This walk has been on the list for a while. And by "a while" I mean the kind of while where you've been saying you'll do it for so long that it starts to feel like something you've already done. Anyway. We did it.

The drive up Mt Buller is beautiful, windy, and occasionally provides a small boost of adrenaline at the sharper corners. If you’re a kiwi driver, you know the corners where the best drive is by borrowing the other side of the road occasionally.

Parking at the top was interesting. Scarce would be the polite word. We ended up in an authorised-only area in front of the main resort square which in winter would be absolute chaos but in autumn was tumbleweeds. A couple of carloads of mountain bikers had made the same executive decision so we figured we'd be fine. (We were fine.)

The first kilometre is proper hiking on an actual walking track, which is lovely. After that it opens out to a 4WD track for pretty much the rest of the day, which is less romantic but perfectly pleasant. Our usual strategy is to hike for 90 minutes and then stop for a snack, and this worked out beautifully: after 90 minutes of mostly downhill we arrived at Howqua Hut, which is a brilliant stopping place complete with a hut, picnic table, and an outhouse for those who need it. Extra points for enjoying a scenic toilet stop by leaving the door open….

From Howqua it was a steady hour and a half uphill to the top of Mount Stirling. We encountered five 4WDs on the way up, which means cars outnumbered people by a fairly comfortable margin. This was only exceeded by the 15 vehicular meetings on the way down. The scenery at the top is spectacular and more than worth the climb as well as a perfect spot for another snack and the obligatory top-of-the-mountain photos that nobody asked for but everybody takes.

Then it was back the way we came to Howqua for another break (the picnic table was just as good the second time), and then a slightly different route home looping around behind Corn Hill. Mostly gravel road, which is easy enough on the feet but does have a certain… tedious quality. And as is always the way in the final kilometres, it felt like the car was getting further away rather than closer. It was at this point however that I did start to silently scenario plan on the off-chance that parking wardens and tow truck drivers were as vigilant at the top of the mountain as they are at sea-level in Melbourne.

Rounding Corn Hill we rejoined the original track and dragged ourselves back to the car. Foot-sore, weary, and deeply regretting the decision not to bring the Stanley thermos. The post-hike hot chocolate is a non-negotiable in this household and having to go without it is a mistake I will not be making again.

In summary, an excellent day hike with a variety of scenery, challenging without being technically difficult and worth the trek from Melbourne!