WHAT kind of walker are you - the intrepid explorer, the nature lover, the foodie or the wellbeing seeker?
Well whatever you are there's a walk or two for you at the Australian-first, seven-day Festival of Short Walks.
It's time to break out of your winter cocoon and celebrate the wonders of spring in the Victoria's glorious north east.
The story-book villages of Beechworth, Chiltern, Yackandandah and Rutherglen are stepping it up and out from October 14 - 20 with a vibrant program of more than 30 guided walks and 40 self-guided walks, each designed to give an experience rich in nature, arts, culture, wine, food and lots of stories.
Victoria's high country has been home to notorious bushrangers, prestigious artists and celebrated winemakers and the Festival of Short Walks unearths stories, old, new and unexpected, connecting people to place.
Visitors can escape winter city blues and immerse themselves in nature, revel in local culture, soak up springtime vistas.
"There's so much to do and see during the festival," said Indigo Shire Mayor, Bernard Gaffney. We are encouraging festival visitors to sample everything the region offers during the week-long walking program.
"Reconnect with your family and your friends and take a stroll through remarkable landscapes, gold rush villages, warm and welcoming communities and their rich stories."
Some of the things you can do include:
- Forage and feast in Rutherglen with a 7th generation winemaker.
- Refine your drawing and bird watching skills guided by a local artist in the Chiltern Mount Pilot National Park, home to the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater.
- Stroll down Yackandandah's village street with local guide Rod, who shares a story of debauchery and misadventure at every corner.
- Finish the week atop Beechworth's glorious, golden, granite boulders, sipping a drop of Beechworth's finest wine, while you share a story or two of your own.
Visit walkhighcountry.com.au/festival-of-short-walks and create your short walks wish list.