An alpine camping escape, four hours northeast of Melbourne
Lake Catani is a great place for picnics, canoeing and swimming, and the campgrounds are handy to the many activities on offer at Mount Buffalo National Park, including a new, fully accessible lookout over the spectacular Mount Buffalo Gorge that has a glass-bottomed viewing platform.
Bushwalking, hiking, mountain biking and exploring the granite tors, cliff faces and outcrops high above the Ovens Valley are popular activities, and waterfalls, wildflowers and wildlife abound across the plateau.
The Lake Catani campground sits among snow gums just behind the 100-year-old Mount Buffalo Chalet and access is via a sealed road off the Great Alpine Road at Porepunkah. There are 49 campsites, with some suitable for small caravans or campervans, and several designed for people with limited mobility including separate accessible shower and toilet facilities.
You’ll need your own drinking water, but otherwise there are toilets and hot showers, dishwashing facilities, a mess hall, fireplaces and a basic laundry. A refurbished picnic shelter has accessible toilets, gas barbecues and tables. Two hike-in campsites at nearby Mount McLeod and Rocky Creek are available for a more secluded getaway.