Keep an eye on future articles to explore more of the region. The Wellington River Camping area consists of 14 separate camping areas of varying sizes along a 10km stretch of the Wellington River. This cost-effective tour includes all safety equipment, white water rafting with a guide, lunch, and a choice of a morning or noon departure. 12km from Arbuckle Junction is MacFarland Saddle, which is the trail head for the Lake Tali Karang walking track. There will be some places that you may have heard of before, and maybe a few spots that are new. Around 6km onwards is Kingswell Bridge and immediately over the bridge turn to the left onto the Crooked River Track. Today, Dargo is a very popular destination for 4WDers and is considered a hub of the Victorian High Country. From the Wellington River, the road climbs up out of the valley to Bennison Lookout which is worth a stop to take in the fabulous views towards Lake Tali Karng, Mount Wellington and the Razorback. Horseyard flat is a series of grassy flats beside the Upper Moroka River and is a great spot to camp. Around 11km further on is Grant Junction and the turn-off to Grant and Talbotville. Its located off you guessed it Bluff Track. Recommended by 94% of travelers. On the other side of the range is the Dargo Hotel, est 1898. Check with Parks Victoria to ensure the track is open before you leave home. Holly Revord. There are pit toilets, a hut and several separate areas to setup camp. WAYPOINT EXPEDITIONS. Wonnangatta Station, an iconic four-wheel drive destination, has long history of cattle grazing, family tragedies and two grizzly unsolved murders from the early 1900s and is still in the news with Fuel Reduction Cattle Grazing Trials polarising public opinion. Clocking in at 110km from Suggan Buggan to Benambra, set aside a day to complete the trek at a casual pace. personly i wouldnt go down zeka spur , but go up to mount wellington and then the pinnacles. African safaris. When we pulled over at Dannys Lookout, the bikes were all lined up here, each taking their turn to go back around one of the bends with a photographer waiting to take the action shot. Extending from the river to the mountains, this drive takes in many . Whats not to love about these roughly constructed bush shelters? At the bottom of Billy Goat Bluff is where the track meets Wonnangatta Road. The Moroka road offers great views at times to the north across the Avon Wilderness area with the mountain ranges in the distance. Ultimate 4WD & Camping Guide to North Stradbroke Island, Barrington Tops Camping & 4WD Guide Everything You Need To Know, Camping in Wilsons Prom | Everything You Need to Know, An In Depth Beach Driving Guide by Experienced 44 Enthusiasts. A wood, white and grey, modern home looking like its been copied straight from an Ikea showroom, it had everything we needed including toys provided, a BBQ and play area outside. The track climbs steeply out of the river and then drops down to another crossing, with another two river crossings before the valley opens up into a picturesque grassy plain with the bubbling Dargo River, surrounding mountains, and wide open plain this makes a spectacular sight! About all that remains visible of the township are a few stonewalls and the old gold mines in the area. Towns like Bright and Harrietville are simply stunning as the leaves fall, and the bracing weather makes you really feel like a High Country traveller. Switch to the light mode that's kinder on your eyes at day time. A guided 4 day Pack-Free walk. To support the community, stores, churches, banks, hotels and even a police station was present. Victoria's High Country is a fabulous spot for a road trip - the 4-hour drive from Melbourne goes through some gorgeous little towns and once you get there, it's a pristine wonderland. We were excited to escape the city after five months of a very hard and were looking forward to it. Its an architectural striking gold-rush town, filled with well-preserved buildings, quirky local stores and pillar-lined covered walkways to escape the sun. For those who want to call it a weekend, head south from Drago along Dargo High Plains Rd. Victoria's High Country is well known for it's breathtaking views, natural attractions, 4 wheel driving, gourmet food and skiing. Explore the local scene in charming seaside towns and make time for some unusual stops along the way. NSW & Victoria High Country DEPARTING Tuesday 4th February 2020 COST $2475.00pp (twin share) The finer details Tour Price: $2475.00 per person twin share Single Supplement:$475.00 Deposit:$300.00 per person within 7 days of booking. After lots of searching, we decided on the Macpac Vamoose as it was comfortable, put our baby high up so she could see and also has a handy detachable daypack. There are some information boards position along walking tracks which provide commentary into the story of this former mining town. Perched on the side of a hill, with only endless skies and green fields in front, the location is stunning. I have driven through snow in late January! The Victorian High Country in is without question one of the best Four-Wheel Drive locations in Australia. Next is Tamboritha Saddle and some of the fabulous Victorian high plains. There are a few pieces of must-have kit Id recommended for some time away in the Victorian High Country in summer. Here are a few other things we found really useful on the trip: What is the best place you have visited in Victoria? Next up are a series of rocky sections that are quite slow but generally fairly easy going. Yes there were lions, dingoes, camels and other zoo favourites, but the enclosures werent the best and it felt a little unloved. The Deddick Trail features some of the steepest tracks in