Planning a VIC high country trip from Mandfield to Jindabyne - Need advice please

[muvro Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close muvro]

Hi all,

I'm after some help planning a 5-7 day trip across the VIC high country. I'm driving a 150 and I will be towing a medium sized camp trailer.

A bit of background, I have never done any 4wd work with the trailer so I was hoping to choose a route that was relatively easy, add to that the trailer is what I would consider a medium duty trailer, it's not chinese but just not bullet proof. I will be taking the trailer up to a property on the Barrington Tops to get used to towing the trailer off road and it has a standard ball hitch. The 150 is standard, though I do have a UHF and I will be carrying tools, spares and the usual snatch etc.

I purchased the HEMA VIC High country Atlas and Guide and I think I've found a route but I have no idea how rough these trails are as the guide just says "Low range and High clearance" as a guide. Below is the route which I have marked out, but I am all ears if the track is pretty gnarly.

Day 1 - Mansfield to Talbotville (Near Dargo) or Black snake creek if its getting a bit late - Via Mt Buller, Craigs Hut, King Billy Track, Howitt rd and Billy Goat Bluff track.
Day 2 - Talbotville to Mt Beauty - via McMillans rd, Dargo High Plains rd, Upper Dargo rd, Dinner Plain Track, Great Alpine rd
Day 3 - Mt Beauty to Omeo - via Mountain Creek rd, Trappers Gap rd, Scrubby Creek rd, Omeo Highway, Hollaway Log rd, Razorback Spur Track, Wombat PO hut, Valley rd.
Day 4 - Omeo to Corryong - via Beloka rd, Mt Gibbo track, Mt Anderson track, Pinnibar track, Dead Finish track, Road Walkers Log rd, ALTERNATE if previous route is too technical - Benambra to Corryong rd, wheelers Logging rd, Shady creek Upper rd, Pinnibar track, Dead Finish track, Road Walkers Log rd.
Day 5 - Coryong to Jindabyne - via Alpine way stopping at Thredbo for some touristy stuff.

Any advice would be appreciated, both recommended vehicle upgrades (though I'd rather keep mods to a minimum), tyre choice etc and route changes/alternatives. Also, if the hitch should be upgraded something more appropriate.

Cheers and many thanks

[RBJET Member Find all posts View Profile Close RBJET]

I probably wouldn't attempt a trip through the High Country unless you plan on sticking to gravel roads. Any All Terrain with a light truck construction will do the trick.

I did a bit of the High Country when my 150 was standard, only issue is it drags its belly everywhere so if you don't plan on lifting it I'd recommend bash plates.

Towing a camper trailer on the main roads will be fine but I'd probably park it up if you plan to hit any of the rougher stuff.

Mansfield to Talbotville is a massive drive for one day. I'd probably cut it in half if you plan on doing any 4wding or sight seeing.

[RBJET Member Find all posts View Profile Close RBJET]

PS: How long do you have till your trip?

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

On tracks & with stops, You won't do Mansfield to Talbotville in 1 day. Even 2 days you will be merely passing through country. Make it 3 days.
You can do it in a day if you drive out north & around. Big day driving still.
Both of those camp areas are nice, black snake can get full quick.
I'd suggest a lift for any high country tracks.
None of the tracks will stop your 150 with camper if they are dry & you use correct pressures.
Avoid tracks with trailer if wet. Stick to 2wd roads.
Tracks can be rough, so slow going unless you are into vehicle abuse. Just rough, not really too difficult.
I wouldn't bother taking a trailer up or down billy goats. Although it can be done.
You have nt fully mentioned all tracks & roads on your planned day 1, so it is hard to share further experience.

[topic97 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close topic97]

Yeah as #### said, I definitely wouldn't be going on billy goats bluff with a trailer.
It's a pretty challenging track for a newbie, and there are a few tight switchbacks that require reversing to get around that wouldn't be ideal with a trailer.

We did a two day trip from Dargo to Mansfield, all in all was a smidge over 200k and that was driving all day sat into about 8pm at night and then all day sunday until about 5 with only a few 30 min stops for lunch etc.

Mine isn't lifted yet, so if you aren't going to go that route, be prepared to hear a lot of not so encouraging sounds as it will bottom out a lot.
I'm not going back until I get the lift done, as it will ride a lot better and be a tad kinder to my undercarriage.

Tyre wise, I have KO2's with about 24psi and they shat it in - the others were running full muds and they were amazed at how easy mine did it.

