As the highest peak in the Grampians National Park, Mount William (Duwul) quite rightly deserves a moment of your time. But, don’t worry, just because Mount William is the highest point in the Grampians, doesn’t mean it’s the longest, hardest or even the most remote walk to complete in the national park. In fact, far from it. Indeed, reaching the summit of Mount William is one of the most straightforward walks in the Grampians and below, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about completing it.
Check out 15 Best Hikes In The Grampians: The Complete Guide
Table of Contents
Where Is Mount William?
Mount William is located in the central region of the Grampians National Park in Victoria, Australia. To help get your bearings, please click on the image below to access an interactive map of the area on Google Maps.
The Mount William Car Park address is Mt William Rd, Pomonal, VIC, 3401.
How to Get to Mount William
Although Mount William is the highest peak in the Grampians, it’s by no means the hardest walk to reach. That’s because most of the elevation is driven, with a handy car park located just below the summit. Winding up the side of the mountain is the incredibly scenic drive of Mount William Road. You’ll follow this road to the car park, from where you’ll have to walk the remaining 2km.
Reaching the summit of Mount William involves a short but steep walk up a mostly sealed road. It’s not the most exciting walk, but it does the job and the views, as you climb higher, are wonderful. Luckily, the final sections of the trail offer a little more adventure, and the awaiting vistas are quite outstanding.
Below, we’ll briefly cover the trail stats and description of the Mount William Walk.
Mount William Walk Description
- Type: Out & Back
- Distance: 4.2km
- Time: 1-1.5 hours
- Accumulated elevation gain: 300m
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Trailhead: Mount William Car Park
- Map: Wikiloc
After parking at Mount William Car Park, you’ll follow the sealed road up as it winds up the mountain. The hike from here is only 2km, but, it’s a bit of a slog and purely uphill. You’ll be heading towards a communications tower, that’s perched on the top of the mountain.
For Dan and I, our early morning efforts were shrouded in the low-lying morning mist. Indeed, the air was crisp and we knew it would be cold at the top. We were hiking in winter after all. As we focused ahead, we could just about make out the shadows of the mountainside. Climbing higher, the surrounding vegetation begins to change as it adapts to suit the increasingly higher altitude. The forest landscapes dissipate and a mountainside of low shrubs and bushes begins to take shape.
Eventually, you’ll reach the communications tower signalling the summit of Mount William.
Mount William Summit
Reaching the summit took us around 30 minutes. As we’ve said, Mount William is not a long walk, just a little strenuous. After skirting the edges of the communications tower at the top, you’re led out over the rocky outcrop and treated to expansive 360-degree views over the Grampians. Looking down, the morning mist sweeps across the sleepy valley, like a fluffy white blanket slowly being pulled back from the awakening hills below. It’s beautiful.
Once you’ve soaked in the views, return the way you came. As you can imagine, the walk back down Mount William is quick and straightforward. Then, it’s back in the car and on to the next Grampians walk!
Mount William Sunrise & Sunset
Mount William is one of the best places in the Grampians for sunrise and sunset. So, perhaps time your visit for either time of day.
Other Walks From Mount William
As the Mount William Walk is quick and straightforward, you might be keen to try other walks in the area or even other routes to the summit. So, below, we’ll take a look at a few options.
1. Mount William Track
Rather than drive most of the way up Mount William and start the walk from the car park, you can hike the entire mountain if you wish. Beginning from a small car park on Grampians Road, this longer 17km walk to summit Mount William takes around five hours to complete and covers some 850 metres in elevation gain. Don’t worry, there’s a picturesque trail to follow rather than walking the entire length of Mount William Road. Although, you will need to complete the same road walk to the summit from the car park.
You can follow the trail here.
2. Mount William to Boundary Gap
Once at the summit of Mount William, it’s certainly possible to continue your walk a little further. The next most popular place to reach is Boundary Gap. The descent from Mount William to Boundary Gap is a rugged walk but the views are extraordinary. Return the way you came to complete the hike.
3. Mount William to Durd Durd
You can walk a little further than Boundary Gap if you’re up for it and head to Durd Durd. This 1,167m high mountain provides more cracking views across the Great Dividing Range and even has a walk-in campground. The campground is most commonly used by hikers on the Grampians Peaks Trail.
You can follow the trail here.
4. Mount William to Kalymna Falls
It’s possible to reach Kalymna Falls from Mount William. If you follow the trail to Boundary Gap, you can then follow the Mount William Picnic Ground Road towards Kalymna Falls.
You can follow the trail here.
More Grampians Walks
Certainly, there’s an absolute wealth of stellar walks in the Grampians National Park. Below are a handful of our favourites.
- Grampians Pinnacle: hike to this famous lookout in the Grampians National Park.
- Boroka Lookout: one of the best lookouts in the Grampians that’s easy to get to.
- The Balconies Grampians: a classic viewpoint in the Grampians.
- Mackenzie Falls: the best (and biggest) waterfall in the Grampians.
- Silverband Falls: a simple walk to a shimmering cascade.
