I’ve always been drawn to the mountains. My heart belongs above the tree line, lost in the layers of hazy mountains extending out to the horizon.  My dreams are filled with a long traverse across a sharp ridgeline, a final summit push onto a rugged snow-capped peak. I long to walk along the boundless open plains, scattered with wild brumbies grazing in front of forgotten huts.

The Australian Alps Walking Track (AAWT) is made for us mountain lovers; it connects the alpine zones of 3 states, crossing the highest summits in the country, and descending down into the overgrown bush. Starting from Walhalla, Victoria, it zigzags its way across the Great Dividing Range over 680km, ending its grand traverse in Tharwa, ACT. The AAWT is one of Australia’s greatest thru-hikes, yet few people have even heard of it.

Read on at We Are Explorers