Another thing to consider too is the time of year you are thinking about doing it.
Most of the good tracks that aren't dirt highways are closed now until the weekend after melbourne cup - so you have to be extremely careful planning routes that they aren't closed off - otherwise if the DSE get you on a closed track you might as well get out of the car, drop your pants and bend over.
And having said that, this time of year you wouldn't bother going up there with the rain we have had - it was bad enough in sections a few months ago, and we have had sweet fa rain!

Oh, and its pretty safe to take what HEMA says as gospel.
If they say challenging, it'll be challenging.
If it says steep..... well put it this way, we went up butcher country track which is marked on HEMA as steep, and it was straight up.
Climbed nearly 1500m within about a K.

[RBJET Member Find all posts View Profile Close RBJET]

Climbed nearly 1500m within about a K.

Now that's what I call vertical!

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

Now that's what I call vertical!

Did you do the sums ?
Half of that would be extreme.
Slight exaggeration that's all

[topic97 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close topic97]

Lol, I just had another look, it was 1.8ks straight up. It's hard to get the data out of the hema app, may have been a little embellishment.

Having said that, I've never, ever driven something so bloody steep that climbed so quick for so long!
We overshot the last camping spot in Caledonia valley & had no choice but to do it in the dark.
And it was just as extreme coming down - I was waiting for my seatbelt to let go!

I was glad we did the climb at night, cos I think th view of the drop off would have been unnerving!!

[sweetpea Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close sweetpea]

I don't think I would consider doing most of those tracks with a trailer with a standard ball hitch.

S.

[muvro Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close muvro]

Thank you all so much for your input. Yeah, sounds like it's way off what I was wanting to do. lol

I am planning to do this in the second week of January. First week of Jan we will be at Port Campbell exploring the Great Ocean rd and surrounding area.

So with your input, I should probably elaborate. The type of drive I want to do would be more AWD tracks/roads and we want to stay off the tar as much as possible. In saying that, I don't mind if there's a bit of relatively easy climbing and shallow river crossings etc. But the trip is more about seeing the beautiful country and not the off roading.

Is there a route that can get me from east to west? Mansfield was my starting point because thats where the Hema track started. We will be coming from Dalesford to give you an idea of where we are coming from.

I love photography, so some destinations/camping areas where I can get some great shots of waterfalls and views over valleys would be awesome to include in the trip.

Any ideas of routes would be awesome, because looking in this HEMA high country atlas there only seems to be a one or two AWD safe tracks.

Thanks again for your valuable input, I really appreciate it.

[topic97 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close topic97]

Yeah you should be able to do a lot of the touring tracks.
It'll probably make it a little more difficult in planning though as the track conditions change annually with a lot of them.

To be honest, within reason you should be pretty right.
Just dont got expecting access to a lot of the iconic tracks and spots, as the more they are travelled on the more chewed up they get and therefore the more challenging they become.

[RBJET Member Find all posts View Profile Close RBJET]

From what I can remember you can enter in near Sheepyard Flat, just after Mansfield, and follow Brocks Rd and the connecting roads East. It's a bloody long drive though and I would recommend airing down near Sheepyard Flat.

[pjorek Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close pjorek]

Climbed nearly 1500m within about a K.

Billy Goat is around 1200m-1300m in 6 or 7km if I'm not mistaken and I thought that was steep....

[topic97 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close topic97]

Billy Goat is around 1200m-1300m in 6 or 7km if I'm not mistaken and I thought that was steep....

Yeah, we did both in the same day - billygoat had nothing on this one - it was insane!!
We were on the UHF to each other in absolute amazement of how long & steep it was!!

It was awesome too, because we did it in the dark we didn't get a scope of how high it really was, and to wake up with the view when we were camped on top was just phenomenal!

[muvro Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close muvro]

OK, so I've had another look at the map. Here's my revised trip.

Day 1 - Mansfield to Bluff hut, approx 72km - via Mount stirling road, Circuit rd, Craigs Hut, Bindaree Falls, Bluff Link road. If Bluff Hut is full, we will continue on Bluff Hut track to Lovicks Hut.
Day 2 - Bluff Hut to Dargo, approx 90km - via King Billy Track, Howitt road, Zeka Spur track, Wonnongatta Track, Herne Spur Track, Cynthia Range track, Eaglevale track, Wonnongatta rd, Crooked River rd, Short Cut rd.
Day 3 - Dargo to Omeo, approx 111km - via Upper Dargo rd, Stock route track, Birregun rd, Dinner Plain track, Great Alpine rd
Day 4 - Omeo to Corryong, approx 146km - via Benambra to Corryong road.
Day 5 - Corryong to Jindabyne, approx 123km - via the Alpine way.

I'm hoping this is a more realistic trip allowing for some stops and taking in the scenery.

Thanks