MacKenzie River Walk, Grampians National Park - February 2019

MacKenzie Falls / Migunang wirab

Longish walks in the Grampians over Summer are always a bit of a marginal affair when it comes to the heat I think, I’ve found that you really have to pick your days as sometimes it’s just too hot walking on the baking rock. This walk is a good one for those days that it’s just too warm to be climbing the mountains over rocky slabs. The MacKenzie River Walk allows many chances for a swim too, always a good thing in my eyes. It’s not all sweetness and light on this stroll though as to make it into a circuit involves a reasonable climb and descent in dry forest and this bit of the walk can get a bit hot.

Zumsteins Picnic Ground

The bush is looking pretty stressed at the moment.

It was well into the afternoon before I pulled on my boots and set off from the Zumstein’s Picnic Ground which meant I was walking into the hottest part of the day. Crossing the MacKenzie River for the first time I found the well sign posted track heading off upstream, which is always a good start, and set off towards Fish Falls. Fish Falls was the spot where I was planning to go for a swim so I was keen to get there. Being a fairly wide crushed gravel track navigation wasn’t really a issue along here, so I spent my time admiring the rugged scenery. Like a lot of the Grampians this spot has been devastated by natural disasters over the last ten years or so. Unlike our High Country though the bush in the Grampians tends to recover from fires a little better and most of the trees had a healthy amount of green regrowth sprouting from them.

My first crossing of the MacKenzie River, all 6 of my crossings would be bridged on this walk.

The track from Zumsteins to MacKenzie Falls is well sign posted and very well constructed.

The valley starts out fairly open.

After crossing back onto the south bank the track rises and falls a bit as it follow the river up stream but it’s all pretty easy really. Any time that it got my heart rate up a bit there was always something worth taking a photo of when I stopped to get my breath back. The MacKenzie River walk starts off in a fairly broad valley at Zumsteins but as I headed further upstream the sides close in and things get a lot more gorge like, so basically the further upstream went the better the scenery got today. Less than an hour after leaving, and with the surrounding mountains closing in, I arrived at the welcoming site of the cascading Fish Falls.

MacKenzie River

The hills are closing in a bit, the track is benched though so it's all pretty easy.

Fish Falls on the MacKenzie River.

A short 20 metre side trip had me at the base of Fish Falls and after dropping my pack in the shade it was time for a swim. Fish Falls is a multi tiered job with the last drop probably 4 metres into a good sized plunge pool and it was this plunge pool that I decided was the safest option for a swim. Now I have to say, I was mildly surprised at the volume of water coming down here today (I’m guessing a lot of water was being released from Lake Wartook for irrigation purposes?). I’m a fairly competent swimmer but I was still pretty cautious easing my way into the rushing water over the slick rocks this afternoon, the thing with these bush swimming spots is that you are never too sure whats under the water so I was very cautious as I slowly made my way out into the middle of the pool. The plunge pool at Fish Falls turned out to have a really cool feature too, there was a big dead tree that has been washed down the river during a flood and it now makes a perfect spot to sit in the water just below the falls. After pushing off from my tree I swam a couple of metres across the main channel and then tried to get to the base of the waterfall, with the camera in one hand and a gushing torrent of water working against me there was no way that I could get closer than 2 or 3 metres today though, as soon as I stopped swimming the current would spit me backwards into the middle if the plunge pool again, still I was cool, clean, wet and giggling like a kid.

Fish Falls, time for a swim I reckon.

Here's a water level shot.

It was hard work swimming against the current with the camera in one hand....still I look pretty happy with life.

Dragging myself out of the water I drip dried on the rocks for awhile, although with the temperature in the law 30˚ it didn’t take long. Reluctantly, I pulled on my sweaty clothes and set off up stream again toward MacKenzie Falls / Migunang wirab again. The scenery really starts to ramp up now and climbing the metal stairs beside Fish Falls allowed for lots of great views of the tiers of cascading water. It’s easy enough to leave the track here and access the rock slabs that the water cascades down over and it’s definitely worth doing, although be careful here as once you leave the track there are no safety rails and like any wet rocks things can get a bit slippery.

