Lankeys Creek: Hiking the Hume and Hovell Track

In Lankeys Creek, a short path down to the creek meets longer sections of the Hume and Hovell Track. This lets you weigh up different hiking options for your trip: a short walk at Lankeys Creek Campsite or a stage with a specified distance and walking time. The track’s history also recalls the expedition of Hamilton Hume and William Hovell.

Getting there and the path to the creek

Lankeys Creek Campsite can be reached via Holbrook-Jingellic Road. From the intersection with Tumbarumba-Jingellic Road, it is 8.6 km in the direction of Holbrook. Access is via a sharp, easy-to-miss right turn off Jingellic Road, marked by a Hume and Hovell signpost. Check road conditions and signage before setting out.

A short footpath leads from the campsite’s small car park, over the fence and down to the creek. This path is on a different scale from the longer track sections: you can factor in the short access to the creek before choosing one of the designated hiking routes.

Hiking stages and historic traces

The Hume and Hovell Walking Track follows the route taken by Hamilton Hume and William Hovell on their 1824 expedition to Port Phillip, now Melbourne. Lankeys Creek Campsite is also part of this history: it was one of the campsites used during the original expedition.

The Hume and Hovell Track section from Lankeys Creek Campsite to Tin Mines Campground is listed as 20.8 km, with an estimated walking time of seven hours and a moderate difficulty rating. Another route leads from the Munderoo logbook at Carboona Gap to the campsite. The walking notes list it as 15 km and also rate it as moderate; the track’s mapping resources give a distance of 14 km for this connection. This comparison puts a longer section with a stated walking time alongside a shorter route with two different distance figures.

This lets you plan your hike around the specific routes: you can compare the 20.8 km stage and its estimated time with the connection from Carboona Gap. Both are rated moderate. For the second route, the mapping resources list 14 km, while the walking notes give 15 km.

Accommodation and trip planning

Hillview Oak Bed and Breakfast has an address in Lankeys Creek and offers a relaxing stay in picturesque rural surroundings. Check availability directly with the operator. For choosing activities, the difference between the short footpath to the creek and a track section estimated to take seven hours is a useful point of reference. This can help you decide whether your trip will focus on a short walk to the creek or a longer hiking stage.

In the wider Greater Hume Shire Council travel region

For regional context, Woomargama National Park offers a different perspective on nature and activities in the wider Greater Hume Shire Council travel region. The park covers 24,185 hectares and is the largest conservation area west of the Great Dividing Range. It offers more than 100 km of unsealed roads for four-wheel-drive vehicles and mountain bikes. The Hume and Hovell Track section from Lankey’s Creek to Bowna also passes through the national park.

Birdwatchers in Woomargama National Park may spot, among other species, the Regent Honeyeater, Superb Parrot and Powerful Owl. Norths Lookout offers a different view: the natural granite platform sits at an elevation of about 1,000 metres and provides a 180-degree panorama of the Upper Murray Valley, the western side of the Snowy Mountains, the Riverina District and Holbrook. These regional options complement the hiking information for Lankeys Creek without treating the different places or activities as the same.

Discover more destinations: Moree, Goolgowi, Nashdale, Heatherbrae, Chinderah, Picton, Dorrigo, Rookhurst.

For the wider travel overview: New South Wales.