Vic High Country

Vic High Country This is a great trek through the Victorian High Country where you'll experience some of our most spectacular mountain areas. See high country huts, spectacular views and participate in challenging four-wheel driving.
StartClick to Reverse the Dynamic Map and Driving NotesMansfield
FinishHarrietville
DifficultyDifficulty 3.5/5 Suitable for4WD 
Distance299.7 kmMinimum Days3
Average Speed30.27 km/hrDriving Time9 hrs 54 mins
Rating Be the first to rate this item0 Reviews
Article By: Member - Dave J (VIC)
Page Updated: 19 May 2013

Go to top Description

Commencing in Mansfield this trip travels out the Howqua River and up into the Alpine National Park, you will travel up over the Bluff and across the Howitt Plain, through the Wonanngatta to Talbotville, explore Grant and Dargo, and the best ridge top drive in the state. On the way out via the Dargo High Plains Rd you can take a challenging but spectacular ridge top run out the Blue Rag Range to the Blue Rag Trig Point. The trig point at 1718m above sea level provides a 360 degree panorama of the country recently travelled and of Hotham, Feathertop and the Bogong complex.

The trip proceeds back along the ridge and up to St Bernhard Hospice and down the Alpine Way to it’s finish in Harrietville. This could be the beginning of another trip depending on where you are headed with Mount Beauty and Bright to explore and an abundance of wineries including some of the countries best between here and Wangaratta and Albury.

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Go to top Interactive Route Map

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Vic High Country Help

From: Mansfield
To: Harrietville

This trek supports moving map, to take a virtual tour click on the Play button.
Map Legend

Go to top Things to See & Do

Cattlemen’s huts, high altitude flora, spectacular views, historic sites & cemeteries, old mines and mining equipment and a few geocaches.

Go to top Preparation

Much of the trip may be spent in low ratio and fuel consumption will be higher than you may think. Some vehicles with large tanks (Patrols, Cruisers, Prado’s) fuelling in Mansfield will make Dargo without need to carry fuel but if any of the many side trips you may like to do are to be taken then those with small tanks (70-80 litre) should consider carrying at least 20 to 40 litres.

Lower vehicles may have clearance issues on some tracks but full size four wheel drives will be fine although all vehicles should give thought to wheel placement. This is not soft roader country.

Communications is limited to HF and Satphones for 95% of this trip. GSM coverage is only available at Bluff Hut. For emergencies your nearest emergency medical assistance is by helicopter (weather permitting and if you have communication) so drive carefully. This area is trafficked more heavily on weekends.

Water is scarce at Bluff Hut but Lovick’s probably has a more reliable supply. Drinkable water can usually be readily obtained from the Wonnangatta, Wonnungarra or Crooked Rivers at many of the crossing points or camps. Carry enough for your camps at the higher altitude spots. Firewood is hard to obtain in some areas and its collection is restricted – contact Parks Victoria to clarify, but we believe it is limited to fallen timber only. There is not much of this close to camp sites. Gas stoves should be used where possible. A chainsaw and recovery gear should be carried, fallen timber frequently blocks tracks.

All food requirements before Dargo must be carried in and rubbish carried out. No dogs are permitted in the Alpine National Park.

Fuel Supplies & Usage

Fuel SymbolMansfield, Dargo, Harrietville Diesel4cyl 42 litres ULP4cyl 48 litres LPG4cyl 60 litres
6cyl 46 litres6cyl 54 litres6cyl 53 litres
8cyl 46 litres8cyl 50 litres

Services & Supplies

The following locations have various services and supplies: Mansfield, Merrijig, Dargo Pub, Dargo, Harrietville

Go to top Camp Sites & Accommodation

Go to top Environment

During the hotter summer months, the tracks can be very dry and dusty. During the colder and wetter months of Winter, the tracks may be slippery and treacherous in some places, especially after rain and care and patience must be taken.

Flora
There are over 1300 indigenous species including 43 eucalypts, 38 wattles and 96 orchids in this region. In Wonnangatta Valley for example, there are many exotic trees which still today produce crops in the appropriate season. The Valley provides blackberries, raspberries, apples, pears, cherries, mushrooms and chestnuts which the visiting camper can enjoy.

Fauna
This wide and varied vegetation does provide habitat for a diverse range of fauna. There are both native and introduced wildlife with the majority being nocturnal. This includes: wombats, kangaroos, wallabies as well as rats, possums, echidnas, platypus, and water rats. Some of the introduced species include sambar deer, rabbit, fox and wild dog. Birds include: crimson rosellas, kookaburras, king parrots, lyrebird and emus. You may also see wedge tailed eagles soaring high above crags and swooping across the valleys. Trout can be found swimming in the rivers and streams.

