Mt Buller to Buckland Valley was one of those epic 4WD trips, I’m always excited about visiting places in the High Country that I haven’t been before and it’s great to travel and explore new tracks with the Sandhurst 4WD Club.
Day 1 (Friday night and Saturday) – Carters Road to Top Crossing
We started at Carters Rd camping area at the base of Mt Buller, camping there on Friday night and meeting Paul and Fiona on the Saturday morning at 9.00am. We were just about to take off and Tim Bates just happened to drive past , so he stopped for a quick chat.
So straight out of Carters Rd and we were straight into it; up Plain Creek Track which was easy at the start until we got to a clay section with a steep and slippery descent which was a bit of fun actually. We drove back onto Carters Rd and to Tomahawk Hut and had a quick stop for a look. We then headed up Buckland Spur Track with great views of Mt Cobbler the whole way, and then dropping down to Lake William Hovel where we had lunch and a nice break.
Heading off again to Top Crossing Hut and as we headed back along Top Crossing Track we found a nice little camp around 1.30pm near a river crossing, cut wood and had a great fire with a few drinks and a laugh.
Day 2 (Sunday) – Top Crossing to Lake Cobbler
The Sunday morning we started early and got back on the tracks by 9.00am; heading up Sandy Flat Track which was a good climb that just kept on going up to Burnt Top Track amongst the Snow Gums. Burnt Top Track is a fairly long drive and there isn’t much to see until the end, with a couple of climbs and a constantly changing landscape; finally we reached Wild Horse Track which is a great drive with hill climbs and descents and great views the whole way , stopping at Rose River for lunch.
After lunch we took off again to Cobbler Road and up to Lake Cobbler and Cobbler Hut. We got into the lake about 2.00pm set up camp just near the lake. Paul and Fiona left the trip here to head home for work. So Simeon and myself walked to the Dandongadale falls and we were able to sit right on the edge of the falls with absolutely fantastic views.
Day 3 (Monday) – Lake Cobbler to Beverages Station
Monday morning we were down to 3 vehicles heading off again by 9.00am and heading up Abbeyard – Lake Cobbler Track. The track had a couple of step sections and it’s a great drive with fantastic views and took us into the old township of Abbeyard which is now just privately owned land.
Heading along the East Buffalo Rd then taking a left onto Schultz Track passing some good Camp sites in the valley. If you like hill climbs this track is the one to do; it just climbs the whole way mainly 2nd low range. We had a quick stop at the end, on Buffalo Range Track, jumped out for a look at the views and looked back at the Toyota to see it leaking oil.
The return hose for the power steering had burst so a quick fix was required and a top up; and we were on our way. Walshs Track, West Humfrey Track, Selwyn Track and then Australian Canyon Rd, this track was amazing up in the Snow Gums and the low lying ferns (in the Winter it would make a great drive).
Mt Selwyn Rd took us left up to the Summit at 1424m of Mt Selwyn, and we enjoyed awesome 360 degree views of the High Country and Buckland Valley, the last little climb to the top can be a bit of a challenge.
Leaving Mt Selwyn, we took the Great Dividing Range Track and left down Dingo Creek Track, now this track is just straight down 1st low range for me nearly the whole way down (one day will have to climb it).
Back onto Mt Selwyn Rd to Selwyn Creek Rd, cut wood for the fire at our next camp, and we pulled into Beverages Station, which is a nice big camp site in the Buckland Valley with plenty of grass areas to camp on. We got a nice spot I’d camped before, which was a grassy area beside the Buckland River and it was a great spot.
Day 4 (Tuesday) – Beverages Station to Myrtleford
The next morning we took out time packing up because we were heading for home. We took off about 11.00am having the 1 hour drive through the Buckland Valley passing the base of Mt Buffalo and stopping at Sinclair’s falls which was flowing really hard, into Porepunkah then Myrtleford for lunch having Hamburgers at the park in town and that’s where we ended the trip heading our own way for home.
-Russell
Participants:
- Russell (105 Series LandCruiser)
- Simeon (Toyota Hilux)
- Paul and Fiona (80 Series LandCruiser)
- Steve (Toyota Prado)
