One of the dry stone walls that were constructed as part of the Aqueduct Trail construction some 100 years ago.

As part of the North East Plan for regional Victoria, State and Regional Development and Innovation Minister John Brumby, has released a grant of $100,000 to upgrade the aqueduct trail at Mt Hotham Alpine Resort.

The 10 kilometre trail will be upgraded for the purposes of an elite athlete running track, allowing athletes to train at high altitude.

“This track will become a wonderful addition to Mt Hotham’s summer offer and will allow athletes to train, eat and sleep in the highest village in Australia. We are very pleased to be expanding the resort’s product offering in the non-winter season and are thrilled that we are receiving this assistance to do so.” says the Chairman of the Mt Hotham Resort Management Board, Geoff Provis.

This new development is in line with the State Government’s vision of all season visitation to the resorts as outlined in the Alpine Resorts 2020 Strategy.

The Aqueduct Trail was formerly an aqueduct to carry water to the Brandy Creek mine for gold mining and was constructed some 100 years ago.

Due to the many Chinese workers in the area, the trail was colloquially referred to as ‘Chinaman’s Track’.

The aqueduct was a very substantial structure comprising large sections of stone masonry and is said to have cost 2500 pounds per kilometre to construct.