The Fortress

Starting from the car park on Harrops Track, Glenisla, this return walk takes you to The Fortress and back, visiting Deep Creek Camping Area along the way. This is a fantastic walk for experienced walkers and offers panoramic views of Honeysuckle and Deep Creek that can be observed throughout the journey. The adventurers can climb the main peak of The Fortress and enjoy wider views. There are certain sections with a rocky texture along the path, and it can be slippery during the wet season, so you might want to check out the weather conditions around the area before a visit. Let us begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we travel today, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.

Downloads GPX PDF

Safer Bushwalks Tips on staying safe on track
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.

Getting There Transport options and directions

Start	(-37.2824163,142.2663891)
Mode	Car
Directions	From Henty Highway, A200, Glenisla. Turn on to Billywing Road then drive for 4.9 km Turn slight right onto Red Rock Road and drive for another 650 m Turn left onto Harrops Track and drive for another 5.9 km Turn left and drive for another 2 m

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start. There is a car park (about 6 m back from the start). Find the gate at the start.
	After another 860 m veer right, to head along The Fortress Walk. After another 3.1 km cross the ford. After another 35 m come to the "Deep Creek Hiker Camp" (on your left).
	The starting point of an optional sidetrip. This side trip takes you to the main peak of The Fortress. To start this optional side trip continue straight here. On returning from this side trip turn left when you get back to this intersection. Details below. After another 620 m turn right. After another 90 m continue straight.
	After another 105 m turn right. After another 125 m continue straight.
	After another 235 m come to "The Fortress". Turn around here and retrace the main route for 5.2 km to get back to the start.

This side trip takes you to the main peak of The Fortress.

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start heading along The Fortress Walk.
	After another 460 m turn right. After another 30 m come to the "The Fortress Hiker Camp" (on your left).
	After another 75 m come to "The Fortress (main peak)". The end. Turn around and retrace your steps back the 560 m to the main route.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

The Fortress

Grading

	Class 4/6 Hard track
Length	10.4 km
Time	4 h 30 min to 6 h 30 min

Quality of track	Rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely (4/6)
Gradient	Short steep hills (3/6)
Signage	Directional signs along the way (3/6)
Infrastructure	Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)
Experience Required	Moderate level of bushwalking experience recommended (4/6)
Weather	Storms may impact on navigation and safety (3/6)

Some facilities on route

Camp site: There are 2 on route, on average they are 3.8 km apart with the largest gap of 6.2 km.

Order of key facilities on route

Item	From Start	Name & link to notes
Camp site	4 km	Deep Creek Hiker Camp
Camp site	4.7 km + 490 m	The Fortress Hiker Camp

Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- Ararat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
  
  Sunday 6 October
  
  18°C
  Shower or two.
  50% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, becoming less likely this afternoon. Winds westerly 25 to 35 km/h turning northwesterly in the late afternoon. Daytime maximum temperatures around 18.
  
  Fire Danger Rating: Moderate
  
  UV Alert: Sun protection 10:10am to 4:20pm, UV Index predicted to reach 6 [High]
  
  Monday 7 October
  
  11°C → 17°C
  Showers.
  90% chance of rain
  1 → 6mm
  
  Cloudy. Very high chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Winds northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h turning southwesterly 25 to 35 km/h in the late morning and early afternoon then tending south to southwesterly 15 to 20 km/h in the late evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between 9 and 12 with daytime temperatures reaching around 15.
  
  Tuesday 8 October
  
  4°C → 14°C
  Cloudy.
  10% chance of rain
  
  Cloudy. Slight chance of a shower near the Otways, near zero chance elsewhere. Winds southerly 15 to 20 km/h becoming light during the evening. Overnight temperatures falling to between 3 and 7 with daytime temperatures reaching around 14.
  
  Wednesday 9 October
  
  2°C → 19°C
  Early frost. Sunny.
  5% chance of rain
  
  Sunny. Patches of morning frost. Light winds becoming north to northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day then becoming light during the afternoon. Overnight temperatures falling to between 1 and 4 with daytime temperatures reaching around 19.
  
  Thursday 10 October
  
  9°C → 21°C
  Shower or two.
  50% chance of rain
  0 → 2mm
  
  Shower or two.
  
  Friday 11 October
  
  7°C → 15°C
  Shower or two.
  50% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Shower or two.
  
  Saturday 12 October
  
  5°C → 17°C
  Partly cloudy.
  20% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Alerts
- Parks Victoria Alerts
  When planning and before starting your trip please check Parks Victoria closure website for anything that may impact on your plans.

Weather Forecast

Alerts