Far East Gippsland Track Clearing with Parks Victoria – 2, 3 or 3.5 days
Date and time: 8.00am, Thursday 16 October 2025 to 3.00pm Sunday 19 October 2024
Trip Standard: Medium with possible hard sections depending on the convoy you travel with.
Description: Please contact your trip leader if you are unsure of any of the following requirements for this trip.
The 19th Annual Far East Gippsland track clearing, gate opening and track assessment event with Parks Victoria (PV) is on again and here is your opportunity to explore some remote parts of Far East Gippsland, practice your chainsaw and/or track clearing skills and work with Parks Victoria (PV) Rangers. Also included this year are walking track clearing and perhaps repairs, most likely on the Thursday and Friday. We have heard that this may involve some large trees to be cleared as well as brushcutter work. Walking track clearing will involve walking in your equipment (and lunch and water) to clear the trees and vegetation.
PV manage the event and safety is a high priority.
The Friends of Errinundra, the Pajero 4WD Club and the Land Rover Owners Club of Victoria will also be joining us.
We are seeking both certified chainsaw operators and helpers. The Snowy River National Park, Northern Alpine National Park and Errinundra National Park are spectacular locations with some interesting 4WD tracks.
We will be camping at Wilson’s Hut campground (5km from Bendoc) which has picnic tables, fire pits and drop toilets. The hut also has a fireplace. Please bring all your food, water and cooking equipment with you. You can bring your camper trailer or van to Wilson’s Hut Campground (no power) if you wish, although you will need to return to the campground after the Sunday activities to collect your van. Hot showers are available in Bendoc at the community hall for a gold coin donation.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night dinners are available at the Bendoc Hotel. Please call (02) 6458 1453 to book a table. They do have a limited kitchen, so it does assist them if we book ahead.
The PV Rangers will be providing a thorough safety briefing on each morning, and each convoy will be carrying a PV Radio for regular safety check ins during the event.
PV Rangers will organise a BBQ dinner on the Saturday night, probably at the Bendoc Hall.
RACV TotalCare or equivalent plus Ambulance subscription are highly recommended. The nearest town with supermarkets is Orbost. Delegate in NSW has a store and fuel. We will be travelling in a remote area so please be self-sufficient. The work requires a reasonable level of fitness.
Drivers must have completed the club Proficiency Driver Training course (or equivalent).
Parks Volunteers are all required to have a Working With Children Check (WWCC). This is free for volunteers. Please email the trip leader a copy of your WWCC that will be sent to Parks Victoria.
If you do not have a WWCC card, it is free to apply for one and only takes 10 minutes online plus a visit to the Post Office for those without a Service Victoria account.
Last fuel stop is at Orbost although there is fuel in NSW at Delegate (restricted hours).
Be prepared for cold and wet conditions and bring all your food, water, camping and cooking gear for the weekend. It has snowed in previous years. Morning tea and lunch will be in the bush each day. Please also carry an emergency supply of food.
No pets or firearms.
Maps and references:
- 4WD Touring SE NSW and East Gippsland, Craig Lewis and Cathy Savage
- Vicmaps 1:50K Murrindal-Yalmy, Deception Deddick, Goongerah-Ellery, Murrangower- Bemm River
- CMA NSW 1:50K Delegate
- Hema - East Gippsland and the Sapphire Coast
- Rooftop Maps: Snowy River, McKillops Bridge, Lakes Entrance Cann River, Orbost, Delegate
Weather: Please review the weather forecast for Bendoc but be prepared for cold and wet conditions for camping and working in the bush. We will be travelling at high altitude so it will be colder and possibly wetter than Melbourne.
Equipment: Well prepared high clearance 4WD vehicle with low range (or equivalent), good quality All Terrain tyres as a minimum, a 5 watt UHF radio with vehicle fitted aerial, front and rear recovery points, rated snatch strap and 2 rated shackles.
Additional Equipment required: Chainsaw with all required Personal Protection Equipment for certified chainsaw operators, serviced winch if you have one, leather working gloves, strong work boots, rated drag chain, air compressor and tyre gauge, Maxtrax or similar, axe, hand saw, safety glasses, hand held UHF radio. First Aid kit.
Fuel: a full tank from Orbost
Distance: Melbourne to Bendoc via Orbost 475kms. Plus up to 250kms on forest roads and bush tracks including extended sections in 4WD.
Duration: 2, 3 or 3.5 days. It is highly recommended that people travel to Wilson’s Hut Campground on the day prior to commencement of work.
Convoy limit: 10 vehicles from RRCV. There will be a number of mixed club convoys working in the bush and these will be organised each morning to balance chainsaw operators and helpers.
Meeting arrangements: 8.30am each day at the Bendoc Parks Victoria office for the PV safety and trip briefing.
Trip Leaders: John & Prue Hasler 0439 890 688 p.thwait@bigpond.net.au
Club Guest Registration policy: It is club policy in regard to insurance cover that if a member brings any non-members on the trip they must be registered and have paid the required fee as Temporary Members BEFORE the event.
i.e. non- members can no longer register on the day with the trip leader.
Temporary Membership information and ways to register can be found at:
Temporary (Guest) Membership
Also if a non-member wishes to bring their own vehicle, the member inviting the non-member must contact the trip leader for approval to bring the vehicle. Such approval will take into account skills of the driver, suitability of the vehicle and whether or not a place within the convoy limit is available for a non-member's vehicle.
