With the new Guthega to Charlotte Pass walk now opended NPWS Area Manager Anthony Evans takes five with Great Walks.
GRW: What are you hoping people will experience on the Guthega to Charlotte Pass walk?
The Guthega to Charlotte Pass section is a really beautiful section of track. Most people who come to Kosciuszko National Park want to ‘bag’ Kosciuszko or complete the Main Range Walk, and for good reason – the views, the landscape and the feeling of being on the roof of Australia is like nothing else. However, the Guthega to Charlotte Pass section provides a slightly different perspective on the landscape.
It follows the upper Snowy River – the only section of this iconic river which is not dammed. The walk meanders its way through snow gums and past small waterfalls on side creeks whilst always overlooking the Snowy River. In the background is the ever-present Main Range and Mt Kosciuszko. The added bonus to this section is that being the highest mountain range in Australia, the weather isn’t always kind.
On these days, the Guthega to Charlotte Pass section will provide some shelter from the wild weather and the views along the river and through the snow gum forests will remain longer when the clouds roll in. But of course for any of the walks, planning and preparation is needed to ensure you stay safe and warm.
GRW: What is the next stage for the Snowies Alpine Walk?
There are still two stages to come. The next stage will take you from Charlotte Pass to Perisher. The route follows the top of the Thredbo Valley, an extension of the Ramshead Range. There are no iconic rivers to follow, but the track will make its way through sub-alpine snow plains with constant views to the south across the Thredbo Valley and down into Victoria.
The track will join onto the existing Porcupine Track above Perisher Village, before descending into the village. Porcupine Rocks provides one of the best views in Kosciuszko National Park.
The final stage will take you from Perisher Village down into the Thredbo Valley, finishing at Bullocks Flat or Crackenback Resort. This will provide yet another perspective of Kosciuszko National Park. From snow plains and stunted snow gums, the track descends through tall Alpine Ash forests – many still recovering from the devastating 2003 bushfires – into the valley, a total decent of around 700 metres
GRW: There are already plenty of walking trails in Kosciuszko NP. What will make the Snowies Alpine Walk stand out?
When I first came to the Snowy Mountains it struck me that whilst there were many tracks, they were often legacies of a bygone era. Early tourism, grazing and hydro development saw roads and aqueducts constructed which have morphed into our current walking tracks.
Many of these trails and aqueducts remain operational and because they weren’t designed as walking tracks, they don’t always link up well or provide the sort of alignment that people want. What Kosci needed was some dedicated walking tracks which take walkers from one location to another and provide an experience that an area like Kosciuszko should be able to provide. There is a lack of dedicated lookouts along the track, as virtually every step provides incredible views.
There is so much more to Kosciuszko National Park than ‘bagging’ the summit and NPWS’s aim through the Snowies Alpine Walk is to showcase one of the great national parks of Australia. The investment by the NSW Government into these dedicated walking trails is such a massive bonus for the area.
Not only has it allowed us to build the tracks in a sustainable manner with due regard to the many threatened species in Kosciuszko, it provides greater opportunities outside of winter for people to enjoy national parks. And of course, the more people who can enjoy and value our national parks, the more they will want to protect them for future generations.
Click here for more info on the Guthega to Charlotte Pass walk.