A new art gallery, bushwalking and a drive through history

What a beautiful month February is for a scenic drive along the Bogong High Plains Road and it’s been made all the more rewarding by the opening of a small art gallery in the historic Bogong Village.

“We have always wanted to give a different voice to this village,” says Madelynne Cornish of the unique WWII-era hydroelectric-scheme settlement that rests in the sub-alpine landscape between Mount Beauty and Falls Creek.

Cornish, a respected audio-visual and sound artist and director of the Bogong Centre for Sound Culture (B-CSC), has just launched a revolving exhibition space featuring the works of some of the B-CSC’s artists in residence. All works examine an aspect of the High Country’s alpine area.

The first exhibition, Above The Snow Line by Melbourne photographer Sarah Lynch, known for her botanical studies, features six exceptional images of the Bogong High Plains snow gums set alongside a soundscape by Madelynne Cornish that bestows a truly immersive experience.

“Sarah was particularly interested in the plight of the snow gums, how they’re being affected by drought, fire, and in particular, the longhorn beetle,” said Cornish. “She wanted to capture the majesty of the snow gums and the beauty of them to help people think about what it would be like if these snow gums all die off, because they’re slowly dying off.”

Art Gallery

The B-CSC gallery, located off Main Street in the old school building at Bogong Village, is open Fridays to Sundays between 10.30am and 4pm. Above The Snow Line runs until Sunday 23 February, after which a new exhibition by Lesley Duxbury, featuring Bogong Village’s Lake Guy, will open with a talk by the artist on Saturday 1 March 2025.

The small gallery perfectly complements a day trip to the scenic Bogong Village, which overlooks Lake Guy. The historic settlement is open to the general public, however, other than the B-CSC gallery, the village is quite sleepy in summer, so pack a picnic lunch or prepare for a BBQ by dropping into Mount Beauty’s coveted Farm To Fork Butchery for superb local meats before you begin your journey up the Bogong High Plains Road.

Ropers Lookout

When travelling up the Bogong High Plains Road from Mount Beauty, the first sight you’ll come across at the 8km mark is Ropers Lookout, a small vehicle pull-out on the eastern side of the road with spectacular views of Mount Bogong, Victoria’s highest mountain at 1,986m.

Clover Dam

As the road climbs ever higher, below to the east as you reach the 10km mark, you’ll see the waters of Clover Dam, one of the pondages along the East Branch of the Kiewa River that forms part of the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme that runs between Falls Creek and Mount Beauty. You’d be interested to know that it’s the largest hydro scheme in Victoria and the second largest in Australia after the Snowy Hydro. Clover Dam is an idyllic spot perfect for brown trout fishing between September and early June (fishing licence required).

Clover Arboretum

A kilometre further up the Bogong High Plains Road, presiding over its western slope, you’ll spot a rather mysterious garden. The moss-covered magic of Clover Arboretum now forms part of the Alpine National Park, but it was once a small workers village of 17 houses built in 1941 to support the construction of the Clover Dam. The houses are long since gone, but the site’s terraced grounds and the exotic trees planted by the village’s residents remain. A dirt track at the arboretum’s southern end allows you to pull in to walk amid the old stone footings and shady trees.

A quiet seat at Clover Arboretum, between Mount Beauty and Falls Creek

Lake Guy

At the 14km mark, you’ll reach the entrance to Bogong Village and the road down to Lake Guy, which is another part of the hydro. An enjoyable 3km walk circles the lake, including a jaunt through the tunnel located inside its Junction Dam wall, built in 1944. You can start the walk at the picnic ground at the southern end of Lake Guy by the banks of Rocky Valley Creek, where you’ll find picnic tables, bins and a public toilet, or at Lake Guy Park at the end of Main Street, where there are picnic tables, electric BBQs, a children’s playground and public toilets. It’s also a nice place to go for a dip. Bogong Village, which once housed the hydro workers, now houses ski workers during the snow season, so while the village is immaculately kept, you’ll practically have it to yourself in summer. Don’t forget to drop into the art gallery while you’re there.

A bridge crossing the river that feeds Lake Guy at Bogong Village

Fainter Falls

Just 2km further up the road at the 16km mark, just before the bridge, you’ll find the start of a short walk along Fainter Creek to the lovely Fainter Falls. The walk is 1.4km-return, which will take about 40 min, and is fairly easy save for a few steep steps up to the viewing platform at the end. The falls are particularly beautiful after rain.

If you’ve done all the above, you’ll have made a full day of it and will likely be ready to head back to Mount Beauty and chill at Mountain Monk Brewery or Quaff Wine Bar. Alternatively, you can continue a further 11km up the Bogong High Plains Road to stay at Falls Creek where you can enjoy one of the many alpine bushwalks, with spectacular views and dazzling displays of alpine wildflowers, or hit the mountain bike trails of the Falls Creek Bike Park.

Whatever you choose, have fun!

Fainter Falls walk, between Falls Creek and Mount Beauty