WORDS MICHAEL BORG PICS NATHAN JACOBS
High Country, Vic
Victoria’s High Country has some of the best camping
and 4WD tracks going around.
W
hen it comes to spectacular
scenery, the Victorian High
Country would have to be one
of the most highly regarded
destinations in the country. A 4WD is
without a doubt the best way to experience
this area, but you’ll need knackers of steel
to tackle some of the steeper tracks in the
region – they really do range from mild
to absolutely insane, and it’s not just the
steepness that can bring you undone, it’s
the weather. A good rain can turn these
tracks into a near vertical slosh pit, and
there’s plenty of wrecks lying down the
bottom of those big gullies to testify to the
need to keep your wits about you. Plus,
every now and then the High Country is
home to a big blanket of fluffy white snow,
which can simply make some of these
tracks too dangerous to drive.
Check out the Crooked River Track (a
little beauty that will have you tackling 24
river crossings in just 7km), the Billy Goat
Bluff Track (which takes you scrambling
up a seemingly near vertical track to a
height of 1200m) and the Blue Rag Range
Track (for epic views some 1700m up).
If steep tracks aren’t your forte there’s
a lot more to see and do. There are
freshwater river streams like you’ve never
seen before, a climate that can really turn
it up a notch and more history and quirky
facts than Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.
Make sure you pack your fishing rod and
your camera too – you’re guaranteed to get
a few cracking happy snaps!
No trip to the High Country is complete
without a stopover at the small town
of Dargo. Surrounded by towering
mountains, it's a great place to base
yourself while exploring places like the
mystery-riven Wonnangatta.
You’ll also find old mountain cattleman's
huts all over the High Country, and
they’re filled with history from the last few
hundred years of cattle musters. One of the
most popular is Craigs Hut, once home to
Jim Craig in the iconic film The Man from
Snowy River. It offers some spectacular
views of the surrounding mountain ranges,
especially Indian Head. Camp around here
and you’ll be greeted with one of the most
insane sunrises you’ve ever seen in your
life, no bull!
FASTFACTS
GETTING THERE
Dargo is 320km north-east of Melbourne.
ACTIVITIES
Epic 4WD tracks, clear mountain stream
fishing, spectacular photo opportunities.
STAY
Numerous campgrounds are scattered
throughout the High Country, around the old
cattleman’s huts and in Dargo.
MORE INFORMATION
www.victoriashighcountry.com.au
ADVENTURES
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