This trip is now open to all members to book

Overlanding Victoria’s Outback

This trip is a replacement for the Beachport long weekend trip - due to the uncertainty as to the SA border being open.

Encompassing outback terrain similar to central Australia we will be remote camping in the Big Desert.

We will need to be totally self sufficient with all food, water drinks and recovery & camping gear. These tracks include some deep sandy sections, some larger dunes and typical outback and mallee riving. 

Campfires may not be allowed if fire danger is high so bring along portable cooking device just incase.

The tracks will include some sand driving and some sand dunes for those who were looking forward to beach driving.

Conditions are expected to be hot. 

The intended campsites only have drop toilets. 

The intention is to camp in a different spot each night unless we find a suitable spot for a base camp. 

We will  go exploring this great landscape taking areas such as Milmed Rock Track, Chinamans’ Well Track, Big Billy Bore, Big Desert Wilderness Zone, Cactus Bore and many other historical and scenic spots.

This trip will include travelling in Wyperfeld National Park, and the Big Desert areas so no dogs are allowed.

We will be entering the desert from the historic town of Rainbow and heading west along Milmed Rock Track.

You will need to bring a sand flag if you have one as we will be driving in sand dune country. Unfortunately no caravans or campers as some tracks will not be suitable due to deep sand.

This trip has a Medium rating but expect possible challenging sand driving depending on conditions, The weather is usually very hot at this time of year but nights can be cold so bring clothing etc for all conditions. If it is wet expect some muddy sections.

We will meet at the Macdonalds Calder Northbound on the Calder Hwy just past Calder Park on Friday Morning 5th March at 7.30 AM for 8.00 AM departure. 

https://g.page/mcdonald-s-calder-northbound?share 

We will take our time heading out and should get to Rainbow early afternoon which will be the last fuel up.

Fuel is hard to get in this area so petrol vehicles with smaller tanks should bring some emergency fuel (10Lts) just in case. 

We will have the clubs new Spot X GPS SMS device for emergency contact when out of phone range.

Celebrate a birthday in the high country, camped out in Wonnangatta Valley.

Starting from Heyfield, you can camp in the Heyfield “RV Park” on the Friday night if you want to start near the Saturday morning meeting point, or, it’s about 2 hours 15 mins drive from Chadstone to the meeting point. From there we will drive via Licola and onto Zeka Spur to reach the Wonnangatta Valley camping area Saturday night.

Sunday will be free time – any trip leaders will be welcome to post a trip for the Sunday. Weather permitting, I am planning a walk over the widow maker.  Sunday night is cook up night to celebrate your trip leaders birthday. We will have birthday cake for everyone, but, as usual, all attendees will need to self-cater.

Monday, is the drive home. Most likely taking Zeka Spur for the exit, with the alternative plan to exit north via Cheshunt / Whitfield.

Zeka is currently in very good condition, and in the dry is a straight forward track to drive.  When wet, good tires will be the difference between a medium track and an extremely difficult track.

Come join us if you are not going to Robe, and enjoy a long weekend in the high country with Autumn just starting to kick in and limit the heat.  As always, in the high country it can be very cold, so please pack to ensure that any snap cold spells are covered with your clothes and sleeping gear.

Zeka Spur is the only Difficult part of the trip, and in its current state, is almost able to be rated Medium. However, the extended use of Long Range for the decent/accent bumps the rating up to Difficult.  However, this is intended as a straight forward trip for stock vehicles. In the dry, any tires will do. In the wet, good All Terrains will do just fine.

This is a two day anticlockwise loop around Mt Buller, camping overnight at Bindaree Hut. If you would like a relaxed, scenic trip, then this is the one for you. Assuming that the weather plays ball, of course  

Traction will be good in the dry. The trip will be suitable for standard vehicles with good all terrain tyres. However, some tracks will be treacherous in wet conditions. 

