Around 236 kilometres northeast of Melbourne, Wangaratta is in High Country Victoria, sitting at the junction of the Ovens and Kings Rivers, within cooee of the Victorian Alps. As luck would have it, we caught a window of opportunity enroute that exists only between mid-August and mid-September, witnessing the canola fields in full bloom, awash with fluoro yellow flowers, a technicolour extravaganza!
As is the Aussie way, I wanted to call the town Wang, but was reluctant for obvious reasons. Whilst hiking, we met a friendly local who did, in fact, call it that, so Wang it is!
One of the drawcards for our visit to the area was the Warby-Ovens National Park, and in particular, the Mt Glenrowan Lookout Walk. Warby-Ovens National Park is around 15 km from Wang, and on the way to the trail, little Miss Google Maps proudly announced, “Arrived.” Surrounded by pastoral land and cows on both sides of the road, I did think that she might be in need of a mental health day.
Continuing on, we found a sideroad with a trailhead that wasn’t inundated with bovines. Our research (yep, we did some) indicated the hike was 9k’s return, Grade 3, and would take around 4 hours. For us it was 12ks and took 3.5 hours. We didn’t start at the right trailhead (surprise), which added another 3k’s to the trek!
The first part of the hike was a heart starter that transitioned into undulating ups and downs that kept it interesting. A pretty bushwalk with plenty of scenic side trails, it culminates at Morgan’s Lookout, and on a good day (but not the day we were there), offers exceptional views of the Ovens, King Valleys, and the Victorian Alps. Named for bushranger Mad Dog Morgan, the lookout has a bird’s-eye view of the township of Glenrowan and was used to track the movements of the local constabulary, a precursor to its use for the same purposes by the Kelly gang a few years later.
The post-hike recovery was held at Baileys of Glenrowan, a winery less than five minutes’ drive from the trail. Established in 1870 and over 150 years old, Baileys of Glenrowan is a boutique, quaint, aesthetically pleasing, certified organic winery that combines traditional techniques with modern winemaking. The cellar door is heritage listed, and you can do a self-guided tour of the original winery, Clydesdale stables, Blacksmith’s forge, and pretty gardens. Quaffing a robust red, accompanied by an appetising organic cheese board, enveloped in an environment that literally reeks of history…Does it get any better than that?
A trip to Wang wouldn’t be complete without an excursion to the town where Ned Kelly’s reign of terror came to an end, at the siege of Glenrowan. It was perplexing how Ned Kelly, criminal psychopath and murderer, could be held in such esteem (was it his quiff and fashion-forward early hipster look?), and I have to say, I was a bit wigged out that the whole of the main street in Glen Rowan paid homage to him.
As a native Queenslander, we love things big, think the Big Mango, the Big Pineapple, and the big bottle of rum at the distillery in Bundy, so no judgement. But the Big Ned in Glenrowan is next level. Over six metres tall, in his trademark armour and stack hat, with big rifle in hand, big Ned stands on guard over the historic town. There’s also a Ned Kelly Museum and Homestead, Ned Kelly Discovery Hub, the Glenrowan Heritage Precinct, an historic walk including Ned Kelly’s capture site, and an abundance of gift shops touting Ned Kelly souvs. You can immerse yourself in Kellyland, stay at the Glenrowan Kelly Country Motel, and grab a Ned burger.
A bustling rural city with an outdoor lifestyle on the banks of the Ovens River, old-fashioned country hospitality, a renowned jazz and blues festival, a plethora of stunning wineries, and local produce to die for, there’s lots to love about the Wang. Go!