- Hollow Mountain: outstanding views from a framed orange-walled cave chamber at Hollow Mountain.
- Beehive Falls: a fantastic waterfall in the north of the Grampians, made even better by continuing to walk to Briggs Bluff.
Read more: 12 Must-See Grampians Waterfalls: The Complete Guide
How to Get to the Grampians
The Grampians lie around 250km west of Melbourne and take around three hours to drive to. For those that don’t have a car, it’s possible to take public transport from Melbourne to the Grampians. But, you’re looking at an extremely long journey.
Instead, it’s best to have access to your own set of wheels. If you need a car, we recommend using DiscoverCars.com. It’s a fantastic search engine for finding the cheapest car hire. Search for cheap car hire in Melbourne today. A 2WD will suffice for this adventure.
Getting to Melbourne
Of course, you’ll first need to fly to Melbourne to visit the Grampians if you’re travelling from abroad. We recommend using Skyscanner to search for the cheapest flights. When flying abroad, we always get the ball rolling with a Skyscanner search. Check out cheap flights to Melbourne today!
Where to Stay in the Grampians
Certainly, the most popular place to stay in the Grampians is Halls Gap. This main hub of the Grampians is just 22km from Mount William and so makes it an easy place to base yourself for a walk any time of day. Whilst, Halls Gap is an especially close location if you’re keen to see sunrise or sunset from the mountain. Below, we’ve put together the best budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation options to help plan your trip.
- Budget – Grampians Eco YHA: the main hostel in town is the Grampians Eco YHA. Although the price feels a little steep for a hostel, it’s hard to beat the super clean facilities and enjoy the spacious common rooms.
- Mid-range – Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park: relax in the pool and admire the brilliant mountain views at Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park.
- Luxury – Grampians Chalets: enjoy lake views, friendly kangaroos and a fantastic location at the Grampians Chalets modern and comfortable holiday lets. Also, try the Marwood Villas for a stay in an individual luxurious villa.
Mount William Camping
You can’t camp directly on Mount William. But, if you fancy some remote camping nearby, you can head to Boundary Gap, Kalymna Falls Campground and Jimmy Creek Campground. You can check out how to book these campgrounds on the official Parks Vic website.
Also, if you want to camp with a few more amenities in the Grampians, then head to Halls Gap. Here, you’ll find Halls Gap Caravan Park, Lake Fyans Holiday Park and Breeze Holiday Parks.
More Grampians Accommodation
- Camping in Halls Gap: 8 Epic Campgrounds In Central Grampians
- Camping In The Grampians: The Complete Guide
- Grampians Caravan Parks: 5 Best Caravan Parks in Halls Gap
- Halls Gap Accommodation: Best Hotel, Camping & Caravan Parks
- Grampians Accommodation: Where To Stay & What To Book
Five Gear Essentials For the Mount William Walk
Osprey Skarab 30
The Osprey Skarab 30 is our go-to hiking backpack for day hikes. This well-designed unisex backpack is comfortable and spacious, so you’ll have plenty of space to pack everything without feeling the strain on your upper back.
Osprey Ultralight Raincover
A waterproof backpack cover is an absolute must when you’re adventuring outdoors. The Osprey Ultralight Raincover Medium is a high-quality waterproof cover that’ll keep your backpack bone dry.
GRAYL Reusable Water Bottle
The GRAYL GeoPress is the best water filter bottle that allows you to purify 710mL (12 ounces) of water. This bottle will make water safe to drink wherever you’re hiking.
BUFF Original Ecostretch
The BUFF Original Ecostretch is a great option when it comes to multifunctional headwear. We use the Ecostretch as a neck gaiter to keep the sun off our necks and it helps us keep warm in cooler climates.
Sony Cybershot RX100 VII
Capture epic photos and videos with the Sony Cybershot RX100 VII. This is hands-down the best compact camera. We love using this simple point-and-shoot camera when we’re hiking as it’s lightweight and durable.
To find out more about all of the gear that we use and recommend, read our guides about our favourite hiking gear, travel gear and camera gear. Otherwise, read our comprehensive travel packing checklist.
FAQs
Below, we’ll answer the most frequently asked questions about the Mount William Walk in the Grampians.
How High Is Mount William?
It’s 1,167 metres high.
How Long Is the Walk Up Mount William?
It’s around 2km and takes less than an hour to reach the summit.
Are Dogs Allowed at Mount William?
No, dogs aren’t allowed.
Bonus Tips
- Major Mitchell: at the summit is a stone monument to Major Mitchell, who climbed the mountain during his expedition of the area and named it so.
- Weather: during winter, it’s not uncommon to see snow dusting the summit of Mount William. Whereas, in summer, the exposed walk and summit can be extremely hot. Pack accordingly.
- Mount William, Tasmania: yes, there’s a Mount William in Tasmania too. Check out our adventures in the menu bar.
- More of Victoria: some of our favourite places in Victoria include exploring along the Great Ocean Road, Mornington Peninsula and of course, Wilsons Prom.
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