Day 1:

We will meet at 8:00am at the Beechworth Bakery in Healesville on Saturday morning for an 8:30am departure. 

From Healesville we will head to Mansfield and stop there to top up with fuel.

From Mansfield we will head to the overnight stop at Bindaree Hut camp area via Sheepyard Flat, stopping for lunch along the way. We will also stop at Lovicks Hut (one of the best high country huts in my opinion) and Picture Point. This drive will take us all the Howqua River, down to then Jamieson River, and the back up to the Howqua River. 

Day 2:

On Sunday morning we will head out to Mt Stirling and Craig's Hut via Bindaree Falls to take in the views. 

From Craig's Hut we will head back to Melbourne via Mansfield and Lilydale, where the trip will end. 

Let's try this again. Deep creek tracks and more. First option to those who had already booked.

This is Easter at Avoca, bring all your camping gear, and or camper trailers and caravans,

Glenn Hayse will be leading some Medium to Difficult Trips over the weekend

We wil supply the dunnies and a shower  for those that consider themselves a bit grubby.

Kids are welcome but there is a fee if you want to drown them in the shower.

Dogs are also welcome (no cats) but they must be well controlled as we are in a farming region, and we do not have any gates and 99% of farmers are armed.

Now you can arrive when you want and the same for your departure. 

For those want to dine out you will need to go to Maryborough for eat in type meals, or we can utilise the Victoria Hotels phone order take away meals (menu selection is pretty good) considering  these Covid rules / guidelines.

Now after all the above we look forward to seeing you all up here at Easter, one thing we can guarantee is DUST and lots of it.

For the Plonk experts we have approx 64 wineries all within striking distance with 30 + doingh cellar door sales (closest is 1 km down the highway)

Julie and I look forward to seeing you up here

NEWBIE TRIP TO JAMBO COUNTRY 

This trip is for newer members who have recently completed their Basic Driver Training. We will be visiting the Big River State Forest and the medium trails heading towards 15 Mile Hut and on to Enoch Point. This takes us into some of the areas we will be running trips for the National Jeep jamboree next Easter 2022. The trails are Medium with some steeper chalenges and some very scenic terrain. We meet at the Beechworth Bakery at Healesville and head up through the mystical mountains around Marysville and beyond. 15 Mile Hut is one of the high country huts the club looks after. We return late in the day. Bring your own recovery gear and food, drinks water etc.

This is for people that wish to do some desert driving but do not have time to go to Simo .Thos is second time I doing this trip and same route again starting with Chineman track and camp at the Big Billy Bore camp site,Saturday morning will have a play at the BIg dune and then go to Border track,Camp at red bluff .Sunday will take red bluff track and by lunch time should be on bitumen.All this tracks are sand driving some chelenging sections but stock std cars with good tyres are ok.

Note for people that can not take Friday of work but still want to do Border track and Big dune can come and join us at Big Billy Bore camp site which is one hour drive from Nhil 

CAPE YORK

This is an iconic destination at its best and if you can make time come and join me. Plan is to go north on the Old Telegraph road which is a 4wd track and come back south PDR road which is easier for people driving caravans on it. 

Planning to explore a few places along the way up and way down so bring your fishing gear. 

The list of places to visit is not finalised so trip attendees can have input. 

The trip will start in Port Douglas and finish will be in Cooktown from Cooktown it is bitumen all the way home.

I listing this trip seperately from Cape york trip because it is optional for those atendees that are willing to acept chelenge of CREB track.Track is some 64 kms long but with very steep climbs and descent and to top it up it is red clay almost most of the way.we will cross Daintri river at the ford and from there bitumen to Port Douglas  .But upside it is thru lush tropical forest somthing that we from Victoria do not drive often.In case of any chance of as much as sprinkle of rain we are not doing it we will take easier but more scenic track along the coast Bloomfield track thru Cape Tribulation cross Daintri river by ferry and Finsh trip in Port Douglas