At Poet’s Walk, a poem is more than just a title: six stone cairns engraved with stanzas stand along the one-kilometre trail. Together with the exhibitions and workshops at the Great Alpine Gallery and other riverside trails, they give you several points of focus when planning a stay in Swifts Creek.

Art in the gallery and along the trail

The Great Alpine Gallery hosts a range of exhibitions throughout the year. Workshops are also held at various times, led by local and visiting artists. Dates vary from one workshop to another. If you have a particular workshop in mind, it’s best to check its date in advance.

Poet’s Walk was inspired by “A River’s Mark”, a poem by the late artist John Butler. Its six engraved stanzas are spread across six stone cairns along the trail. The walk therefore brings together a clear literary theme and a precisely described route: it starts at the Great Alpine Road bridge, follows Swifts Creek to its confluence with the Tambo River, and ends at the bridge on McMillan Street.

Another public artwork is the Mosaic Seat near Sheltons Lane. It was created by artists from the Great Alpine Gallery with support from children at Swifts Creek Primary School. For anyone interested in local art, it offers another work to discover, with its own location and story of how it was made, alongside the gallery and the poem stanzas.

Trails through river country and the valley

The Town to Sheltons Lane trail runs along a path parallel to the Great Alpine Road. It leads from the McMillan Street intersection to Sheltons Lane. From the trail, you can enjoy sweeping views of the river flats and the higher, forested ridges above the Tambo Valley. Its description pairs a specific route with views of the valley landscape.

Another option is Caravan Park to McLarty’s Gate. The trail starts at the caravan park by the McMillan Street bridge over the Tambo River and runs for one kilometre to a farm gate on the opposite side of the road. The route follows the river; its character is shaped by a quiet country road, rustic wooden fences and views of the surrounding farmland.

Along this trail, you can look for platypuses by the riverbanks in the early morning or evening, especially in the cooler months. Sightings are not guaranteed. The time of day and season can therefore help you plan if you’d like to include this wildlife-watching opportunity in your visit.

The best trail for you depends on what interests you: Poet’s Walk pairs poem stanzas with a trail along Swifts Creek, Town to Sheltons Lane offers views of river flats and forested ridges, and Caravan Park to McLarty’s Gate follows the river and passes farmland. Gallery exhibitions and workshops add a cultural focus, though individual workshop dates vary.

Discover more destinations: Wodonga, Flinders, Bandiana, Foster, Boort, Flowerdale, Rawson, Kardella South.

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.