The High Country Rail Trail is a super popular 80km route that stretches from Albury Wodonga to Shelley in Victoria, offering cyclists a scenic journey through an iconic landscape. An itinerary carefully curated to suite Grade 2 -3 hiking ability. This road begins at Torquay which is around a 90 . If you wish to make a nigh of it, camping is available out the back of the pub or over at the Dargo River Inn. Like a highlight reel, this 3 night 4WD and camping trip through the high Country will lead you to a number of iconic, must visit places. This walk traverses diverse landscapes of forests, alpine grassland, winters snow-blanketed mountains, precipitous ridges and high plains. About 12km from Arbuckle Junction is MacFarlane Saddle which is the commencement point for the Lake Tali Karng walking track. 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. We were grateful for finding somewhere to eat though, and politely listened to stories about people wed never met whilst munching on some freshly made sandwiches. 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. 166 reviews. 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. Might give you a bit of a start. What was great fun though was the number of animals that it was possible to get up close to and feed. 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. Tracks with river crossings where you have to pick the right line before carefully climbing out of the current onto the slippery track that leads to another deeper crossing of the same stream. In the evening shed knock to see if we wanted to go down with her to sort the animals out for th night. Great Divide Tours will determine if any refund is due if this action occurs. The Victorian High Country in is without question one of the best Four-Wheel Drive locations in Australia. We stock the full range of Ironman 44 products including Suspension, Bullbars, Lights, Vehicle Protection, Recovery gear, snorkels, auto electrics, dual battery systems, towing accessories, tanks, underbody protection, Camping Gear and more! Outside of peak periods such as summer long weekends or Easter, there should be plenty of availability to setup camp. Move aside and let on coming convoys pass in safety. 4WD Pack Hema HX-1 Navigator Businesses included a butcher, baker, chemist, restaurant and a hotel, with a Post Office operating intermittently into the late 1940s. Treat yourself to fine dining The fine dining experience at Provenance is a must-do for foodies. The zoo aspect of it wasnt so impressive. Victoria's High Country is the place where many of our best four-wheel drivers earned their spurs. day 3 bluff hut, lovicks hut ,zeka spur into wonnangatta valley , camp at talbotville. Travel blogs would be a bit useless if they all said discover it for yourself though, so here are a few things that we loved: Ill start with the shops and food, as this was our favourite bit about the town (we visited two days on the trot). The recommendations on AirBNB were glowing and rightly so. Lovicks Hut, King Hut, Craigs Hut the list goes on and on. This gave us a good mix of experiences in different parts of the High Country. From Grant continue along McMillians Rd for another 5km then turn right onto Dargo High Plans Rd and continue for another 18km until you reach the town of Dargo. 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. 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! 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. Rule 1: don't try to cram an entire . Blue Wren Stay, Eldorado>>>CLICK HERE TO SEE CURRENT PRICES<<<. And as already mentioned, the view from the top is mind-blowing. Its an architectural striking gold-rush town, filled with well-preserved buildings, quirky local stores and pillar-lined covered walkways to escape the sun. 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. The 12mm I picked up was great, as it can focus to infinity and has an aperture of f2. Sep 14, 2018 - Essential Victorian High Country 4WD Camping Guide. The steep descent should pose few problems except in wet conditions when some of the clay based sections will become quite slippery. Wellington River Campgrouds Victorian High Country, Gateway into the Victorian High Country Dargo, Getting to Licola Entry point into the Victorian High Country, 1st night Camp along the Wellington River just north of Licola, Talbotville Camp overnight Historical township from the gold rush era, Grant Historical township from the gold rush era. Sample the exotic flavours of Africa's 'Spice Island', relax on Kande Beach at Lake Malawi, scale the sand dunes in Sossusvlei, glide through the . Hi Swaggie would you be able to share with me your knowledge of the area and perhaps give me a plan of how to spend the seven days camping in two to three different spots (bases) that have the following to keep every one happy. In the event of you canceling a booking the following refund policy applies. 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. The Rooftop series of maps give you a nice, detailed view of the Victorian High Country. Holly Revord. From Grant Junction continue northwards through the forested area on the Dargo High Plains Road. The views are absolutely breathtaking the panoramic 360 degree views from the Pinnacles take in the seeminglyendless mountains and valleys to the North and the plains all the way to the sea to the South (on a clear day). Passing on coming traffic at these bottlenecks can be extremely challenging. 6 Things Ive Learned from 6 Weeks in Asia, SpringRiver Resort Laos: 5 Reasons You Must Stay Here [Review]. 