the Victorian High Country. Unfortunately, little of this remains today. Sitting on the little deck outside, watching the sunset (photo above) as the chickens scratched around making their nests for the night melted a years worth of anxiety away from my brain. In my opinion, a high priority is to visit the legendary Dargo Pub. Although in a literal sense, you could actually miss it, as its perched just off the main road between Mansfield and Jamieson. The Victorian High Country is truly Trayon territory, as many of the tracks are unsuitable for camper trailers, and having the freedom of a slide on camper is a distinct advantage. [Pros & Cons], 100+ Incredible Travel Resources (For Simple & Cheap Travel), Taking a Year Off Work to Travel (Full Guide +4 Examples), Things To Do Before Travel: 35 Clever Little Tips [Checklist], 19 Alternative Travel Tips and Tricks I use on Every Trip, What is a Sabbatical? Make sure you stop in at the old style sweet shop to stock up. Sleeping with the gurgling sound of a nearby creek and waking to the early morning calls of birds like the raucous black cockatoos is priceless. Saturday: We can head up to Blue Rag,and other tracks time depending. Trip in a Van blogger Bec Lorrimer takes her family of five into some seriously epic terrain. The track climbs steeply from the road and then you are presented with the magical view of the track snaking its way along the mountain spur line into the distance with trig point just visible in the distance. Powers Lookout is named after Harry Power, a bushranger from the mid-1800s, who was a mentor to the most famous bushranger of them all, Ned Kelly. 4WD Day Trips 4WD Day Trips are very enjoyable where you will find good company, practise some skills and get into. Here is a summary of the top 10 beginner's 4WD tracks in Victoria: Toolangi State Forest Tallarook Woods Point Aberfeldy Lake Eildon Warburton Croajingolong National Park Bunyip State Park Alpine National Park Grampians National Park Below is a more in-depth explanation of each of the tracks and what you should bring along to be prepared. This is decision time left is Howitt Road which heads towards the Howitt High Plains and right is the Moroka Road which heads towards the Pinnaclesand the east. The drive up the mountain is an exciting one, it took us nearly an hour to do the 38km from the B500 (the road heading into Bright) and we counted well over 20 sharp bends. The most popular (read: crowded) times to go are over the Christmas holidays and the Easter Holidays. This was more than just a place to stay though, Elly turned it into an experience. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Best time to drive: Spring or autumn. Victoria's High Country Brewery Trail is an easily drivable, or even better, chauffeured drive through the High Country. It felt like walking onto a movie set an hour before the actors and crew arrived. Honestly, you dont need a list from me, just get out of your car and wander around until you see something you like. . Beat the price rise & place your booking deposit on a new Trayon Camper before Nov 5th, 2021! After a stressful year with the Covid lockdown and not being able to see any family from the UK, a two night stay on Ellys little farmstead was the most relaxed Ive felt in a long long time. If you've got a 4x4, you're well on your way to visiting the High Country in your own time, and on your own terms. About 6km from Dargo take the Upper Dargo Road which heads off on the right. and Kayes wonderful home-baked goodies (left for us in the fridge) were a lovely surprise. The steep descent should pose few problems except in wet conditions when some of the clay based sections will become quite slippery. In the evening shed knock to see if we wanted to go down with her to sort the animals out for th night. It was the central point of our adventure to the High Country and had been well worth the visit. Finding each campground is straight forward since all campgrounds are clearly sign posted and easily visible from Tamboritha Road. In the second half of the nineteenth century thousands of Europeans, Americans and Chinese headed into the High Country in search of gold. With a baby in the car, we didnt quite make the whole loop to Omeo but managed to do an out-and-back journey to Dinner Plain that was more than sufficient as an Alpine fix. For this, I am assuming you have a weekend and are travelling up on a Friday night before returning late on a Sunday. When you arrive, you will be rewarded by breathtaking panoramic views of the High Country. If you choose only one place for your High Country Itinerary, Bright should be it. Great Ocean Road. The main aim of the, Read More Pulpit Rock & Cape Schanck Lighthouse: Definitely Worth a VisitContinue, If I had to name my favourite place to visit in Williamstown, it would be the Jawbone Marine Sanctuary (and, Read More Jawbone Marine Sanctuary: The Best Place to Visit in Williamstown?Continue. Explore the Victorian High Country and Australia's Great . There are plenty of 4WD and walking tracks emanating from here so it is a good place to base yourself for a few days and explore the areafurther. We'll prepare and cook your delicious and nutritious . A superb tin hut built to withstand the fire season (with a really unique gutter design), and a great view out the front. After a pleasant night or even a few days at Mayford, it is time to backtrack down the valley and back up to the Dargo High Plains. The shady park nearby is an excellent place for a cuppa or lunch before tackling the tracks. This is the BEST 4Wdrive adventure in the land. Victoria's High Country region encompasses an extensive area of alpine mountain terrain about 380km north-east of Melbourne. Our