Easter Trip Report - 10 Day Epic Bright to Corryong

When I was asked “would it be great to do a big trip through the High Country?”, I decided to organise a 10 Day Epic; having already done a reccie trip from Mansfield to Corryong earlier, this was going to be the Trip.

Due to the fires we’ve had in the High Country I had to change the trip to Bright to Corryong and heading up through Dinner Plain amongst the Snow Gums was a perfect place to start a trip.

Day 1 – Friday

8 vehicles met at Bunnings 9.00am Friday morning heading off to Dinner Plain stopping at Mytleford for fuel and a quick stop for lunch. We headed off through Bright dealing with the Easter traffic and made our way through Mt Hotham taking the Alpine Way to Dinner Plain.

We arrived at JB Plain Hut Campground but its actually a walk in camp , we met Ian and Trish here so we kept on going down Dinner Plain track and found a great little spot on the side of the track to camp, we set up camp lit the fire and enjoyed the night.

Day 2 – Saturday

Saturday morning we were on the track by 9.00am heading down Dinner Plain track (a fairly easy 2wd track) the whole way passing on the right hand side where the bush fires had been burnt out to so one side was black and burnt and the other was nice and green. The track was very dusty. We got to Berrigan rd turning right towards the Dogs Grave turning left here into the Dogs Grave Campground and stopping here for a while looking at the Dogs Grave Hut. The hut has just been rebuilt at the Actual Dogs Gravesite and there is a story about a man Peter Meehan and his dog.

Off again down Berrigan rd turning left at Messmate Spur track we drove down here and the track had been blocked off with trees across the track by a dozer, we turned around and headed back, passing another group coming down, so we told them to turn around as well and we headed out back to Berrigan rd.

Turning left, we stopped at Danes track for a lunch break. After lunch we went down Danes track which is easy at the start and then it turned into a good steep track getting to the bottom where we took a left to some great campsites and to Camms Hut, (very run down).

Turning around heading back through bog holes, river crossing and the campsites we kept on Danes track straight up (fairly steep but good traction) up to Wild Horse track and around to Wentworth Falls track turning left down to look at the falls. The track just ended no falls at all, so we turned around at the bottom and headed back out then left onto McDonalds track (easy 2wd track) around to Hollie track, then it was steep straight down 1st gear low range, it turns into Pheasant Creek track and again straight down 1st gear low range, back onto Wild Horse track then a steep climb up to Jones rd turning right. Just before the bridge we turned left onto Waynes track and straight into a steep climb, looking for a camp.

We found a camp about 4.00pm 20m from the Wentworth river on the Mt Steve track, the campfire was lit straight away, sitting around to a great night.

Day 3 – Sunday

Sunday morning we took off right on 9.00am taking the Mt Steve track through the river crossing then into a steep climb out. It was steep but plenty of traction with a couple of switch backs to negotiate, a nice climb. On getting to the top near the Helipad, Steve had to ring Andrew in Bendigo to get some new rear brake pads seeing that he’s had worn out and were squealing fairly bad, so we got service on the phone and organised them when Andrew headed up.

Heading off again we turned right onto Morris track taking a short cut across to Baldhead rd then a left down Marthavale rd to Marthavale Hut. Getting down to the campground I was looking for the Hut, then I found out it had been burnt down about 4 years ago so we had a quick break.

We took off down Nicholson track along the valley it follows the Nicholson River, really nice drive with a few river crossings and bog holes to get through to make the track exciting. We then got to the Yahoo Mine Buildings which are privately owned so we couldn’t have a look inside.

The track turns right and up some really steep sections, both up and down following the ridge line. We had lunch along the way, stopping for a break until we reached Deptford rd turning left and back into 2wd we went to have a look at Deptford Campground crossing the Nicholson River to get into the camp.

We got there at about 2pm so we decided to camp here the night since it was a very large campsite with plenty of room, we gathered fire wood lit the fire and we all turned in reasonably early that night.

Day 4 – Monday

Monday morning we were up really early as we had to be in Dargo to meet Andrew and Dale H to fit the brake pads, so we were off at 8am taking the Deptford rd, German Gully rd, Baldhead rd, Jones rd to Upper Dargo rd passing all the camps which were packed, this was all 2wd just to get back to Dargo and it was raining the whole way.

We got into Dargo at 10.30am and pulled up out the back of the pub and Jim pulled the old brakes off and installed the new brake pads in about 45mins. We had 5 vehicles leave the trip and head for home as the Easter weekend was over and they had a 5 hour trip home. So the rest of us went into the pub for a meal and a rest for a couple of hours before taking off again at around 2pm and headed back into the High Country.

We went back along Upper Dargo road then onto Jones rd again, where we met Steven B. We now had 5 vehicles and it is still raining, which was making the dirt roads very slippery. With all of the other vehicles heading off the mountain after Easter weekend, we went up Berrigan rd came across 3 vehicles coming towards us sideways down one section of Berrigan rd. After squeezing past them we made a right hand turn down Murdering Spur track – track was very slippery downhill, and some some sections you just slid for about 10m; at the bottom it got very steep but good traction going down. The track took us through 6 river crossings then turning left onto Danes track to a beautiful campsite at Camms Top Place Hut amongst the really tall trees in the valley.

