The Australian Alps Walking Track is a long-distance walking trail through the alpine areas of Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT. It is 655 km long, starting at Walhalla, Victoria, and running through to Tharwa , near Canberra. The track weaves mainly through Australian national parks, such as Alpine National Park and Kosciuszko National Park, although it is not exclusively restricted to national parks. It ascends many peaks including Mount Kosciuszko, Mount Bogong, and Bimberi Peak, the highest points in NSW, Victoria and the ACT respectively. The AAWT crosses exposed high plains including the Victorian Bogong High Plains and the Main Range in NSW. To walk the whole trail can take between 3 and 8 weeks. Food drops or a support crew are necessary as the trail does not pass through any towns, although it passes close to the ski resorts of Mt Hotham, Falls Creek, Mt Baw Baw, Thredbo, Charlotte Pass and Perisher.
It has been signposted for part of its length in a tri-state agreement. However, most parts of the Track require hikers to have highly developed navigation skills, particularly in wilderness areas.
The Australian Alps Walking Track is an extension of the older Victorian Alpine Walking Track, established during the 1970s. The Victorian track was extended after many years of promotion by the Federation of Victorian Walking Clubs and various government departments. The NSW stretch of the walk is less imaginative than the Victorian section. Where the Victorian section typically follows spurs and ridges, the NSW section typically follows fire trails/tracks. The route recommended by John Siseman adds some interest to the NSW section of the walk.[citation needed]
Between Walhalla and Tharwa it passes through these National Parks:
- Baw Baw National Park
- Alpine National Park (including Cobberas Wilderness Area), up to the New South Wales border.
- Kosciuszko National Park (including Jagungal Wilderness Area), immediately north of the border.
- Namadgi National Park, adjoining Kosciuszko National Park.
- Brindabella National Park