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. All rights reserved. Over the years we have worked with families, groups of friends, schools, clubs and charities to put together the perfect trip. 2 wonderful high country horse rides suitable for beginner to intermediate riders. FollowupID: 869585. The proximity of the High Country to surrounding towns adds variety to a visit. The track is steep in parts, and scrabbly in others, but is in generally pretty good condition. Our Place are custom-built holiday homes on a large plot of land in Bright. He used this place regularly as a camp due to its fantastic views over the King Valley, giving him time to escape the local police. A superb tin hut built to withstand the fire season (with a really unique gutter design), and a great view out the front. It can get very busy during holidays so perhaps avoid peak times. There is nothing better than rocking up to one of the regions pristine campsites with all the comforts of home that you have in the Trayon. The shady park nearby is an excellent place for a cuppa or lunch before tackling the tracks. 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 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. Image: Michael Page-Sharp. Which is Australias most difficult 4WD track? The Wellington River Camping area offers a dozen campgrounds, spread out along a 10km stretch of the river bank. Further along this road there are some great camping areas on the Dargo River with places such as Italian Flat, Dusty Flat and Black Flat just to name a few. Being an Alpine region, winters in the Victorian High Country are undoubtly cold. Now that we have the people who love a bit of exercise sorted let's get onto the good stuff; food and drink! Keep following the Dargo High Plains Road to the Treasure Plain. They are sturdy, fairly light without being ridiculously expensive. Sitting by the warm glow of a campfire, laughing about the track you drove today that made your knuckles turn white and your heart rate go off the scale is part of the whole Victorian High Country experience. With its famous Raspberry Grenade, a great tasting beer flavoured with a hint of local raspberries, the Jamieson Brewery is a hard pub to pass. You should consider taking out Travel Insurance to cover any unforeseen circumstances including illness, vehicle problems or family matters. Basic Requirements For This Tour . It starts with an incredibly steep ascent, elevating 1,200 metres in just 7kms before descending 950m to the valley floor below. Famous for this huge hunk of metal on the edge of town, The El Dorado Dredge once actually moved (hard to believe for something this big) through the backwaters of the Woolshed Valley pulling up tin and gold from the waters. Ok, so Ill fully admit this place not be for everyone, but we loved it. From the Pinnacles head back down to Billy Goats Bluff turnoff on the right. 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. 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. You can only vote once, but please add to the list if your favourite isn't there. Dargo is arguably the hub of the Victorian High Country. From the soaring pillars of the Twelve Apostles to the tree-fern gullies of the Otway National Park, this stunning coastal route is one of the most iconic road trips in Australia. The track can be quite narrow in places and it can be challenging to pass oncoming vehicles so put your UHF radio to scan and keep a close watch for vehicles. 4. The Victorian High Country provides the best 4Wdriving and most spectacular scenery in Australia. The photo above was taken with this lens, as were many of the wide-angle shots from on the Alpine Road. Returning from the trig point you can backtrack to the Dargo High Plains Road, or take the Basalt Knob Track particularly if you are heading back towards Talbotville and are looking for a challenge! . Copyright 2023 by AxiomThemes. If you want to test your vehicle and more importantly test yourself, the High Country is the place to go. Friday: Travel to a Talbotville (toilet available) set up camp this will be a static camp We will be travelling to Talbotville via Bulltown Spur track which has lots of river crossings. SEMA 2014: LOOKING FOR A FEW GOLD NUGGETS IN A SEA OF BAD IDEAS, MADVENTURE AGENCY, a part of the Adventure Marketing Group Pty Limited (ABN: 66 650 398 995), Heading to Cape York with your 4WD? Switch to the light mode that's kinder on your eyes at day time. Vehicles require low range, high clearance and sufficient recovery gear, while drivers will need grit and experience for some challenging sections. 7.3 km from the winter gate at the end of the rough 2WD section of the road. Read More The Bamboo Bridges of Luang PrabangContinue, Weve had six full weeks travelling Southeast Asia now. Recommended by 94% of travelers. Explore the local scene in charming seaside towns and make time for some unusual stops along the way. It's full of awesome tracks, picturesque camping, and the type of wilderness usually only available when places are hard to get to. I enjoyed many a beer sitting on the porch watching the sun go down. It's known for its Victorian-era streetscapes, and is home to the Grape Vine Hotel, the largest grapevine in Australia. Tracks, Towns, Maps and Campgrounds, Photography everything you need to know. If you are a photographer then the High Country is a great chance to have a dabble in astrophotography. A further 13km onwards the road crosses Moroka River with the Old Moroka road on the right.Another 2km is the Marathon Road turnoff on the right, which heads south to Briagolong. That my friend equates to a very looong day in the saddle i just read that back and it doesnt quite read right. More details on the camping along the Wellington River and further in the Alpine National Park can be found on the Parks Victoria Website. From the King Spur Track turn right onto the Dargo High Plains Road and drive 6km to the Blue Rag Track which commences on the left beside a small dam. Located on an open grassy flat on a bend in the Crooked River, the 1860s presented a scene of weatherboard stores and dwellings with the township servicing the local miners and rural families. Once on the grassy plain you have reached the locality of Mayford, one of the best places to camp in the Victorian High Country.