We cut wood and sat around to a drizzly night and into bed early.

Day 5 – Tuesday

Tuesday morning we woke up to a drizzly morning and we were packed up and on the tracks by 8.30am. Driving back through the river crossing and a steep climb up Danes track, which was pretty easy with good traction aside from a couple of clay slippery spots. We then made our way over the Helipad and onto Wild Horse track then onto McDonalds rd, which was an easy drive to Boomerang Spur track, and it then drops into Dawson City at the start of the Haunted Stream track.

We had a quick break before tackling the Haunted Stream. With its 54 river crossings it follows the valley floor through a fairly over grown track, some of the exits on the river crossings are fairly hard with a few rock steps, and half way along there is a bog hole with big ruts.

I had to snatch Andrew and Steven through the ruts, and we got to Dog Town for a lunch break. Dog Town is an old Gold mining area.

After Dog Town there is only a couple more river crossings then a drive out through Private Property (make sure you shut the gates on your way), then onto the Great Aline rd where we aired up.

Steven B left the trip here and headed home, we had asphalt to drive on for a bit and headed to Ensay, turning left onto Ensay Doctors Flat rd and found a nice little campsite on the Tambo river. We got in to camp about 2pm, we collected wood, lit the fire to a relaxing afternoon. It was a good spot to take photos up the valley.

Day 6 – Wednesday

Wednesday morning leaving camp around 8.30pm we headed along Doctors Flat rd then back onto the Great Alpine rd, going through Swifts Creek then onto Omeo.

Getting into Omeo we fueled up and bought more supplies from the supermarket and we had a late breakfast from the Cafe.

We were off again heading along Omeo Hwy, turning right onto Benambra rd, went straight on Fang Alley rd and onto Benambra Limestone rd which winds around until it hits the dirt. Taking Limestone track turning left we aired down, getting told by some other people that a Land Rover had rolled over on a steep section of the track.

We headed down, it was a great track to drive it’s steep, then it passes Limestone Creek Camp area and passes several other campsites on the way. We turned right down McCarthys track and down to The Poplars Camp area finding a spot by the Murray river, getting there about 1pm.

We had lunch and set up camp cutting firewood and lighting the fire, we had another relaxing afternoon sitting by the fire, some grabbed their fishing rods and went fishing walking the banks throwing a lure and enjoying a few beers.

Day 7 – Thursday

Thursday morning it was a sleep in, as we decided to have a rest day and just stay in camp for the day. I had to change my power steering hose and we all checked over our vehicles and did some maintenance.

Then we relaxed, fished, cooked up a damper for lunch and for dinner we cooked up the best pizzas in the camp oven over the open fire. Great night!

Day 8 – Friday

Friday morning we woke to our first windy morning for the whole trip so far. We were up fairly early packed up camp and on the tracks by 7.30am. Heading out of camp and up McCarthys track, the steep section was a really easy nice climb, we got to the intersection of Davies Plain track and we turned right headed along passing Charlie Creek Camping area, which is a very open grassy area.

The Davies Plain track just winds through the snow gums and the open plains getting to Davies Plain Hut and camping area. The old horse yards are still standing and made a great photo, so we stopped here for a break.

After the break we went down down Davies Plain going through some clear as river crossings, and then the track gets rutted and rough heading down to Buckwong Creek Camping area, through the river, out the other side. The track gets easy coming to the Murray River and we veered left onto the Dogmans Hut, or also known as Darkys Hut – our Uncle Neville’s father used to live there and catch rabbits for a living.

After leaving Darkys, we headed across the Murray River and into NSW. We pulled into Tom Groggin Camping area for lunch, this camping area is a very large campground would suit large groups.

After lunch we aired up and hit the Alpine Way passing Tom Groggin Station until we got to Geehi Rest area. Turning left, we headed across Behrs Flat passing Kebbles Hut, through the 65m Swamping Plains river crossing and onto Old Geehi Hut which is in great condition. I wanted to camp here but the spot was taken then I noticed a faint little track off into the bush so I walked along it and found a awesome camp on the river. I ran back called the guys and we got this awesome camp, just as we pulled in and set up, 3 other vehicles pulled in as well so we got lucky.

After setting up camp I jumped in the freezing cold water for a bath and swim, cold but refreshing. We cut wood, lit the fire, some went fishing and walking the banks. We had another great afternoon and a night around the fire. Steve and myself sitting up until 12am.

Day 9 – Saturday

Saturday morning we had a sleep in as we only had to get to Corryong, we left camp about 10am driving back through the 65m river crossing and we stopped at Kebbles Hut made out of river stones dragged up from the river. The hut was built by Nankervis as a fishing hut for his friends.

We went back over Behrs Flat across Geehi River and stopped at Geehi Hut, which is also made out of river stones and is in amazing condition with 3 rooms and wooden floors.

We got back onto the Alpine Way stopping at Scammels lookout with grand views to the Main Range then onto Murray 1 Power Station but it was closed due to Renovations so we stopped at the lookout instead.

Taking off again we stopped at Khancoben for lunch looking over the Khancoben Pondage. After lunch we headed to Corryong pulling into town we had a look around and got more supplies from the supermarket before going back to Towong to a family’s property on the Nariel River where we set up camp on the very grassy area, lit the fire to a early night. Dale left the trip and headed for home.