Tawa Track

The main access point to Tawa Track is on Van Diemen St, next to Fairfield House. There is a small parking bay on the Trafalgar St side of Fairfield Park (just round the corner from the track start). There is also direct access from the end of Endeavour St. Tawa Track can also be accessed via any of the other Grampians tracks it links with.

The beginning of Tawa Track is signposted on Van Diemen St, next to Fairfield House. The track zig-zags upwards for a few hundred metres then sidles the hillside. A few minutes in, the short loop track, Tawa Loop, climbs around the back of Fairfield House and connects with the bottom end of Grampians Walkway. After a further 5 min Ronaki Track branches off uphill to the left. Tawa Track continues along the side of the hill, passing through a variety of exotic tree plantings which are particularly attractive in autumn, when their leaves give the hillside bright yellow and orange hues. Openings in the trees allow good views across the city. Lower Grampians Traverse connects steeply on the right, then after rounding the head of a gully you will reach the junction with Mamaku Track (which connects with Grampians Walkway on top of the ridge). Another branch of Lower Grampians Traverse connects on the right 5 min further on.

Further on there is an increasing amount of climbing, including a couple of short steep sections. The track continues around the southern aspect of Grampians, where a firebreak branches left and climbs steeply to the lookout platform. A short distance later you’ll reach Mahoe Track, after which Tawa turns uphill, climbing to Grampians Saddle (350 m) via a wide grassy corridor.

Once at Grampians Saddle there are several ways you can return (see map).