Dargo to Ben Crauchan Trip Easter 2018

The Sandhurst 4WD Club ran a high country trip in East Gippsland taking advantage of the 4 day Easter holiday and enjoying some of the Alpine area around the Avon Wilderness area and Ben Cruachan, from Dargo to Licola.

Day 1 – Bendigo to Dargo

Friday 30th March 2018

This trip we all met at Bunnings at Epsom on Friday morning at 8.00am, we had 8 vehicles heading across to Myrtleford fuelling up and having a quick lunch before heading into the Buckland Valley.

Taking the Buckland Valley Road we went passed Beverages Station on the Mt Selwyn Road to our first track – Mt Murray North track which was a very easy track with 5 river crossings getting us to Twins Jeep track. Every corner you turn on Twins Jeep Track treats you to sensational views of the Alpine region, and it was a great way to start the trip.

Twins Jeep Track took us to Dargo High Plains Road where we drove towards Dargo – the road was fairly busy and dusty. On the way down my brakes actually overheated, so I had to drive with the gearbox instead and less brakes.

When we got to the Pub the camping area was fairly full but we managed to get a spot and set up camp, having dinner at 5.30pm to get in early before the crowds got in. It was a very noisy night unfortunately as Dargo was a popular spot for the Easter long weekend.

Day 2 – Dargo to Avon River

Saturday 31st March 2018

On the Saturday morning we all were awake fairly early so we were packed and got on the road by 8.30am, heading out of Dargo on the Dargo Rd about 5km we took a right hand turn onto Short Cut Road which takes you to Wonnangatta Road, which is fairly windy dirt road passing plenty of camp sites on the way in, finally after a 45 minute drive getting to Kingwells Bridge you can cross the bridge or do the river crossing so we opted to do the river crossing which was fairly shallow.

From Kingwells Bridge 6km up the track is Billy Goats Bluff track so we aired right down to about 24psi and started to head up Billy Goats Bluff track which is a very popular track it climbs 1200 vertical meters in 8km, there are some rough sections, but it had been graded after the recent fires making the drive quite easy.

After reaching the top, Billy Goats Bluff Track turns onto the Pinnacles track and turning left and a 2km drive up to the Pinnacles, then a short 350m walk up to the fire tower with beautiful 360 degree views, but on this day we were above the clouds to the North and couldn’t see to the South because the clouds were coming straight up the mountain. We walked back down and had a quick break before getting back on the road.

We headed down Pinnacles Road to Moroka Road traveling along for 14km to Moroka Range track and getting to Moroka Hut and a short walk up to the Hut and a group photo then a lunch break.

Heading off again on the Old Moroka Road that is a real easy drive with great views to the right of Mt Wellington. After 22km we turned right up Mt Angus Track then another right turn up Avon Road finding a great camp on the Avon river with some river crossings that you have to drive up river 200m to find the exit.

We got into camp about 4.00pm had a big fire and a relaxing night. Situated on the river, if it rains at all, get out quick as the river can flood real fast and become impassable, it turned out to be a good place for a swim, and the kids enjoyed playing on the rocks beside the river until well after dark.

Day 3 – Avon River to Dolodrook River

Sunday 1st April 2018

Sunday we woke after a well-deserved catch up sleep from daylight savings, we woke up to Easter Eggs over our vehicles, the Easter bunny even finds you up in the High Country!

We packed up and headed off back through the river crossings, and continued on the Avon Rd track which has some nice steep sections until we reached Ben Cruachan Scenic Reserve. The drive up is a slow low range drive, and there isn’t much parking space up the top so trying to park 8 vehicles was fun, but the views from 836m from the Trigg point were amazing to the North and well worth the trip up. We had a quick break admiring the view and headed back down and got back onto Avon track where we took a right onto Chromleys track and then right again after 1km onto Mt Margaret track.

Mt Margaret track is a really long track and driving the entire track from one end to the other end could take up to a whole day. It’s steep and just up and down the whole way. We had lunch along the way at the helipad, then we took another right on Chromite Mine track which has steep sections, and we finally reached Dolodrook River Camping area at about 3.00pm.

The camping area we came across was a big, flat grassy area on a river, and we were able to spread out a bit across the camp spot. There wasn’t much water in the river at this time of year, though a few of us were able to find a couple of spots to go for a quick swim before joining the rest of the group around a big warm fire, and relaxing for dinner and the rest of the night.

Day 4 – Dolodrook River to Jamieson

Monday 2nd April 2018

Monday morning a little cold but a beautiful morning to wake up to the fire still going we all knew that this was our last day on the tracks for this weekend, and we left camp at 8.30am.

It was a very nice, steep driving experience around the Chromite Mine area and the Avon Wilderness, then it gets to the Wellington river and one camp site there then the track changes to the B1 track which has really steep sections, but it’s awesome, scenic driving with lots of steep climbs and descents on a well maintained track (a lot of people on the trip thought B1 track was a lot more interesting and scenic than Billy Goats Bluff). B1 track came to an end where we partially aired up and jumped onto the Tamboritha Rd towards Licola.

It was 2wd to Licola where we stopped for a quick morning tea and headed on the Heyfield- Jamieson Road over Mt Skene to Jamieson (very corrugated road), we made it for lunch at the Courthouse Hotel for a meal, and this is where we ended the trip and we headed home via Mansfield.

Participants