Hume and Hovell Track

Places along the way

An expedition retraced, one campsite at a time.

Often called one of the state’s best kept secrets, the track follows the 1824 route from Hume’s own home to the Murray, through countryside, forest and wetland, with campsites spaced along the way. The first section is graded easy for its whole length; later sections are strenuous.

Cooma Cottage, Yass

Hume’s home

Hamilton Hume camped here on his way to Port Phillip in 1824 and reportedly fell in love with the place. He later bought the land and cottage and expanded the buildings visitors see today, now a National Trust property and the trackhead.

Listen to this place

Lake Burrinjuck and Cathedral Rocks

The crossing

Through Burrinjuck Nature Reserve, walkers cross Lake Burrinjuck by boat, bookings essential, and pick up the track again near Cathedral Rocks.

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Fitzpatrick Trackhead

A ticket of leave

The end of the first 72 kilometre section is named for James Fitzpatrick, one of six convict servants on the expedition, transported from Ireland under the Insurrection Act and granted a Ticket of Leave for his part in it.

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The Hovell Tree, Albury

Journey’s end

On the bank of the Murray at Albury, William Hovell carved his name into a river red gum in November 1824. The tree still stands, and the track ends beneath it.

Listen to this place

History and First Nations stories

Six convicts, two explorers and the country between.

The 1824 expedition of Hamilton Hume and William Hovell opened the overland route from the settled districts to Port Phillip, but it was made by eight men, six of them assigned convicts, crossing the country of the Ngunnawal, Wiradjuri and other peoples whose pathways and river crossings it followed. The track names the trackheads for those men, and the story of the country it crosses is older than the expedition it commemorates.

National registration begins the journey at a National Trust property and carries that fuller story the whole 426 kilometres to the Murray.

Stories connected to Country are told only with, and as guided by, their custodians, under the First Nations custodianship protocols at the centre of the register’s governance.

Plan this journey

Itineraries, transport and places to stay.

A sample itinerary for the first section and the journey beyond is shown below. The full track is a commitment of eighteen to twenty six days; the first 72 kilometres make a long weekend, with rest areas and campsites conveniently spaced.

Days 1 to 4 · Sample itinerary

Cooma Cottage to Fitzpatrick Trackhead

The easy graded first section, about 72 kilometres and 25 walking hours, through Burrinjuck Nature Reserve with the boat crossing of Lake Burrinjuck.

Days 5 to 14

Into the foothills

South through forest, wetland and farming country in the foothills of the high country, with campsites and shelters along the way.

Days 15 to 26

To the Murray

Down through the southern tablelands to the river, finishing at the Hovell Tree in Albury.

Shorter options

The first section

Cooma Cottage to the Fitzpatrick Trackhead is the classic long weekend, and Cooma Cottage itself is open to visitors.

Itinerary shown is indicative, prepared for the register’s pilot phase. Final itineraries, transport connections and weather feeds publish with the trail’s national launch.

An expedition retraced, one campsite at a time.

Cooma Cottage, Yass

Lake Burrinjuck and Cathedral Rocks

Fitzpatrick Trackhead

The Hovell Tree, Albury

Six convicts, two explorers and the country between.

Itineraries, transport and places to stay.

Cooma Cottage to Fitzpatrick Trackhead

Into the foothills

To the Murray

The first section

Take the trail with you.

School resources

Printable guide

Nearby trails