Swan Lake SW Vic.

Here are some rules for driving on the Swan Lake Dune Buggy Campground that appeared on Chrome 22-12-2024.
Membership or permit: You must be a member of the Portland Dune Buggy Club or have a valid 4-day permit to drive on the Designated Dune Buggy Area.
Permit application: You must apply for a permit well in advance, at least four weeks in advance.
Permit cost: The cost of a 4-day permit is $50 per driver until June 30 and $80 per driver from July 1. The fee includes camping at Swan Lake.
Vehicle requirements: Vehicles must be road registered and display a red flag that is at least 600 square centimeters in size. The flag must be attached to an aerial that is at least 4 meters from the ground. Soft top 4WDs must also have a roll cage and roof plate.
Driving restrictions: You cannot drive on vegetated areas or onto beaches.
Group bookings: Group bookings are limited to a maximum of 10 vehicles

Saturday 21 -12 -24. I loaded the Old Trol with recovery equipment and family members. We travelled via Portland- Nelson Rd and turned left onto Post Office Rd Mt Richmond. This leads us to a right turn onto Telegraph Rd and a left into Swan Lake Rd. these roads are usually well maintained.

Caravans are banned from Swan Lake road, due to the steep hills and changing condition of the road surface. It looks doable, but sometimes corrugations and erosion makes it almost impossible to climb the hill towing a heavy load.

We parked near the campgrounds, aired the tyres down to 15 PSI and fitted the sand flag. Driving to the beach access is allowed, but driving any where else is not permitted unless you have paid the camping fees or are a paid up member of the Dune buggy club.

I have paid membership in the past, and believe me, the sand driving is superb and challenging.

The access route to the beach sometimes changes, due to conditions or signage posted by the club or rangers.

It used to be a one way loop, to avoid meeting vehicles returning from the beach.

As in most of Victoria, driving on the beach is strictly forbidden. :(

After entering the dune buggy access, we climbed the first dune, which was heavily corrugated, due to the buggies which had gone before us. I am quite sure they tore it up on purpose :). Cresting the dune, we entered a large sloping open area. Buggies were roaring around at breakneck speeds. By keeping a constant speed, and slow, straight course, we allowed the buggy drivers to avoid us. The beach access is at the far end of the open area, near the bottom of the dunes off a bit to the right. The track is quite narrow and vegetation is starting to encroach, so be ready for a bit of pin striping.

Sometimes storms or violent ocean swells force seawater over the beach into the track
So you have to reverse out and do a U turn, and climb the dunes which are now on your left. The alternate track comes down the dunes onto the beach access.
The beach parking is on extremely soft sand. In the past I've had to air the tyres down to 10 PSI to facilitate climbing the alternate track, from almost a standing start.

The conditions on this stretch of coast can be treacherous, and a day or two before we got there some hikers doing the Great South West were swept into the surf. Luckily they weren't in a rip current and made it back to the beach, but they had to be rescued from the dunes.
So keep an eye an the waves, and note the high water marks on the beach. I have seen a sets of large swells hit the beach, overcome the receding waves and surge right up to the bottom of the dunes.

After a bit of sight seeing, we left the area and drove back to lake. There is a track heading west past the lake at the moment, but when the water level rises it will be cut off. We followed that track for a few ks but turned back. The whole area has changed since last time I went that way maybe a twenty or so years ago. Blue gum and pine plantations have been planted or harvested and the track has been changed. I did see some hills and tracks further on which look interesting.

We back-tracked past the lake and after following the road to the bottom of the big hill on Swan Lake Rd, we turned right onto a track and travelled our way east toward Mt Richmond. We came out near Price Rd and turned right onto Telegraph Rd. With the tyres still at 15 PSI I stuck to about 45-55 kph. There are a couple of ways to go, but we just followed Telegraph Rd and turned right onto the bituman Mt Richmond Rd.

If we had time, I would have turned onto Kennedys Rd and then onto The South Boundary Track.

Just make sure you lower the Sand flag or reduce its height, as there are over-hanging branches on the Mt Richmond tracks.

I drove through the parking area down to turn right onto the South boundary track so the family could see the view of Discovery Bay. I did a U turn and drove back through the park, to turn Right on Telegraph Rd. There are some great little tracks throughout the park, and the northern area past Telegraph Rd used to have some challenging muddy areas.

We followed Telegraph and turned onto Selection Rd, where we aired the tyres up and headed home.

Telegraph Rd goes through to Bats Ridge reserve, behind the local airport. There is at least one limestone cave to explore in the reserve but there is no camping. Watch out for leeches though.

I thoroughly recommend a week or longer trip down this way, You have the Cobboboonee Forest, Swan lake, Nelson, The Glenelg River and Lower Glenelg national park, Surrey River, and the Fitzroy river mouth at Tyrendarra. If you time it right, there are multiple events to enjoy too. Also not far away are Mt Gambier , Budji Bim tours and camping at Sawpit Narrawong.