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Buckety Plains Campground is a picturesque bush campground is nestled amongst the alpine trees and seasonal wildflowers on the Bogong high plains.
| Quick Fact Box Toilets – Yes Drop Toilets (always best to take your own paper in case they run out) Dog Friendly – No – No dogs are allowed in the National Park Mobile Reception – With Telstra the occasional text came through but not much else (no reception on hut walk in valley) Bookings? Free. Camping is currently free in designated camping areas in the Alpine National Park – see Parks Vic where fees apply Taking care of the campground – Please don’t collect firewood, it’s habitat in a National Park – take clean, pest free wood with you instead (alternatively you can buy eco wood from vinnies op shops which support its charity work). |
Looking for Camping near Falls Creek?
There is currently no camping available in the Falls Creek Resort however there are nearby 2wd and 4wd accessible campsites in the Alpine National Park.
Buckety Plain is not the closest 2wd bitumen accessible campsite but it is a more sheltered alternative than the Raspberry Hills campground (which is best for views) and is little further off the road so feels like bush camping.
You should mostly avoid Langford West campground unless you are a horse person as it was overflowing with horses, floats and saddles on the weekend I visited (it’s a designated horse camping area). This probably depends on the weekend.
How to get to Buckety Plains campground
You can access the campground via the Bogong High Plains Road (see seasonal road closure info below) which is bitumen all the way to the campground turn off.
While the entrance road is only a few hundred metres and 2wd accessible, like all dirt roads theres a small chance large volumes of rain could make it inaccessible at times.
If you come via Mt Beauty and Falls Creek the views are stunning but it is a winding drive (sometimes with steep sides, good to mentally prepare for if your not the best with heights).
If you come from via Omeo it still has to climb in altitude however the road is a lot less intense (it still does a lot of winding though and some steep sides). This road takes you alongside Big River which is a very pretty drive with riverside campgrounds. I haven’t driven via Mt WIlls.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Buckety plains is a fair weather campground – the access road to the campground Bogong High Plains Road is seasonally closed.
It is closed from around the first snowfalls (generally in late May or June depending on the year) through to later October or November (according to Alpine Shire/Vic Roads).
Because of this, there will be limited crossover with the requirement to carry chains but if travelling close to winter be aware carrying chain rules in Alpine areas may apply.
Visit Vic roads to see the current road open/closed status for bogong high plains road.
Buckety Plains Campground and Toilet
The buckety plains campground is nestled amongst gorgeous small gnarled gums (assume they were snow gum) with some mid storey and lots of ground cover plants. There were some weeds like non native flowers on the edge of campsites and the walking track (which is unfortuantely to be expected in disturbed areas as we spread them on shoes and tyres etc).
There is a main rectangle campground as well as a few seperate camp spots on the road in just before the campground (i’m not sure if they are supposed to be but they are well worn in now). This is where we stayed as the campground was quiet busy on the warm sunny weekend we visited.
On nicer weekends it would pay to arrive earlier in the day, we came very close to missing out on a spot arriving late afternoon and others after us didn’t find one.
The toilet is located to the left of the entrance road at the start of the campground.
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Things to do near Buckety Plain Campground
These activities are seasonal, in the winter months when the campground is closed this is an Alpine area where skiing and snowboarding are popular.
Things to do from the Campground
Faithfulls Hut Walk – around 2km return
2km Return Approximately (I used google maps measuring tool)
You can walk to Faithfulls Hut from the Buckety Plains campground. The hut is down in a valley, so be prepared for an entirely uphill walk back.
You walk via a wider fairly steep track down hill which narrows in some sections. You cross over a creek via makeshift planks of wood/branches (this might be higher after rain) and continue into a more open field area where you can visit the hut. You walk back via the same track.
Always go bushwalking prepared for bad weather in Alpine areas, even for short walks.
Things to do near Buckety Plains Campground
Scenic Drive
Buckey Plains campground is in the Alpine National Park. The drive through the Bogong High Plains has lookouts over mountains and lakes and passes through alpine vegetation which is very unique to high altitude areas. I chose to go via Mt Beauty, camp at buckety plains and then exit via Omeo. This mean we got to see the ecosystems change up and over the mountain, see the Alpine views and also the really pretty valley alongside Big River National Park on the way to Omeo.
Bushwalking
There are loads of bushwalks through this park varying from easy through to multi-day.
Bike Riding
This area is popular with both road an mtb riders. Road riding is popular on the Bogong High Plains road, particularly closer to the resort in the area near Rocky Valley Dam. There are competition races through this area a few times a year.
In the summer months Mountain Bike Riding is popular near the Falls Creek Resort area. You can self shuttle if you have multiple vehicles or Blue Dirt runs a paid shuttle service on weekends over the warmer months.
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