Victorian High Country 4WD Trip Review
Victorian High Country
Location
Victorian High Country
Route
Multiple tracks across the Victorian High Country
Terrain
Steep climbs and descents, rocky tracks, river crossings, mud, loose shale and mountain tracks
Difficulty
Easy through to very difficult depending on the route and conditions
Vehicle
Properly equipped 4WDs
Would we go back?
Every chance we get
The Victorian High Country is hands down one of our favourite places to go four-wheel driving. We've explored different parts of the High Country over plenty of trips and in different 4WDs, including our GQ Patrol and Y62 Patrol, and there's still a ridiculous amount of country left for us to see. That's probably what we love most about it. You can go back over and over again, take a different turn and end up with a completely different trip.
King Billy Track
If we had to pick a favourite High Country track, King Billy would be right up there.
It's proper High Country four-wheel driving with steep country, rocky sections and some brilliant views as you climb through the mountains.
It's not just about how difficult the track is either. For us, the best High Country tracks are the ones where the drive itself is part of the experience, and King Billy delivers that.
It's one we've done before and one we'd happily do again.
Lake Cobbler
Lake Cobbler is another area we've really enjoyed exploring.
The drive in is part of the adventure, and once you're out there you've got access to plenty more tracks throughout the surrounding High Country.
It's a great area to make a base and spend a couple of days exploring rather than just driving in, looking at the lake and heading home.
The country around Cobbler gives you everything we like about the Victorian High Country — mountain tracks, bush camping, creek crossings and plenty of options to keep exploring.
Mt Stirling, Mt Buller & Craig's Hut
The Mt Stirling and Mt Buller area is another part of the High Country we've spent plenty of time exploring.
Craig's Hut is obviously one of the best-known stops in the area and it's absolutely worth visiting, but there's a lot more to the area than just driving up to the hut for a photo.
There are tracks running throughout the surrounding mountains that can be linked together into some seriously good day trips.
The views from up around Mt Stirling are hard to beat, particularly when the weather is clear and you can see across the surrounding ranges.
Bluff Hut
Bluff Hut is another High Country spot we'd recommend adding to a trip.
Getting there can be as much fun as the destination itself, with several different ways to work it into a bigger 4WD loop.
From around the Howqua area you can head towards Bluff and Lovicks Huts, with everything from easier access tracks through to much steeper and more challenging routes.
This is the sort of High Country driving we love.
You're not heading out just to find the hardest obstacle possible. You're travelling through the mountains, stopping at huts, crossing rivers and linking tracks together as you go.
Woods Point
Woods Point is another area we've explored and somewhere we'd definitely head back to.
The old mining town is surrounded by tracks and makes a great destination as part of a bigger High Country trip.
There's a huge amount of history through this part of Victoria, and you'll regularly come across old mining sites and remnants of settlements while exploring the tracks.
It's another place where you could easily spend several days exploring without covering everything.
Rubicon
We've also spent time exploring around Rubicon.
It's a different part of the High Country but still offers plenty of good four-wheel driving, camping and mountain scenery.
Like most of the High Country, the difficulty can change enormously depending on the weather.
A track that's relatively straightforward when it's dry can become a completely different drive after rain.
River Crossings
River crossings are a big part of High Country four-wheel driving.
Some are barely worth mentioning in dry conditions while others can become completely impassable after heavy rain.
We've always treated river crossings with respect.
If we're unsure, we'll stop and check the crossing before driving in. Depth is only one part of it — current, the condition of the bottom and the entry and exit can all turn a seemingly simple crossing into a problem.
There's no shame in turning around.
The track will still be there another day.
What we'd take
For a High Country trip, our recovery gear isn't optional.
We carry recovery boards, rated recovery points and recovery gear, tyre deflators, compressor, tyre repair kit, shovel, first aid kit, tools, UHF and enough food and water to cover us if the trip doesn't go to plan.
We also prefer travelling the harder and more remote tracks with other vehicles.
Phone reception can disappear pretty quickly once you're down in the valleys, so you can't rely on having mobile coverage when something goes wrong.
Things to know before you go
This is probably the biggest thing we'd tell anyone heading into the Victorian High Country for the first time: conditions change everything.
A track someone describes as easy may have been driven in completely different conditions.
Rain can turn clay sections into skating rinks. River levels can rise. Trees can come down. Tracks can become badly rutted and rocky climbs can get chopped up.
Weather in the mountains can also change quickly, so we go prepared even when the forecast looks good.
One of the biggest things to check before planning a High Country trip is seasonal track closures.
A lot of Victorian High Country tracks close over winter and generally reopen around the end of October or beginning of November, depending on the track and conditions.
There can also be temporary closures because of fires, storms, fallen trees, floods or track damage.
Don't rely entirely on an old paper map, GPS route or someone's trip report from a previous year.
Always check the current track closures before heading in.
Our verdict
If we had to choose one place in Victoria to keep going back to with the 4WDs, it'd be the High Country.
There are easier tracks where you can cruise through and enjoy the scenery, and there are properly difficult tracks where vehicle setup, experience and picking the right line matter.
But the biggest attraction for us isn't finding the hardest track.
It's everything combined.
The river crossings, old huts, mountain views, bush camps, steep climbs and descents and the fact that there's always another track we haven't explored yet.
We've already spent plenty of time through places like King Billy, Lake Cobbler, Mt Stirling, Craig's Hut, Bluff Hut, Woods Point and Rubicon, and we still feel like we've barely scratched the surface.
That's why we'll keep going back.
A4GW Rating
10/10 🤙