Go to top History

This area has some fascinating historical aspects. The route will take you through some of the high country that has become part of our mountain cattle heritage over the past 150 years. Unsolved murders and high country huts, cattle stations which were surely the most remote in North East Victoria, gold mining and aboriginal history abound. Some sites include information signboards to tell the story, however you can enrich your trip experience by doing some pre-trip reading.

Go to top Driving Directions

Time
Direction
Distance
Mansfield to Merrijig 17.83 km E 110° 13 min
Merrijig to Red Hill 8.96 km SE 149° 11 min
Red Hill to Chimney Ruin 7.89 km SE 145° 11 min
Chimney Ruin to Sheepyard Flat 0.59 km E 73° 1 min
Sheepyard Flat to Pickerings Hut 1.67 km NE 56° 2 min
Pickerings Hut to Tunnel Bend Flat 1.67 km E 95° 3 min
Tunnel Bend Flat to Gardiners Hut 0.45 km SE 152°
Gardiners Hut to Six Mile Hut 3.81 km E 95° 7 min
Six Mile Hut to Eight Mile Gap 10.17 km SE 139° 19 min
Eight Mile Gap to Refridgerator Gap 4.34 km E 71° 8 min
Refridgerator Gap to Bluff Hut 6.8 km E 79° 20 min
Bluff Hut to Mount Lovicks 3.15 km E 74° 11 min
Mount Lovicks to Lovick's Hut 2.94 km E 81° 11 min
Lovick's Hut to Picture Point 1.08 km N 12° 4 min
Picture Point to Bluff Tk (Scenic Lookout) 1.08 km E 79° 4 min
Bluff Tk (Scenic Lookout) to Bluff Tk & King Billy Tk & Brocks Rd 3 km SE 150° 11 min
Bluff Tk & King Billy Tk & Brocks Rd to Peters Ck, King Billy Track 6.5 km E 93° 29 min
Peters Ck, King Billy Track to King Billy Tk (Collapsed Log Bridge) 1.39 km NE 30° 6 min
King Billy Tk (Collapsed Log Bridge) to Howitt Rd & Zeka Spur Tk 7.12 km E 99° 16 min
Howitt Rd & Zeka Spur Tk to Zeka Spur Tk 5.61 km N 20 min
Zeka Spur Tk to Wonnangatta Homestead Site 21.17 km E 98° 52 min
Wonnangatta Homestead Site to Duffys & HorsePaddock Camps 0.66 km E 101° 2 min
Duffys & HorsePaddock Camps to Wonnangatta River, Wonnangatta Tk 8.39 km SE 118° 17 min
Wonnangatta River, Wonnangatta Tk to Mount Cynthia 18.67 km SE 141° 45 min
Mount Cynthia to Howittville 7.25 km E 99° 22 min
Howittville to Talbotville 5.34 km N 12° 12 min
Talbotville to Good Hope Mine Boiler & Tunnel 10.65 km E 85° 37 min
Good Hope Mine Boiler & Tunnel to Grant 8.41 km SE 115° 29 min
Grant to Jolly Sailor Mine 3.08 km NE 48° 14 min
Jolly Sailor Mine to Peter The Swede 5.31 km SE 147° 16 min
Peter The Swede to Cowa 11.9 km SE 139° 15 min
Cowa to Dargo Pub 3.72 km S 175° 4 min
Dargo Pub to Dargo 0.07 km N 339° N/A
Dargo to Cowa 3.69 km N 356° 4 min
Cowa to Peter The Swede 11.9 km NW 319° 15 min
Peter The Swede to Mount Ewen 8.04 km N 20° 9 min
Mount Ewen to Gows Hotel Site 16.57 km N 355° 15 min
Gows Hotel Site to Dargo High Plains 11.58 km N 341° 11 min
Dargo High Plains to Start of Blue Rag Track 4.33 km NW 300° 5 min
Start of Blue Rag Track to Mount Blue Rag 6.7 km W 257° 29 min
Mount Blue Rag to Blue Rag Trig Point 0.07 km S 171° N/A
Blue Rag Trig Point to Mount Blue Rag 0.07 km N 351° N/A
Mount Blue Rag to Start of Blue Rag Track 6.7 km E 77° 29 min
Start of Blue Rag Track to Mount Freezeout 6.88 km N 341° 8 min
Mount Freezeout to Dargo High Plains Rd & Great Alpine Rd 4.1 km NW 332° 5 min
Dargo High Plains Rd & Great Alpine Rd to Harrietville 18.4 km N 354° 25 min
Mansfield to Harrietville 299.7 km     9 hr 54 min
Distance is GPS recorded driving distance (not straight line), Direction is straight line from start to end, Time is calculated from actual GPS driving data.
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