Extending for 25 kilometres north of the town of Glenrowan in north-east Victoria, is a steep scarped range known locally as the Warbys. The combination of excellent viewing points along the ridge, pleasant picnic spots and outstanding variety of birdlife and wildflowers provides visitors with a memorable experience.

Things to see and do

* Management tracks and the open grassy understorey are ideal for easy walking. Make sure to bring water to the park in summer and carry it on walks

* Bushwalkers wishing to camp away from the roads and tracks are required to make arrangements with the ranger before their trip

* The views from Ryan's Lookout are exceptional, especially in winter. To get an overall appreciation of the varying Warby landscape, motorists can take a short round trip starting at Ryan's Lookout and going along Gerrett Road before linking up with Adam's Track and the Thoona Road

* The one kilometre Pine Gully Nature Walk, starting near the picnic area beside the Wangaratta-Thoona Road, 4.5 kilometres west of Ryan's Lookout, provides a good introduction to the plants and animals of the Warbys. The walk is reasonably strenuous and takes and hour to complete suitable footwear is essential

* At Wenhams camp the Friends of Warby Ranges have constructed a 4km walking track. There is an information brochure box at each end of the track. This track connects to another leading to the Kwat Kwat lookout which gives a magnificent view of Wangaratta and the snow capped mountains of Mount Buffalo, Falls Creek and Mount Bogong

* Other lookouts are the Pangarang lookout near Pine Gully Picnic Area and Mt Glenrowan Lookout, at the highest point of the Warbys at an elevation of 513 metres. Mt Glenrowan Lookout is accessed from Tamnick Gap Road.

Local directions

The Warby Range extends from Glenrowan in the south to the Kilawarra State Forest in the north. It is approximately 11km east of Wangaratta. Leaving Wangaratta via the Yarrawonga Rd there are a choice of approaches; the Wangandary-Thoona Rd, Warby Tower Rd and Boweya Rd. In the south access is available via Tamnick Gap Rd.

Facilities

Activities

Additional business information

Heritage
The Warby Range was originally named Futters Range by Major Mitchell during his travels through the area in 1836. It was later renamed after Ben Warby who took up the Taminick run of 9300ha in 1844. Despite its modest height (approximately 400m), the 400 million year old granite range probably offered good vantage points to Ned Kelly and his fellow bushrangers in the late 1800s. From the summit of Mt Glenrowan, they could easily oversee the comings and goings in the small town of Glenrowan. In 1979, the Warby Range was declared a state park in recognition of its scenic value to the area and the diversity of plant and animal species it supports. The park approximately doubled in size in 1989, to 6880ha, with the addition of the Warby Range State Forest. The park was expanded again in 2002 to 11,460ha. Little is known about Aboriginal use of the area, but it is believed to be significant because of the abundant food resources available in the rivers and swamps of the surrounding valleys. Rock wells in the northwest of the park and surface artefact scatters at Black Springs are some of the few known remaining signs of Aboriginal occupation in the park. Permanent springs rising at the foot of the range may also have been important sites. All aboriginal material and sites are protected.