Easter Weekend – Friday 18th April – Saturday 26th April 2025
Embarking on a 4wd Adventure Bush, Beach, Bush. Starting at Devils Hollow with Scenic views over Mt Hotham to designated 4wd tracks around Dargo areas. To the Coastal town of Lake Tyers, with it’s Sandy beaches and stunning coastal scenery. Great Opportunities for fishing in the Lake or the Surf. Then back to the dirt roads, river crossings and steep sections.
Day 1 Good Friday 18th April : Some members did make the drive up from Bendigo on Thursday to grab this magnificent spot, while most travelled up on Friday to Kings Spur track just off Dargo High Plains road to Devils Hollow. Where we had an amazing view of Mt Hotham.
Day 2 Saturday: This morning waking up to the sunrise coming up over Mt Hotham was very spectacular, a little chilly as the air was full of excitement and members were ready for this 8 day adventure. We had a pretty serious briefing about the trip and what was coming ahead. We set off at 9.00am heading out of Kings Spur track and gathering at Lankey Hut making sure everyone was in convoy. From here we turned left onto Dargo High Plains road and it was really busy all ready being the Easter long weekend. We then turned left onto Downey track, then it changes to Mathieson track and is really steep in sections 1st gear Low Range. At the bottom we turned right and headed to Harrison Cutting which was named because the river was diverted around the bank and they cut a huge hole out from the Embankment to divert water around.
We had a little break here as well. After a break we headed out then around into Collins Flat campground which was filling fast, through the river crossing (which had been fixed up on the exit point) and Up Stock Route track ,it’s a nice little climb up to Berrigan road and back into 2wd. We then turned left into Jones road, for a 2wd road it’s steep and by the time you make it to the bottom your brakes get very hot. We had lunch at the bottom at the turn off to Wayne’s track. Dave had problems with his battery getting really hot so he had to change it over, borrowing another from another Jackaroo. We headed off about 1.00pm up Wayne’s track then it changes to Steve’s track which has some nice steep sections coming out from the river crossings. As we nearly got to the end of Steve’s track we noticed smoke ahead and then they had blocked the track to a controlled burn off. So we had to turn around and head back down Steve’s track, as we got out of one of the river crossings, there’s a Camp on the left so I pulled in, it was 2.30pm, there was fire wood so we found a spot and set up camp. We chopped up the wood ready for the fire. After that we walked down to the river and we went for a swim (very cold) but well worth it. After a swim and a wash some of us walked up a track a little bit further and it opened up to this open area and another camp called Graham’s place (nice little find). So we walked back and the fire was going and we had a nice night around the fire.
Day 3 Sunday 19th April : We woke to Easter Sunday and the Easter bunny had been leaving Easter eggs around the vehicles and near our Swags, so for breakfast most were eating Easter eggs especially the kids and big kids. We packed up camp and headed off along Wayne’s track back to Jones road and we turned right heading out up to Baldhead road where we turned right and drove down to Bullumwaal road to Mt Taylor camp area. We aired up here and then we were back on the Asphalt to Bairnsdale, then onto the Great Alpine Way to Bruthen. At Bruthen we filled up with diesel and had lunch at the Pub. After lunch we headed to Nowa Nowa, stopping for bait and ice creams. Just out from town we turned right into Mt House track and a 14 km drive to The Glasshouse campground, it was fairly full, but we managed to get 14 vehicles in. We arrived around 3.00pm and set up camp and Naomi headed down from Bendigo meeting us there around 6.00pm. We got a fire going and then it started to rain, we sat around the fire with our umbrellas until we ventured off to bed.
Day 4 Monday 20th April: Today was a day off, we slept in and did what ever we wanted to do. Early in the morning I went fishing in Lake Tyers and caught nothing then some went Surf fishing for hours and caught nothing. While some walked along the beach I to Lake Tyers and had a coffee then walked back. Most went for a drive back to Nowa Nowa to the Stoney Creek Trestle Bridge. That night it rained again so another wet night at the fire, so everyone headed for a very early night.
Day 5 Tuesday: This morning the rain had eased, but everything was wet. We slowly packed up camp and we all took off heading out of the The Glasshouse campground onto Mt House track to the Princess Hwy. We stopped at Orbost for fuel and supplies, at the bakery I spoke to a guy from Parks Victoria, whom told me that Jackson Crossing had been washed out and Deddick trail had been badly washed out. So plan B had to be applied so we had to head for Waratah campground. Seeing that we weren’t going to Jackson Crossing 4 vehicles pulled out and headed for home.
We headed out of Orbost and onto Yalmy road then right onto Pinnak road then back onto Yalmy road, it’s just a short cut cutting off Jackson Crossing. The rain started again and it was coming down quiet heavy, we come to Waratah track then turned left into Waratah campground. The campground has not had any maintenance on it for a long time, all overgrown, we managed to get 10 vehicles in, some had to camp on the main track, we set up camp in the rain and we practically sat under our awnings all night it rained that much, so I reckon we were in bed by 9.00pm that night.
Day 6 Wednesday: We woke to rain still, it had rained all night. We packed up camp and headed off by 9.00am back up Waratah track then left onto Yalmy road, with a scenic drive through the tall trees and the ferns growing underneath on the floor of the forest. We arrived in Bonang but there is not much there, so we turned left onto McKillops Bridge road and headed towards McKillops Bridge. Nice pretty drive besides the Deddick River, passing township’s of Cabanandra, Tubbut(where they still have a school operating) and Deddick. We got to McKillops Bridge around lunch time stopping in the carpark area, having lunch and then walking across the bridge and taking some drone shots. We hopped back in our vehicles driving over the bridge and headed straight up the windy road which in places isn’t wide enough for one vehicle let alone if you had a vehicle coming the other way. We stopped at Little River Falls for a photo and it started raining again, so back in the vehicles and headed out McKillops Bridge road, turning right into Snowy River road. This road takes you through to Jindabyne, we turned left onto Limestone road and it was wet and slippery so we had to slow right down. We made it to Native Dog Campground. We decided to stay here as we have camped here before, three vehicles headed for home as they didn’t want to camp in the rain again. I cut firewood and we set up camp, the rain stopped so we had a very nice night around the fire.
Day 7 Thursday: I woke to a lovely sunny morning, I lit the fire again and decided to stay another day relaxing around the fire, we spent the day cooking and eating over the fire cutting more firewood to keep the coal’s going. Two vehicles went for a drive to Kennedys Hut for a look, arriving back around 4.00pm. We had another camper just completed The Source of the Murray Trip, he rode his push bike in with some valuable information about how to find The Start of the Murray and he found it. We sat around the fire talking about the Murray Trip then of to bed.
Day 8 Friday Anzac Day: We all were heading home, we packed up camp and headed out, everyone leaving different times. Along Limestone road I to Omeo and up Great Alpine Way, through Dinner Plain, Mt Hotham down through Harrietville and Bright then home.
Participants:
Russell. 105 LandCruiser
Andrew. Triton
Dale H. 105 LandCruiser
Karl. 105 LandCruiser
Luke. Hilux
Naomi. Prado
Laura. Prado
John. Triton
Tania. Suzuki
Ian. Nissan Patrol
Allan. Triton
Geoff. Isuzu
Deb and Rob. Isuzu
Richard. Prado
Morri. Land Rover
Russell S. Jackaroo
Dave and Jack. Jackaroo