The second tier of Fish Falls.

There is a lot of walking infrastructure on the first half of this walk.

The top tier of Fish Falls.

MacKenzie River 

MacKenzie River

Getting closer to MacKenzie Falls, the mountains are closing in.

With the walls of the gorge closing in things were starting to have a bit of a Kimberly feel to it I think. My track was now benched into the steep slopes at times, following metal boardwalks over the water in other spots and was making for easy but adventurous walking. Apart from the rushing water the towering red cliffs are also a real feature, as usual the contrast between the light and shade tested my basic photographic ability, although what I lose in ability I make up for with enthusiasm! I was now approaching the base of MacKenzie Falls and the track was following a bit of a torturous path as I made my way through the increasingly rugged topography, crossing and re crossing the river as a made my way to the falls. With a few tourists starting to appear I knew that I must be getting close to MacKenzie Falls and rounding a corner the sight of sun baking back packers confirmed that I’d arrived.

In spots the track was cantilevered over the river. 

MacKenzie River...I'm walking in a proper grown up gorge now.

This place has a bit of a Kimberley feel to it.

The topography is rugged but the walking is still pretty easy.

Arriving at MacKenzie Falls.

MacKenzie Falls, is the largest waterfall in the Grampians at 40 metres and it’s one of the more popular attractions up here. You can access the falls from a sealed road above the falls and it attracts a lot of punters, unfortunately there has been quite a few drowning here as inexperienced swimmers are tempted into the rushing water and Parks Vic now discourage people from swimming here. Being the responsible bloke that I am (??) I’d already decided that I wouldn’t go in here as I didn’t want to encourage other people to take the risk. To be honest there are better and safer swimming spots on the MacKenzie River anyway as the current and rocks here look pretty severe.

MacKenzie Falls

MacKenzie Falls

For such a pretty spot I didn’t linger too long at the base of MacKenzie Falls, there were just too many people lazing about on the rocks and I’m way to anti-social (and grumpy) to want to mingle. After managing to get a few photos without people in them I grabbed my pack and headed off up the steps towards the car park, yep and when I say stairs I mean it. The climb up from the base of MacKenzie Falls to the car parks is seriously steep and unrelenting, although thankfully once again there was plenty of reasons to stop and check things out on the way with a couple of lookouts over various different cascades.

The climb up from the base of the falls is seriously steep.

I'm thinking that these are Pearl Falls.

....and still guessing a little, I think this is Drummer Falls.

The view back down towards the bottom of MacKenzie Falls from the upper lookout....yep, it's a long way down.

The view of Broken Falls from the official lookout is a little overgrown, I guess you could jump the fence and scramble around to get a better view, but I didn't.

Arriving at the MacKenzie Falls car park I headed straight off on the continuation of my walk. This spot is sometimes called Cranges after the Crange family who lived here years ago. Now there use to be a café here also, but I’m thinking that it got taken out by the last big bushfire that ripped through, although having said that as soon as I emerged into the car park I made a beeline for the overflow car park to continue my walk (and avoid the crowds) so there maybe a café somewhere in the sprawling car park and I just didn't see it.

Cranges

The walk now changed totally in character as I left Cranges. First up I had to find my ongoing route, this was done by walking past the huge water tanks before a left, right dogleg had me passing through a gate on a 4wd track. Once I was on the right track all I had to do was slog my way up the old gravel track up and over a decent sized hill. This fire track follows a power line easement and while it was a solid climb it was all easy enough and the navigation was easy.

I walked around behind the big water tank....

....did a left-right dog leg...

...and picked up this old track.

Away from the river things were pretty dry (and hot) again.

I'm about to top out at the highest spot on today's stroll.

