Mount Imlay Summit Track: Fire, Regrowth, and Resilience

Mount Imlay, sitting in far south-east New South Wales, offers one of those walks that lingers in the memory not just for its views, but for its raw reminder of nature’s cycles. When we walked it, the scars of recent bushfires were impossible to miss: melted trail signs, blackened trunks, and skeletal trees lining the ridges. Yet alongside that destruction was something equally powerful – life returning.

The view back down the valley - treebeards everywhere

Starting the Climb

The track begins in Mount Imlay National Park, quickly tilting upwards. This is not a gentle stroll – it’s a steep climb almost from the start, winding through eucalypt forest and rocky outcrops. What struck me most was the silence broken only by bird calls, with stretches of burnt forest creating an eerie but strangely beautiful atmosphere.

Ascent to Imlay

Bushfire Impact

One of the most confronting sights was the trail signage, warped and melted into unrecognisable lumps by the intensity of the fire. The path itself was still well-marked, but the scars on the landscape were stark reminders of how fierce the fires had been in 2019/20. The forest was a mix of charred trunks standing tall and new shoots of green pushing up defiantly from the base of trees.

A reminder of our burning planet

The Wildflowers Return

Among the blackened stems, a different story was unfolding. Bright pink wildflowers and fresh ferns dotted the undergrowth, turning what could have been a sombre walk into something far more hopeful. Each burst of colour was a reminder that regrowth begins almost immediately, and that resilience is stitched into the Australian bush.

From death, life

Reaching the Summit

The track climbs steadily for around 3 km before reaching the summit (888m). From the top, you’re rewarded with expansive views over the Nadgee Wilderness, the South Coast, and inland ranges. On a clear day, you can see as far as Mallacoota. Standing there, with the contrast of blackened trees below and sweeping vistas beyond, it’s impossible not to reflect on both the fragility and the strength of this landscape.

Bald bloke tops mountain

Key Info

• Distance: 6 km return

• Time: 3–4 hours (allow extra time for breaks on the steep sections)

• Grade: Hard (steep climb, rough underfoot in parts)

• Start/Finish: Mount Imlay carpark, Mount Imlay National Park

• Best season: Autumn and spring (avoid hot summer days – there is little shade on burnt sections)

• Fees: $8 per vehicle per day (payable at entry points to Mount Imlay National Park)

• Facilities: None – bring all water and supplies

Room with a view

Why It’s Worth It

The Mount Imlay Summit Track is not just a physical challenge – it’s a walk through resilience. The melted signs and burnt trunks tell the story of devastation, while the wildflowers, new shoots, and sweeping summit views remind you of renewal.

It’s a hike that makes you sweat, makes you think, and leaves you with a deep appreciation of the bush’s ability to recover.

The route back down

My Rating

🎒🎒🎒🎒☆ (4 out of 5 backpacks)

Why:

Highlights: Incredible summit views, striking bushfire regrowth, wildflowers in bloom.

Downsides: A tough, unrelenting climb with limited shade, and some sections still bear the raw scars of fire.