Destinations > Gateway to the High Country

The area preserves a unique environment of rugged cliffs and rocky bluffs and provides a variety of recreational opportunities for anyone who wants a break from the everday grind for
a while.

GETTING THERE

Mt Lawson State Park is located between the Murray Valley Highway and the Murray River Road near Koetong, a one-hour drive from Wodonga. Access to the more popular areas is via Mt Lawson Road in the southern section or the Kurrajongs in the northern part of the park.

STAYING THERE

There are two campgrounds at Koetong Creek in the southern section of the park while the Kurrajongs is located in the northern section. Campsites are well maintained but have only basic facilities such as tables and a fireplace. There is no water, toilets or showers available so it's BYO everything. Take all rubbish out with you and make adequate toilet arrangements during your stay.

The park is only a half hour drive from Corryong and 20 minutes from Tallangatta, where all types of accommodation and facilities are available. The caravan park at Colac Colac is extremely comfortable and good accommodation is also available at the Koetong Pub.

A walk to the summit of Mt Lawson was our next objective so we followed the signs along Mt Lawson Road to the picnic area at the base of the mountain. It was such a peaceful setting here in among the tall trees - just the perfect spot for a picnic lunch before setting out on the trek to the 1041m summit. If you just want to reach the summit and enjoy the magnificent views, simply walk up the maintenance track, which starts at the picnic area. This will only take about 15-minutes up a steep incline on a well defined track with just a few steep boulders to negotiate at the top. The 360 degree views out over the Victorian High Country, Lake Hume and the Murray River Valley are stunning - especially on a clear autumn day. We had the place to ourselves and could have been a million miles from anywhere, just soaking up the solitude.

If you choose to do the 1.3km nature loop walk, be prepared for a rough hike. The trail has been signposted with arrows but these peter out in places and the 'path' becomes a series of unstable rocks steeply descending back to the picnic area. The severe drought the country had been experiencing at the time of our visit made the rocks slippery from dry leaf litter and loose sandy soil. It was easier to keep plugging away along the track than to turn back to the summit and return via the maintenance track, so our 40-minute 'walk' took a lot longer than expected. It is times like these that I am reminded just how important it is to always carry extra drinking water and even some snacks when setting out on any nature trail. Sturdy boots were helpful here too and probably prevented a twisted ankle.

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