Halls Gap: what to see, where to stay and how to get around

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Gariwerd, the Grampians, is a run of sandstone ranges that rise out of flat farmland like breaking waves, all steep on one side and gentle on the other. Halls Gap sits in the gap between two of them, and the best views are on the roads that climb out of it. This drive goes up to the lookouts and the falls of the western side, then swings south to the highest peak. It is a full day by car with short walks; leave in the morning and be back before dusk, when the kangaroos are on the road.

A short history of Halls Gap

This small town lies in a valley in the heart of the Grampians range, which the local peoples call Gariwerd. The caves and rock shelters of the range hold most of the known Aboriginal rock art in the state of Victoria. In 1841 the stockman Charles Browning Hall came to the valley, and the town is named after him. In 1984 the area was declared a national park.

The ten best sights in Halls Gap

1
Halls Gap town centre
Walk to the sports oval near the shops in the late afternoon: eastern grey kangaroos come down to graze on the grass at dusk, and they are wild, so keep your distance and do not feed them
2
Brambuk – The National Park & Cultural Centre
Go here first, before the rock art sites, to understand what you are looking at; check the opening days and hours before you drive over, as they change and the centre has had long closures
3
Bunjil's Shelter
Off the main loop, in the Black Range near Stawell, so combine it with the drive in or out; the painting sits behind a protective screen, and it is a sacred site, so do not touch the rock
4
Ngamadjidj Shelter
In the far north of the park, about an hour from Halls Gap; it is a short level walk from the car park, so pair it with Gulgurn Manja on the same drive
5
Gulgurn Manja Shelter
A short uphill walk through rock to the shelter; worth it for the small handprints, so bring water in summer as there is no shade on the way
6
Manja Shelter
In the remote south-west of the park on gravel roads; only for those with a spare half-day, and check road closures first
7
Boroka Lookout
The quickest big view from town, a few metres from the car park, over Halls Gap and Lake Bellfield; come at sunrise, before the coaches
8
MacKenzie Falls
The steep track to the base can close after storms, fires and floods; check Parks Victoria before you go, and allow time for the climb back up
9
Venus Baths
Rock pools you can walk to from the shops; the rock is slippery when wet, and after heavy rain the creek runs fast, so keep children out of the water then
10
Wonderland Car Park
The start of the classic walk to the Pinnacle; tracks in this area have closed after fires and floods, so check before you set out and start early in summer heat

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What is an audio walk?

Tours in Halls Gap →

A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Halls Gap:

Free walking tours in Halls Gap

Above the valley

Boroka Lookout · It stands on the edge of the Mount Difficult Range, one of the ranges that tilt like waves. From the platform you see the steep side of the next range, the Mount William Range, across the Fyans valley.
Lake Wartook · The MacKenzie River starts at this reservoir. The water you see here is the same water that goes over MacKenzie Falls downstream.
Zumsteins · Named after Walter Zumstein, a beekeeper who settled here early in the twentieth century and became known for taming the local kangaroos. Feeding them is now banned, because it made them sick and aggressive.
MacKenzie Falls · Its Aboriginal name is Mikunung Wira. It is one of the few large waterfalls in Victoria that flow all year round, because the reservoir upstream keeps feeding it.
Silverband Falls · At the foot of the fall the water does not run away in a stream: it sinks into the sand and rock of the creek bed and disappears from sight.
Mount William · At 1,167 m it is the highest peak of Gariwerd. The summit carries telecommunication towers, which is why a sealed road reaches almost to the top.

The Pinnacle and the town

Halls Gap is a one-street town of a few hundred people that fills up on weekends, and the walks start almost at the shop doors. The best known goes up through a sandstone gorge to the Pinnacle, a ledge that hangs over the town. This route starts in the centre, takes the creek to the rock pools, then climbs to the top by the classic path. Allow about four to five hours with breaks; in summer start early, and check track closures first.

Halls Gap General Store · There is no big supermarket in Halls Gap; the nearest ones are in Stawell, about 25 km away. Buy water and lunch here, as there is nothing on the track.
Halls Gap · The town is named after Charles Browning Hall, a cattleman who came through the gap in the range in 1841.
Venus Baths · The pools are scooped out of flat sandstone slabs by Stony Creek, the creek that runs through the middle of the town.
Wonderland Car Park · The steep path to the Pinnacle starts here and climbs through the Grand Canyon; it is about 2 km each way, almost all of it uphill on the way out.
Grand Canyon · A narrow sandstone gorge, and higher up the path squeezes through Silent Street, a slot between rock walls so tight and sheltered that the wind and noise drop away.
Sundial Car Park · The easier way to the Pinnacle: from here the path climbs less and joins the Wonderland path near the top. Use it if you want the view without the gorge.

