Plan Book Travel Australia

The Grampians, Victoria. This landscape of stark ridges and strangely shaped rocky outcrops rise spectacularly from western Victoria's plains and farmland. Known to Aboriginal people as Gariwerd, the area is renowned for its rock art and heritage. It has the largest proportion of rock-art sites in south-east Australia. Archaeologists have carbon-dated campfire charcoal in some rock shelters to approximately 22 000 years ago, although the earliest rock art suggests Aboriginal activity in the area may stretch back even further.

The landscape is punctuated by 4 main ranges Mount Difficult Range to the north, and the parallel ridges of Victoria Range,Serra Range and Mount William Range in the south. Protected by one of Victoria's largest national parks, the Grampians cover 1671km of stunning scenery, including wildflowers, panoramic mountain views and intricate ecosystems.

Almost one-third of Victoria's indigenous flora, 35 species of native mammals, 200 bird species and 27 reptile species reside in this unique habitat. Activities include rockclimbing and abseiling, bushwalking and camping out in the rugged bushland.