, we did a side trip up to Mount Nelse Summit and also Edmonson Hut. We had another option to see Johnston Hut, but chose not to bother adding another 2km on.
The section from Ropers Hut out to Rocky Valley Dam is on the Australian Alps Walking Track and a very well worn trail. This overnight hike has different starting and ending points, so a car shuffle is ideal. But you could make it a loop, which I’ll explain below in more detail.
Find more: 16 Best Overnight Hikes in Victoria
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How To Get There
From Melbourne: Falls Creek is 385 kilometres away from Melbourne or around 5 hours of driving.
The nearest town is Mount Beauty, which is a small mountain town sitting in the Kiewa Valley, and is just 30km away from Falls Creek. Otherwise, Bright is a larger town and only 32 km away from Mount Beauty.
Where to Stay Nearby
If you want to stay somewhere nearby the night before starting the hike, check out some of my recommendations:
Kiewa Country Cottages | Just outside of Mount Beauty, these two bedroom, self contained cottages are set amongst a pretty garden, with an outdoor pool and indoor fireplace. Check availability here.
No. 43 Loft | Located just before Mount Beauty, this loft accommodation is a cosy spot for a couple or solo hiker. The modern apartment has a kitchenette, private bathroom and a balcony with mountain views. Check availability here.
The Park Mount Beauty | This is the only caravan park in Mount Beauty. It’s a beautiful spot right on the river with plenty of green grass. They have powered and unpowered camping, as well as cabins. Check it out here.
Prefer free camping? You can camp at Pretty Valley Campground up at Falls Creek accessed on a dirt road. There’s a drop toilet and plenty of space for caravans, camper vans, and tents.
Where to Park
If you have two cars and can car shuffle, then you’ll be able to shave off a few kilometres and avoid following the Bogong High Plains Road back to your car at the end. If you have two cars, here are the two car parks to use:
Howmans Gap: Just off the side of the Bogong High Plains Road at Howmans Gap, you’ll find a small carpark there. The YMCA Howmans Gap Centre prefers hikers to park there rather than drive down to the YMCA Centre. From that little carpark on the side of the road, Spion Kopje Track is well signposted down to the river crossing.
Heathy Spur Carpark/Rocky Valley Dam: This is the main trailhead for the Falls to Hotham Crossing. There’s a small carpark there on the side of the Bogong High Plains Road across from the dam wall. This is at the end of the overnight hike.
If you’re not car pooling (i.e. solo hikers), then you’ll have to pick one of the above car parks and then add 7km to either the start or the end of your hike. You can follow the Packhorse Trail which connects Falls Creek with Howmans Gap. But, there’s still a little road walking involved to get from the Heathy Spur Trailhead to Falls Creek Village to then jump onto the Packhorse Trail which runs parallel to the road.
Track Details: Spion Kopje Track to Ropers Hut and Falls Creek via Mount Nelse
For a detailed look at our experience on this overnight hike at Falls Creek, here are my trail notes for the two days.
Day 1: Howmans Gap to Ropers Hut via Spion Kopje Track
Distance: 15 km
Time: 6 hours
Ascent: 913 m
Descent: 477 m
We drove up from Mount Beauty and had to park one vehicle at Rocky Valley Dam/Heathy Spur Carpark and then drive back down to Howmans Gap to start. So, we didn’t start walking until 10am.
We followed the obvious wooden signposts from the carpark at Howmans Gap around to the left of the YMCA village and then steeply down to the river. This river crossing is what we had been discussing at length in the days prior, because at any time the dam water can be released and it can become impassable. Luckily, when we got down to Rocky Valley Creek it was at a very manageable level.
There is a skinny log that has been placed across the river that you can try to walk across if you’re brave and have good balance. Dad, of course, chose this route and he did it slowly but successfully (pictured above). Mum and I decided to take our boots off and just wade through, it was only about mid-thigh deep for the most part.
From the creek, the next near kilometre was straight up on a very steep, skinny trail through the trees. It was no joke with full packs on, we even needed our hands to scramble up some sections. It had been cleared though at some point, so logs had been cut making it slightly easier than it otherwise would’ve been.
Once we finally popped out onto the Spion Kopje Firetrail our hopes were crushed when we realised it was still quite relentlessly steep and not as well cleared as we’d thought. As we came up to Little Spion Kopje, the trail slightly flattened out, but was even completely obscured by scrub for short sections (obviously not a proper fire trail anymore).
The views opened up though and we could see over to Falls Creek village on our right. Once we’d finally ascended the final push to Spion Kopje summit, we had views over to Mount Bogong as well. The fire trail was easy to follow from there as it crossed the ridge and some marshy sections to Mount Nelse West. We also passed the turn off to the Grey Hills Track on our left, which is a faint track heading across towards Mount Bogong.
