Another 46km of the Hume & Hovell Track reopens

The Hume and Hovell Track has achieved another milestone in the recovery from the 2019/2020 bushfires, announcing the reopening of the next section of the H&H track. Hikers will now be able to explore the Bago forest area once again with the renewal of another 46km of track from Boundary Road, close to Talbingo, south through to Junction Campsite near Tumbarumba. This reestablished section will allow walkers to hike from Boundary Road right through to the Hovell Tree in Albury, an uninterrupted 227km with the reinstatement of the Col Daniel Bridge at Burra Creek last year and the newly completed Coppabella Creek Bridge.

This sections includes the impressive Buddong Falls in the Kosciuszko National Park and the pituresque Paddys River Dam Campsite in Bago State Forest.

The Track Maintenance team have undertaken continued clean-up work of fallen trees, branches and debris, cutting back overgrowth and reestablishing the track corridor and re-benching work to creating a clear path for walkers. There has also been a program of bridges and boardwalks being replaced over the past 12 months with hundreds of marker posts and bollards installed to replace those lost in the fires, as seen in the below images.

This has been a challenging rebuild due to the ongoing heavy rainfall and flooding that has been experienced, resulting in landslides and track washouts as well as working in difficult terrain with limited accessibility.

Accessing this section of the Hume & Hovell Track by vehicle is via forestry roads which are susceptible to deterioration, which has been exacerbated due to ongoing rain and unfavourable conditions. Visitors will need to check road access before heading out to Bago Forest on the Forestry Corporation website. 

There is now only 22km of track remaining closed along the foreshore of Blowering Dam, which is currently undergoing harvesting operations and cannot be accessed by the public. This work will continue through until mid-2023 and then allow for the next phase of the Hume and Hovell Track to be repaired. 

Since the 2019/2020 bushfires, the forest is now more open and the canopy has been reduced, so walking through this section you are far more exposed. It is a completely different walking experience and will provide a new appreciation for the changing topography. Many new wildflowers and flora have also grown as a result of the environmental exposures and to discover these hidden wonders is a rewarding experience when traversing the track.

Coming through Winer and into the Spring it is a perfect time to explore the Hume & Hovell Track and reconnect with nature and to admire the regeneration and rebirth of Bago State forest as it recovers from the bushfire. Each step that is taken will reconnect walkers with this amazing natural bushland, while encountering some beautiful landscapes, grazing lands, creeks and waterways including Buddong Falls and Paddys River Dam along the way.

The reinstatement of this section will also support the return of the Hume & Hovell Ultra event which will be happening in October 2023, and includes this portion of the track.

There are a range of short walks and track highlights to be experienced and more than 20 campsites now open along the Hume & Hovell Track. Further information can be found on the Hume & Hovell Track Website Hume + Hovell Track (humeandhovelltrack.com.au)