The 13-day 144km walking trail planned for the Grampians National Park recently received $29 million in funding from the Federal and Victorian state governments.

About 70 kilometres of the trail is already in place, but a further 80-odd kilometres of new track and connections will be built. The first section is now complete and offers a 36 km, 3 day/2 night circuit walk departing from Halls Gap.

The Grampians Peaks Trail will link the popular national park’s rugged sandstone outcrops, waterfalls, low-lying wetlands, moist ferny gullies and jagged peaks. With camp sites every 10-12 kilometres, the trail could take 13 days to walk.

Chris Rose, acting chief executive of Parks Victoria, said the Grampians Peaks Trail would become an “icon walk” for Victoria, alongside the Great South West Walk in the south west and the Wilson’s Promontory circuit track.