9 Attachment(s)
VIC High Country Trip '13 - '14
Hi All,
Just thought I would post my trip details for our Christmas High Country Trip for those that need some ideas of where they should head out in the High Country.
This trip takes in two of the iconic Vic High Country experiences....
Starting point for this trip was Mansfield...... Ending point was Jamieson ( but could easily be Licola for heading South or Mansfield for heading North )
Camps were at Bluff Hut, Wonnangatta Valley, Horseyard Flat, Licola - Wellington River, but there are many numerous great camps along the way including Crooked River.....
All camps had water except for Bluff Hut, where we were a few hundred metres down the track away from the hut.
TRIP DETAILS : Leisurely 6 Days 5 Nights
DAY 1 : We headed out from Mansfield towards Mt Buller, and turned south on the Howqua Track just East of Merrijig, through Sheepyard Flat ( Large Camping area ).
We headed east on Brocks Rd winding our way up the mountain till we reached Bluff Link Rd, and then Bluff Track which takes you past Bluff Hut. Camped near the Hut
Attachment 38869 but not in this picture
DAY 2 & 3 : The next morning we walked up to the top of the Bluff itself ( even though our camp had great views looking directly over Mt Buller ). When we were back in the cars we continued on Bluff Track past Lovicks Hut, till we reached King Billy Track and turned onto it. We then followed King Billy Track through to the Howitt Rd, and then through to Zeka Spur Track which we turned onto.
Attachment 38870
Even though Zeka Spur Track has lost some of the character it once had, it was a great drive down into the Wonnangatta Valley onto the Wonnangatta Track. Camped for a couple of days near the junction of the Wonnangatta River and Conglomerate Creek. There are numerous campsites in Wonnangatta so you can take your pick ....
Attachment 38871
DAY 4 : Continued East on the Wonnangatta Track till we reached Herne Spur Track, which is a nice climb out of the Valley. When we reached the end of Herne Spur we turned South into Wombat Range Track ( great views ) and followed this through to Cynthia Range Track ( still great views ), which takes you straight down into the Crooked River Valley. We followed the Crooked River Rd through to Kingswell Bridge ( where we took the river crossing and others took the bridge option ), to allow us to backtrack on the Wonnangatta Road on the other side back to Billy Goats Bluff Track.
We headed up Billy Goats Bluff Track
Attachment 38868
( views and great drive - had to pick lines through the rock steps ), where the track is again starting to gain some 'character', with rocks and more rocks being the order of the day. Great drive ..... kids wanted to go down and do it again .... much better than last time when I blasted up on the bike with only two small rocky bits. We then followed the signs towards the Pinnacles on the Pinnacles Rd ( Great Lookout from the Fire Tower at the end of the range ),
Attachment 38867
and then backtracked down the Pinnacles Rd to the Moroka Rd and our camp at Horseyard Flat Camping Reserve
Attachment 38866
There is a great walk into First Falls and the Moroka Gorge - but I couldn't get my party interested in the walk....
DAY 5 : From there we followed the Moroka Road till we reached the old Moroka Range Track and followed this through to the turn off down to the Hut
Attachment 38872
and then back up to the Moroka Range Track where we continued on till we turned up to the summit of Mt Wellington on the Mt Wellington Track. We made it up to the summit and then turned back rather than continuing on to The Sentinels Lookout over Lake Tarli Karn, as the day was getting away from us, ( we have done this track before and camped further on near Millers Hut - for a true top of the range experience ..... oooh - I still remember it clearly - cold and misty ). After backtracking back to the junction we continued on the Mt Wellington Track we continued on the Moroka Rd and then down towards Licola and the Wellington River, where we camped for the night.
Attachment 38874
DAY 6 : The next day, we continued on to Licola
Attachment 38873
and made our obligatory stop there for some nibbles and a chat with the owners, and then went out North on the Licola - Jamieson Rd over Mt Skene, and continued on to Jamieson.
MAPS THAT CAN BE USED :
Rooftop Maps Dargo-Wonnangatta Adventure Map
Rooftop Maps Mansfield - Mt Howitt Adventure Map
Rooftop Maps Jamieson - Licola Adventure Map or Woods Point - Mt.Skene Forest Activities Map
GPS Maps in the Truck, as I don't actually have the Mansfield-Mt Howitt Map
I hope that gives some of you some ideas.....
Mic
