Trip Leader: Graeme Carter

This trip will start early on Saturday morning at Mansfield (approximately 2½ hours drive from Melbourne) and take 4 days to travel through the Victorian high country, visiting some of the high country’s most iconic locations.  We will travel eastward from Mansfield to Sheepyard flat, then climb up into the alpine regions to the south of Mt Buller to visit Bluff hut and Lovicks hut for magnificent views northward toward Mt Buller.  We will then continue to Howitt hut on the high plains for lunch and down into the Wonnangatta valley for the first night’s camp at the old Wonnangatta homestead site.  (est distance 130 Km).  

Little now remains of the homestead apart from its foundations and a number of European trees, but on day 2 will spend some time in the Wonnangatta Valley and explore the homestead site and the cemetery before heading to Guys hut and then Mt Murray for lunch.  Here we can take a short walk to the summit for magnificent 360 degree views of the high country to the south (weather permitting).  We will then descend into the Buckland valley via Mt Selwyn and camp at Beveridge Station (est distance 74 Km).  This site was settled by the Beveridge brothers in the mid 1880’s, but the Buckland Valley is more famous for being one of the riches alluvial gold fields in Victoria.  Gold was discovered in 1850 by Henry Pardoe who obtained 360 oz of gold in just a couple of days!!  

On day 3 we will travel via some of the tracks to the south of the Buffalo Plateau to camp at Lake Cobbler (est dist 100 Km).  Lake Cobbler was originally an alpine wetland and the lake was created by loggers in the mid 1900’s by damming one end of the valley.

On the last day we will descend into the King Valley via the Staircase and King hut to reach the Mt Stirling Circuit Road and then on to Craigs Hut, Mt Stirling, Binderee Falls (time permitting) and the Mt Buller village before returning to Mansfield where the trip will end (est dist 105 Km).

This trip will be suited to confident 4WDrivers with some experience.  Your vehicle will need to be equipped with a UHF radio (or one borrowed from the club), good all terrain tyres, low range, 4WD and have reasonable clearance. You will need camping gear (no trailers!) and food and supplies for 4 days in the bush. Bring your recovery gear if you have it.

Trip Standard: Medium – some steep, low-range hill climbs and some rocky tracks!

Fuel: a full tank ex Mansfield where all fuels are available.  Approx. distance 420Km.

Further info and briefings closer to the time - or email me with any questions.

Convoy limit 6 vehicles.

Trip Leader/contact: Graeme Carter

Email:   graeme.carter23@bigpond.com

Phone.  (03) 9701 5880

Mobile.  0400 195 932