Visitors to return but fire-hit areas still off limits

The entire park remains closed but Halls Gap, a village in its northeast, will welcome back visitors on Wednesday morning after authorities declared the fire contained.

Unaffected park areas will then reopen to visitors on Friday morning, including the northern section of the Grampians Peaks Trail from Mt Zero to Halls Gap, the popular MacKenzie Falls and Zumsteins Historic Area, the Stapylton and Smiths Mill campgrounds.

Further south, patrons will also be able to return to Mt Sturgeon, Mt Abrupt and the Victoria Range.

The blaze has burned 76,000 hectares of the Grampians region since being sparked on December 17. (HANDOUT/STATE CONTROL CENTRE)

"We're delighted to be able to welcome visitors back in to the unaffected areas of the park," Parks Victoria area chief ranger Charlie Richardson said.

"As efforts to fight the fire continue, we will gradually be able to assess and reopen more sites over the coming weeks and months."

There are still areas with active fire that have not been deemed safe to enter, with many roads and tracks remaining closed.

Returning visitors were advised to be cautious of smoke, fallen trees or branches and injured wildlife, and drivers warned they might encounter fire crews and heavy machinery on roads and tracks.

Four residential properties in Moyston and Mafeking were destroyed in the fires, along with 40 outbuildings in Moyston, Willaura, Willaura North, Mafeking, Pomonal, Glenthompson and Mirranatwa.

Grampians Tourism chief executive Marc Sleeman estimates the fire has cost the local economy more than $1.9 million a day and said the road to recovery for businesses would be long and tough.

More than 13,500ha of farmland has been burnt, 540km of fencing damaged and preliminary livestock losses tally 775 sheep, one horse, one cow and 1285 beehives.

Victorian Farmers Federation president Brett Hosking said it could take affected farmers two years to fully recover.