We finally made it to the end of the Spion Kopje Track at the T-intersection with the Big River Firetrail. We turned left and walked the remaining 3+km to Roper’s Hut, mostly downhill on a wide trail, rocky trail. Mum and dad were both very ready to finish for the day and I kept saying, “It’s not far now!”.
We made it in just before 5pm, so it was a long day. We set up our tents amongst the snow gums, walked down to collect some water and have a quick face wash in the creek, and made our dinner in the nicely, cleaned hut.
In the later evening, we decided to pass the remaining time with a little fire, which we put out with some creek water. The night wasn’t cold and it was perfectly still.
Day 2: Ropers Hut to Heathy Spur Carpark/Rocky Valley Dam via Mount Nelse
Distance: 16 km (including Mount Nelse and Edmonson Hut side trips)
Time: 4.5 hours
Ascent: 428 m
Descent: 520 m
Overnight my mum had remembered that we’d left the keys to our vehicle at the end of the walk in the vehicle at the start of the walk… a car shuffle gone horribly wrong! That meant that one of us was likely faced with an additional 7km walk back to the car to pick up the keys at the end.
We left camp and came across a couple of snakes not far apart just basking in the sun. One was a pretty unhappy tiger snake that didn’t want to move very far, but we pushed on around it.
We passed the Spion Kopje turnoff where we’d come from the day before and continued up towards Mount Nelse. Mum and I decided to do the short 500m side trip, but dad decided to wait for us back at the firetrail (the less walking he had to do the better!). The views from Mount Nelse stretch over to Mount Bogong, Mount Feathertop, Mount Wills and beyond.
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We headed back and continued on the Big River Firetrail until the turnoff for Edmonson Hut on our right. It was 1km to the hut one way. Dad decided that he’d continue walking ahead and try to get into Falls Creek to see if he could hitch a ride for at least some of the 7km back to the car at the start. So, mum and I headed down to the hut.
Edmonson Hut is a small little hut with some camping spots around it, but not nearly as nice as Ropers in my opinion. We made a quick turnaround back to the Big River Firetrail to continue walking. Some horse riders spotted in the distance, but we never ran into them as they turned towards Kelly Hut.
We decided to skip the next side trip to Johnston Hut (another 2km return trip) and just continue walking back. The final stretch was turning onto Heathy Spur Track and heading for the last few k’s across the plains and down to Rocky Valley Dam.
When we got back to the carpark, our vehicle was there but dad was not. We decided to wait, not knowing how long he’d be, but it wasn’t that much later that we saw him coming in his ute. It turns out he’d had to walk all the way into Falls Creek before someone finally gave him a lift down to Howmans Gap!
So things might not have gone according to plan, but all in all it turned out pretty good. Although, if you ask my parents, I don’t think they’ll be joining me on another overnight hike anytime soon! But this is still a great overnight hike at Falls Creek for fit hikers, who don’t mind a decent climb on the first day (with good views and a nice camp as a reward).
Essential Information for this Overnight Hike at Falls Creek
If you want to undertake this hike yourself, then here’s a bit more practical information to help you plan your hike safely.
Camping at Ropers Hut
Roper’s Hut is easily one of my favourite High Country huts in Victoria. It’s such a beautiful place and I’ve camped there twice now in the last couple of years. The original hut was used as a shelter for cattlemen who grazed their cattle on the High Plains during summer, but it has been burnt to the ground twice. The latest hut was built in 2008 as a refuge in emergencies. You’re not meant to sleep in the hut unless it’s a genuine emergency.
There’s plenty of room around the hut amongst the snow gums on soft green grass to pitch a tent. You’ll find a few fireplaces around, although finding wood can be scarce. If you do start a fire, ensure you carry extra water up from the creek to put it out completely (there’s a fire bucket in the hut). There is a drop toilet at Roper’s Hut away from the hut, towards the Duane Spur Trail.
Instead of camping at Roper’s, you could turn right (instead of left) onto the Big River Firetrail towards Falls Creek and head for Edmonson Hut or Johnston Hut (both of which are accessed about 1km off the firetrail). This would save you going out of the way to Roper’s Hut, however, I personally think Roper’s is a beautiful spot that is worth visiting.
Read more: How to Leave No Trace and Respect the Outdoors
Safety and Navigation
For experienced hikers, this is a fairly straight forward hike to follow, with minimal navigation difficulties. The trail is for the most part on old fire trails and well worn single track trail. However, some parts of Spion Kopje are overgrown due to it not being frequently trafficked. To the trained eye, you’ll still be able to follow the footpad easily though without needing any navigational tool.
