When the explorers Hume and Hovell pushed south in 1824, they climbed a forested peak north-east of here hoping to glimpse Port Phillip Bay, saw nothing but trees, and named it Mount Disappointment. The name stuck, and the ranges that rise east of Wallan still carry it. Wallan itself is a growing town on the Hume Freeway, the main road from Melbourne to Sydney, and the meeting point of new housing estates and old farmland.
For riders, Wallan is a practical stop on the way to better things. To the north, the Hume heads towards Kilmore, which proudly calls itself Victoria's oldest inland town, and beyond to the Strathbogie Ranges. To the east, roads climb into the Kinglake and Mount Disappointment forests, with tight corners through tall mountain ash and messmate. These forests were devastated by the Black Saturday bushfires of 2009, and the regrowth, with blackened trunks rising from green undergrowth, is still visible in places.
The roads into the ranges are narrow, steep and sometimes gravelly, with blind corners and wildlife. Kangaroos and wombats are a real hazard at dawn and dusk, and logging trucks may appear on forest roads. Weather can change quickly, with cool mists in the hills while the plains bake. In summer, check fire danger ratings before heading into the forests.
Wallan has fuel stations, fast food outlets and supermarkets, as well as a few cafés. The highway service centres nearby are open long hours. Fill up here before heading into the ranges or onwards, as the forest roads offer few services. Whether you are heading towards the Otways via the western suburbs or simply taking a loop through the hills, Wallan is where the city ends and the country begins.