Craig's Hut 4WD Trip Review
Mt Stirling, Victorian High Country
Location
Mt Stirling, Victorian High Country
Route
High Country tracks around Mt Stirling
Terrain
High Country tracks, gravel roads, rocky sections and mountain tracks
Difficulty
Easy to Moderate — depending on your route and conditions
Vehicle
4WD with proper recovery and touring gear
Would we go back?
Definitely
Craig's Hut is probably one of the most recognisable places in the Victorian High Country, and it's absolutely worth making part of a 4WD trip through the Mt Stirling area. We've visited Craig's Hut while exploring the High Country, and while the hut and views are impressive on their own, our visit ended up being particularly memorable for Quin. While we were there, she got the opportunity to get on a horse. For a kid who loves horses, it doesn't get much better than sitting on one at Craig's Hut in the middle of the Victorian High Country.
Getting to Craig's Hut
Craig's Hut sits high in the Mt Stirling area and there are different ways to incorporate it into a High Country trip.
You don't need to tackle extreme four-wheel driving just to visit the hut. Depending on your route and the conditions, getting there can be relatively straightforward.
But that's also what makes the area so good.
You can make Craig's Hut a destination on an easier High Country drive, or link it into a much bigger trip using some of the surrounding 4WD tracks.
We prefer the second option.
For us, getting there is part of the adventure rather than simply driving up, taking a photo and leaving.
Craig's Hut
Once you arrive, it's pretty easy to understand why Craig's Hut is so well known.
Sitting high in the mountains with views across the surrounding High Country, it's an unreal location.
The hut was originally built as a set for The Man from Snowy River, and it has since become one of the iconic landmarks of the Victorian High Country.
It's definitely worth getting out of the 4WD and spending some time walking around rather than treating it as a quick photo stop.
Quin's Horse Ride
Our visit also gave us a memory we weren't expecting.
While we were at Craig's Hut, Quin got the opportunity to get on a horse.
She loves horses, so naturally she wasn't going to turn that down.
Having her sitting on a horse at Craig's Hut, surrounded by the mountains, was one of those little moments that ended up becoming a highlight of the trip.
It's also exactly why we enjoy these trips as a family.
The 4WDing might be what gets us into these places, but it's usually the unexpected moments along the way that we remember afterwards.
Exploring Mt Stirling
Craig's Hut is only one part of what makes the Mt Stirling area worth exploring.
There are plenty of tracks throughout the surrounding mountains, so we'd recommend making the hut part of a bigger day rather than driving up solely to see it.
The scenery throughout this part of the High Country is brilliant, particularly when you get up onto the higher sections and the country starts opening up around you.
Depending on the route you choose, you can keep the driving fairly easy or incorporate more challenging High Country tracks into the trip.
The 4WDing
We'd rate the trip to Craig's Hut itself as easy to moderate rather than difficult.
You don't need a heavily modified 4WD to experience the area, but conditions can change quickly in the mountains.
Rain can make tracks slippery, rocky sections can deteriorate and weather can completely change what you're dealing with.
If you start linking Craig's Hut with other tracks throughout the Mt Stirling and surrounding High Country, the difficulty can obviously increase considerably.
A Great Family Destination
Craig's Hut is a particularly good High Country destination with the kids.
There's the 4WD trip getting there, the history behind the hut, plenty of space to explore and some incredible views.
And in our case, apparently there's also the chance you might end up with a kid on a horse.
We certainly weren't expecting that when we headed there.
What we'd take
Even on the easier High Country trips, we carry our usual recovery and touring gear.
That includes rated recovery points and recovery gear, recovery boards, tyre deflators, compressor, tyre repair kit, shovel, first aid kit, tools and UHF.
If we're linking Craig's Hut into a longer trip through the mountains, we also make sure we're carrying enough food and water in case plans change.
Things to know before you go
Check current access and track closures before heading towards Mt Stirling and Craig's Hut.
Seasonal closures apply throughout the Victorian High Country and weather, storms, fires, fallen trees or track damage can cause additional closures.
Conditions in the mountains can change quickly, so always plan the route around current conditions rather than relying entirely on an old GPS track or previous trip report.
Our verdict
Craig's Hut is one of those Victorian High Country destinations that's popular for a reason.
The drive through the Mt Stirling area, the mountain scenery and the hut itself make it well worth including in a High Country trip.
For us though, there's an extra memory attached to this one.
Quin getting the chance to sit on a horse at Craig's Hut wasn't something we'd planned, but it ended up being one of the best moments of our visit.
It's a place we'd happily head back to while exploring more of the surrounding High Country.
A4GW Rating
9/10 🤙