Gariwerd of the first peoples

Long before it was the Grampians, this was Gariwerd, country of the Djab Wurrung and Jardwadjali peoples, and it holds most of the known Aboriginal rock art in Victoria. The paintings are small, in red ochre and white clay, in shallow shelters under overhanging rock. This route starts at the cultural centre in Halls Gap and then reaches out to the shelters in the east, the north and the south-west. They are far apart, so it is two half-days by car, not one loop.

Brambuk – The National Park & Cultural Centre · The building was designed by the architect Gregory Burgess together with the Aboriginal communities of the region, and its curving roof is meant to recall a cockatoo with its wings raised.
Bunjil's Shelter · It shows Bunjil, the creator being of the peoples of this region, with two dogs at his side. It is the only known rock painting of Bunjil.
Ngamadjidj Shelter · Unlike most sites in the park, the figures here are painted in white clay rather than red ochre. The shelter is behind a wire screen, to protect the paintings.
Gulgurn Manja Shelter · The name means "hands of young people": the wall is covered in small handprints, many of them children's, together with lines of emu tracks.
Hollow Mountain · In 2019 Parks Victoria closed parts of the park to rock climbing to protect Aboriginal cultural heritage, and the climbing crags of this northern area were at the centre of that row.
Manja Shelter · Manja means "hand", and the shelter is known for its hand stencils, made by blowing pigment around a hand held flat against the rock.

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Getting to Halls Gap and getting around

Stawell station · The nearest railway station to Halls Gap, about 25 km away; coach connections on to the town are few, so check the V/Line timetable before planning a trip without a car
Halls Gap coach stop · Coaches stop by the information centre on the main road. If you drive, avoid the roads at dusk and dawn: kangaroos and wallabies cross without warning, and hitting one is a real risk

Cheap eats in Halls Gap

Food in Halls Gap means a pie or a burger between walks and a café breakfast before them; it is a small town, and most places sit on one stretch of the main road. Many close early in the evening and some close on quieter weekdays, so check before you count on dinner. On the lookout drives there is nothing to buy, so pack lunch in town. Prices below are rough.

Halls Gap Bakery · A meat pie and a coffee for the road, about A$12-16
Halls Gap General Store · Bread, cheese and fruit for a lookout picnic for two, about A$25-35
Livefast Cafe · A cooked breakfast and a flat white, about A$25-35
The Town Fryer · Fish and chips to eat in the park, about A$15-25
Hungry Hikers · A burger after the Pinnacle, about A$15-25
Black Panther Cafe Bar · Coffee and a light lunch on the main road, about A$15-30

Museums in Halls Gap

Brambuk – The National Park & Cultural Centre · The story of Gariwerd and its peoples; check days and hours before you go
Bunjil's Shelter · The most important rock painting in the region, near Stawell
Ngamadjidj Shelter · White painted figures in the north of the park, a short flat walk
Gulgurn Manja Shelter · Children's handprints and emu tracks, a short climb
Manja Shelter · Hand stencils in the remote south-west; gravel roads

Nature and day trips near Halls Gap

MacKenzie Falls · The big waterfall; steep steps to the base, so check the track is open
Grand Canyon · The gorge on the classic way up to the Pinnacle, from Wonderland car park
Boroka Lookout · The big view without a walk; best at sunrise
Silverband Falls · A short forest walk to a fall that vanishes into the rock
Mount William · The highest peak; a steep walk up the last stretch of closed road
Hollow Mountain · Honeycombed rock in the north of the park; a steep scramble near the top

Things to do in Halls Gap with kids

Kangaroos on the town oval · Free and every evening: kangaroos grazing at dusk; keep your distance
Zumsteins · A grassy picnic ground by the river on the way to MacKenzie Falls
Halls Gap Zoo · Koalas, wombats and other native animals up close, plus exotic species
Venus Baths · Rock pools for paddling, an easy walk from the shops
Lake Bellfield · A lakeside stop south of town with the ranges reflected in the water

Where to eat in Halls Gap

Pomonal Estate · A glass of local shiraz at the cellar door before dinner; check opening days
Kookaburra Bar & Bistro · Dinner on the main road, about A$35-50 a main course; book on weekends
Paper Scissors Rock Brew Co · Local beer and a pub meal, about A$30-45
Spirit of Punjab · Indian curries, a change from pub food, about A$25-40
Halls Gap Hotel · A country pub at the north end of town, about A$30-45 a main course

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Frequently asked questions about Halls Gap

What is there to see in Halls Gap?

The top sights in Halls Gap are Halls Gap town centre, Brambuk – The National Park & Cultural Centre and Bunjil's Shelter. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.

How many days do you need in Halls Gap?

Three to four days are enough to see the best of Halls Gap without rushing, including at least one walking tour.

Is there a free walking tour in Halls Gap?

Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Halls Gap, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Above the valley.

How do you get to Halls Gap and get around?

The main ways are Stawell station and Halls Gap coach stop. Full details are in the transport section on this page.

Where to stay in Halls Gap, and for how much?

sleepntrip shows only rooms in Halls Gap that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.

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