While the navigation was easy up the fire track, picking the spot to turn west and start my journey back down to Zumsteins required a bit of concentration. The go along here is to look out for the first old fire track heading of to the left (west) after cresting the hill, if you come to a T junction you’ve gone to far. The old track that would take me back down to the ute at Zumsteins is meant to be closed, although judging from the gate laying in the scrub beside the track, along with the motor bike tracks in the sand it looks like a few people are sneaking through. Not that it worried me too much this afternoon I didn’t see another person for the whole distance between Cranges and Zumsteins. This old track dropped west down the crest of a long spur and once again I was following a power line, now that’s all interesting enough I suppose (if you are a walking trainspotter) but the reason I say that is that the open easement near the power lines made it a little easier to get some glimpses through the trees. The main point of interest going down here is the view across to Asses Ears / Djibalara in the middle distance, although unfortunately the late afternoon sun didn’t do my photos any favours today.

This is the track that will take me back down to Zumsteins, there is a gate laying in the scrub on the right.

Dropping down my fire track I got some views across to the back of the Mt Difficult Range (that could be another Feral Fact though)....

....but it was the Asses Ears that drew my eye. The late afternoon sun didn't do my photos any favours.

Dropping down my un-named track the forest started to open up a bit and the spur eased off a bit. I was looking for a track that would head off to the left however I wasn’t too sure how defined this track would be, although to be honest I wasn’t that concerned as the open forest would of been easy enough to negotiate. Finding an obvious track I soon started the short but steep descent back down to the MacKenzie River and Zumsteins, my track largely disappeared after 20 metres or so but once again I was following a power line easement so walking was still pretty easy.

With the spur opening up I was looking for an old track dropping off to my left.

The old track was a bit overgrown but Zumsteins was in sight so all was well.

I emerged at Zumsteins at the site of the old tourist village that was run by the Zumsteins back in the middle of the last century. There isn’t a lot left of this old country getaway apart from a couple of old, half restored cottages….and a swimming pool! Yep, the Zumsteins dug out an inbound swimming pool using hand tools and today you can still see the edges of the pool sticking out of the ground, although the only things enjoying the pool this afternoon were a couple of grazing Emus.

Some of the old buildings at Zumsteins have been partially restored.

They even had an in-ground pool here back in the day....

....although the Emu's were the only things enjoying the old pool this afternoon.

And you thought the pool was another Feral Fact!  I didn't find the tennis court though.

Dropping down to the river I crossed back over to south side and headed off through the picnic area in the direction of the ute, almost immediately I picking up a boardwalk that meandered it’s way upstream. Reaching the end of the boardwalk I spied what I was looking for now, a nice little pool in the river that would allow me to cool down and wash the dirt and dust off. Stripping off I eased myself into my private pool, the cool, cascading water massaging my hot and tired muscles. If there is a better way to finish a hot and dusty walk than this then I’m yet to find it.

Crossing the MacKenzie River for the last time I picked up a nice section of boardwalk.

The boardwalk allowed me a few more river views....

....and also very civilised place to wash of the dust and sweat.

The Dirt.
I walked 10.2 kilometres and climbed 314 metres on this medium grade stroll. Like I mentioned earlier this is a walk of two halves, the MacKenzie River section is along a very good path with stunning river and gorge scenery, the climb and descent back to Zumstiens is through dry open forest along un marked and un sign posted tracks. This walk has been written up by Tyrone Thomas most recently in his out of print 80 Walks In The Grampians book, I also used the SV Maps Northern Grampians sheet today. Swimming in the MacKenzie River should assessed at the time you visit, consider your own competency and also the hazards that could by waiting under the surface.

Relevant Posts.
Mt Rosea, Grampians National Park, 2014.
Wonderland Walk, Grampians National Park, 2014.
Stapylton Ampitheatre, Grampians National Park, 2016.

The view downstream from my prone position in the middle of the river was pretty sweet!

The view up stream maybe not so sweet!

Game over for another day.