Travel: Victorian High Country

Remote isolation and scenic splendour await those willing to get off the beaten track in this stunning part of Victoria

If you own a 4WD and you're happy to put its off-road ability to good use, Victoria's High Country is thoroughly deserving of its legendary status among travellers – and thoroughly deserving of a visit.

While the region boasts numerous picture-postcard townships offering the full gamut of accommodation and gastronomic delights, it's up in the hills – indeed, mountains – where you'll discover some of the best panoramas Australia has to offer, and perhaps even the true essence of the Aussie bush.

Whirlwind itinerary

Caravancampingsales recently enjoyed an all-too-brief two-day tour of some of the High County's best out-of-the-way bits, as we assisted carsales.com.au on a comparison test of Toyota's recently updated Land Cruiser Prado and Ford's ute-based Everest.

Day one saw us drive from Melbourne central to the High Country hamlet of Dargo, before tackling the aptly named Billy Goat Bluff track on our way to The Pinnacles, where a fire watch tower stands sentinel over millions of hectares of steep and rocky terrain.

After retracing our steps and staying at the historic Dargo Pub for the night, we then set out along the Dargo High Plains Road before spearing west along the Blue Rag Range track – another challenging route that takes intrepid travellers to the summit of Mount Blue Rag, whose summit stands some 1726 metres above sea level.

Then it was back to the Dargo High Plains Road for the run north to Mount Hotham and along the sealed Great Alpine Road, which took us down to Bright and eventually back to Melbourne via Milawa and the Hume Highway.

Preparation

While the Dargo High Plains Road is well maintained and entirely do-able for two-wheel drive vehicles (albeit slippery in wet weather), the Billy Goat Bluff and Blue Rag Range tracks are strictly 4WD only, and should only be attempted by those with a reasonable degree of off-roading experience.

The gradient is steep in many places, the going rocky, while sheer drops either side of these one-vehicle-wide tracks add to the fun (or terror, if applicable!).

Having said that, we tackled these trails in bog-standard vehicles shod with highway tyres, with nary a lift kit, winch or aftermarket underbody protection in sight.

We did, however, pack handheld two-way radios for easy vehicle-to-vehicle communication, along with a snatch strap and rated D-shackles, a spade, 50 extra litres of diesel, up-to-date maps and a satellite phone. We even took along our own paramedic, Dean, to help us meet our Work Health & Safety commitments (and to patch people up if things really took a turn for the worse!).

Billy Goat Bluff Track

Taking Wonnangatta Road northeast from Dargo, the Billy Goat Bluff Track spears off to the left and then quickly begins to rise in elevation, climbing a series of peaks as it pushes southwest across Alpine National Park to near The Pinnacles. Turning off to Pinnacles Road, it's a short but reasonably steep 10-minute walk from the car park to the watch tower and communications station at the summit – in summer take a hat, sunscreen and a bottle of water.

The view from the top, however, is worth all the puffing and panting – it's a 360-degree vista that lays the High Country out before you like a toy railway set (minus the trains, villages and just about any signs of civilisation).

The Billy Goat Bluff track is tricky in places, requiring low range first gear and a delicate foot on the accelerator, but while challenging it's far from impossible – we never bashed the undercarriages of our vehicles even with our stock suspension. Take things slowly, pick your line and enjoy the view.

Of course, this all holds true when the going is dry; tackling 20 per cent gradients over rocks and clay in the wet is another matter entirely. So, keep an eye on the weather forecast and plan accordingly.

In any case, our driving efforts looked positively weak in comparison to those of the young Japanese gentleman we met halfway up one of the steeper sections of the track. Miles from anywhere, he was gingerly wheeling his fully laden bicycle down the hill – an exercise in masochism we had no desire to match! We met him again later that afternoon, once he was out of the hills and nearing Dargo; he didn't speak much English but the look on this face when we offered him a few bottles of water said it all!

Dargo

Located around 350 kilometres east of Melbourne, Dargo and its picturesque surrounds is home to around 150 people, and was first established to service miners heading to the region's various gold diggings back in the 1860s.

Today, and since 1901, the focal point is the famous Dargo Pub, which offers visitors drinks, meals, accommodation and an all-pervading sense of the history. The log cabins out the back are exactly that – proper log cabins hewn from local timber – while the food is tasty and the drinks are cold. What more could you want?

Blue Rag Range Track

The next day we climbed back into the hills via the Dargo High Plains Road. Grading works was still being carried out in preparation for the many visitors about to flock here over the summer, and the road is usually closed from June until November to prevent it and the surrounding tracks from being damaged.

The tracks traditionally open on the weekend just before the Melbourne Cup, but it pays to check the Parks Victoria website (www.parkweb.vic.gov.au) before you go. In fact, a wealth of information is available through Parks Victoria, while some reasonably detailed maps can be found through searching Greater Alpine National Parks Management Plan on the same site.

The Blue Rag Range Track, which splits off the Dargo High Plains Road to the west, is perhaps even more scenic than Billy Goat Bluff Track. This track is generally wider but there are a couple of particularly steep climbs as you near the Blue Rag Trig Point, which can be identified by its hundreds of proud 4WD club stickers.

It's a great drive and there's a real sense of accomplishment once you've made it to the top, where once again you're rewarded with stupendous views in every direction. From here it's matter of retracing your steps back to the Dargo High Plains Road, for a relatively easy run north to the highway – the Great Alpine Road – where you pop out just west of the Mount Hotham ski village.

Homeward bound

From here it's an easy but very twisty downhill run to the stunning township of Bright, where we stopped for lunch at the Bright Brewery. It's a great little town that stages an increasing number of festivals and events through the year. The accommodation is snapped up early when the bigger festivals are on, so don't leave it to chance if a stay is on your radar – as the saying goes, book early to avoid disappointment.

There are also plenty of campgrounds and parks in and around town to park a big rig.If you fancy yourself as something of a beer connoisseur, the Bright Brewery is a must. You're guaranteed to succumb to gravity long before you reach the end of the beer list – it's extensive, to say the least!

We high-tailed it back to Melbourne after leaving Bright but, if time's on your side, there are many wonderful towns and attractions along the way worthy of a visit. Beechworth, Yackandandah, Myrtleford, the list goes on – a run up Mount Buffalo, just outside of Bright, is also well worth a look, as is the King Valley.

The pub at Whitfield is a great place to while away a few hours, but we don't recommend tackling the twisting road to Mansfield until the next morning, after a restful night's sleep.

Summing up

Victoria's High Country lives up to its claims. With inspiring scenery, challenging drives and vibrant townships, it caters to a broad spectrum of travellers' tastes, from off-road adventurers to foodies, hikers, cyclists and more. Give your pre-trip research and preparation the thoroughness it deserves, and you'll be rewarded with untold – and unforgettable – memories and experiences.

Travel: Victorian High Country

Whirlwind itinerary

Preparation

Billy Goat Bluff Track

Dargo

Blue Rag Range Track

Homeward bound

Summing up

More information:

www.parkweb.vic.gov.au

www.visitvictoria.com

www.victoriashighcountry.com.au

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