daughter was fascinated by her daily visits down to the chicken coop with Elly and we loved the home-produced produce that she left for us. Victorian High Country Trip Planning Where to Stay in the Victorian High Country Those legs can stand on uneven surfaces Versatile 360 Ball Head Metal ball head comes with a quick release plate for instant camera mounting. Within the thousands of kilometres of two-wheel drive roads and four-wheel drive tracks there are dozens of destinations that are part of the history of Eastern Victoria. Being such a large area you can spend weeks or even months exploring this region. Solo travellers take note - a six-day hiking tour in the Victorian Alps in March has waived the single supplement (saving $325) and is now priced from $2850 a person. Be cautioustravelling at the beginning of the plain as there are several bog holes that can trap the unwary. It will take between two and a half and three and a half hours to get to the Victorian High Country, dependant on traffic. The Victorian High Country (VHC) has some of the best 4WDriving and camping anywhere in Australia, and this trip is into one of the best in the region. A great resource for planning a trip to the high country. Get the best stories straight into your inbox! Heres how to prepare. From end-to-end, Billy Goat Bluff track is less than 10kms but due to the challenging terrain, its advisable to schedule at least an hour for this trek. We loved the magical little toy shop Beechworth Toys and Collectables, Beechworth Sweet Co, the shop that looks like it could have come from a Harry Potter movie and having some wonderful eggs Benedict at the Rustique Soul Cafe, sitting beside a life-sized replica of Ned Kellys armour. there is a couple of good books on 4wd tracks in the high country with heaps of info. El Dorado is a quirky little gold-rush town, with not a busting lot going on in it. The incline of the roads meant we gained altitude at a rapid rate, quickly getting above the green into an eerie landscape of white tree skeletons, leftover from devastating bushfires in 2013. Engine braking is required, so pick the lowest gear your transfer case will offer, and grind your way down. That my friend equates to a very looong day in the saddle i just read that back and it doesnt quite read right. Continue to follow the road along the river for another 6km then take a left onto Crooked River Track. The Victorian High Country holds some of the world's best 4WD destinations; with breathtaking panoramic views and stunning alpine scenery. So when youre forced to drive kilometre after kilometre down into steep valleys, your brakes will really start to feel the heat. But of course, you are in the mountains, so expect the unexpected when it comes to weather. Its worth it for 360 degree views looking out over a view littered with the bodies of burned out gum trees and boulders smoothed from millions of years of erosion. The end point go our Alpine Road adventure was the town of Dinner Plain. Talbotville would have to be a front-runner as the most popular site for families, but with its history and misty mountain scenery, Id have to give the award to the Wonnangatta Valley. Carry warm clothing at all times. Itinerary is as follows Day before tour kicks off - meet up in Jamieson for welcome dinner Day 1 - Jamieson in to the High Country Day 2 - Travel high country tracks and trails Day 3 - Travel high country tracks and trails Day 4 - Travel high country tracks and trails Day 5 - Travel high country tracks and trails with farewell dinner Almost immediately after starting down Crooked River Track, you will come to the first of 20+ river crossings along this track. The chalets and bars were all closed and the roads were empty. Piles of stones mark chimney sites where miners cottages, shops, banks and hotels once stood. The track itself is extremely narrow at places, with cliff faces on both sides. 1251 expert & traveler reviews on South Africa trips. It will generally take about 1 hour to reach the camping areas in the valley from the turnoff on the Dargo High Plains Road. Turning left will take you through to Eaglevale and onto the iconic Wonnanngatta Station, but on this trek were turning right towards Dargo. Safely tackle some of Australia's toughest 4WD trails. With a little girl in tow, we decided to head back up into the Alpine Road and drop back into Bright for the evening. The Ingeegoodbee Track is one of the High Countries 4WD test-pieces. From the Pinnacles carpark it is a short walk up the access track to the radio transmitter and fire spotters hut, then a steep track with sheer drops on both sides to the fire tower. What was great fun though was the number of animals that it was possible to get up close to and feed. For a cheap lens that is perfect for astrophotography, I recommended the Samyang range. To get to the North Razorback, turn off the Great Alpine Road (B 500) just south of Bright at Germantown on the Mt Beauty Road (C 536). Iconic Four Wheel Drives of Victoria - Parks Victoria, Four Wheel Drive Victoria & Victorian State Government. Find your own secluded campsite by a fresh mountain stream. Long rocky climbs seem to go on forever, only to end with spectacular views of mountains and the distant thin lines of other tracks crossing the ridges. It made the must-see list for being so damn unusual, I can honestly say Ive never come across anything like it. Chiltern is a town in Victoria 's High Country. Lake Tali Karng is a hidden jewel nestled deep in the mountains of Gippsland, fed by snowmelt waters of the Wellington Plains. Travel from Zanzibar's pristine coastline to the southern hub of Cape Town with Lonely Planet and Intrepid to see an array of amazing African vistas.