Still, I always recommend having a GPS app of some sort on your phone to help navigate your way and find out how far you have to go. Maps.Me is sufficient for this hike.
Most of the dangers on this trail are due to potential adverse weather and snakes. Check the weather forecast before heading out so you can prepare appropriately, and always be ready for cold and wet conditions. The weather in the alpine region can change at any time.
Snakes are fairly common out on the Bogong High Plains. You’ll mostly see highland copperheads, although we also saw a tiger snake. We saw 5 snakes over the 2 days, so they were certainly out and about in summer.
Serious dangers mainly come in the form of injury or snakes. Make sure that you carry a first aid kit, including a snake bite bandage, in case of emergency.
Water Access
After crossing the river down from Howmans River, you won’t find any water on the trail until you reach camp at Roper’s Hut. At the hut camping area, you’ll find a little trail behind the hut heading down for about 200m to a reliable, flowing creek.
The following day, you won’t really find reliable water again until you make it back out to the carpark at Rocky Valley Dam. There are occasional soaks and swampy areas along Heathy Spur Trail but I wouldn’t rely on those for good water.
I use a Sawyer Squeeze for water filtration in the alpine region.
Essential Gear
Sleeping bag | You’ll want a good sleeping bag for the High Country, one that will keep you warm no matter the temperature and be lightweight enough to pack easily in your backpack. Sea to Summit is one of the best brands on the market and you can’t go wrong with their Spark -9 degree bag.
Backpack | A 65L pack is usually a good option for multi-day hikes, especially in the Alpine region when you’re going to be carrying warm gear.
Hiking boots | I’m a bit old fashioned when it comes to my footwear and I can’t hike without my hi-cut boots. I’ve been wearing Keen Targhee boots for a couple of years and I’m super happy with them on all adventures.
PLB | Any hiker, especially a solo hiker, should carry a Personal Location Beacon. For the cost, these small devices can save your life anywhere, anytime. If you don’t want to buy one, you can hire one from any Macpac store, find out more here.
Power bank | I rely on my phone (maybe too much) while I’m hiking. From Maps.Me to recording videos to listening to music, I can recommend the BioLite power bank which will easily last days off the grid.
Tent | Try to keep your tent below 2kg as this can quickly become your heaviest piece of gear. I currently have the Big Agnes Copperspur 2-person tent, and it’s been my go-to for all my alpine hiking adventures.
Down jacket | You should be prepared for any weather on alpine adventures, so a down jacket is a must to ensure you keep warm. This Patagonia Nano Down is lightweight, warm and water repellent, so it’s perfect for the High Country.
Read next: My Complete Overnight Hiking Packing List
Want to Extend This Hike? How to Make it Longer
There are a couple of directions you can head if you wanted to extend this overnight hike at Falls Creek into something a bit longer. These are all suggestions that I’ve completed on other visits to the Vic Alps:
Grey Hills: After passing Spion Kopje summit on the fire track, you’ll find a small sign indicating Grey Hills Track to your left. This spectacular trail follows the ridgeline slowing heading towards the slopes of Mount Bogong. At the bottom of the Grey Hills Track, there is a little clearing known as Bogong Creek Saddle, an old helipad, where you can camp (on day 1 instead of Roper’s Hut). From there, you could head up the Big River Firetrail to Roper’s Hut for the second night, and then head out to Falls Creek the next day.
Mount Bogong: For an even longer hike, you could add on a summit of Mount Bogong. You can follow the Grey Hills suggestion above to Bogong Creek Saddle. The following day, head up Quartz Ridge to Mount Bogong summit and continue to camp at Cleve Cole Hut. Then, go down the T Spur, cross Big River, and walk up Duane Spur to Roper’s Hut. Head out to Falls Creek. This would be a 3 night, 4 day hike for experienced, fit hikers only.
Cope Hut and Tawonga Huts: For less steepness than the above suggestions and to explore more of the Bogong High Plains, after a night at Roper’s Hut, follow Big River Firetrail to Cope Hut on the Australian Alps Walking Track/Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing. After a night at Cope Hut, continue on the AAWT to Pole 333 intersection, then head to Tawonga Huts to camp the night and summit Mount Jaithmathang. Then, head out to Pretty Valley Pondage, where you could leave a car or you’ll have to walk into Falls Creek on the dirt road.
More info on these trails in my guides below!
Other Hikes to Do Nearby
- Three Day Hike at Falls Creek to Mount Jaithmathang and Cope Hut
- Essential Guide to the Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing
- Three Day Hike to Tawonga Huts and the Fainters from Hotham
- Mount Feathertop and Dibbins Hut Three Day Hike at Hotham
- Mount Bogong Four Day Loop Hike from Mountain Creek
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