Easy 4wd around <span class="highlight">Melbourne</span>

Anglesea Heath is a good place to go and within 1.5 hrs of Melbourne. Many different tracks there and Parks Victoria publish park notes which show the tracks.
I drive a Captiva, so your Patrol should have no problems.
While this will give you experience with tracks, you will also need SAND experience.
Unfortunately I don't know anywhere close to Melb that offers soft sand driving.

wombat forest, not far from bacchus marsh. every thing from easy dirt roads to as hard as you want. a wombat state forest adventure map and off you go

The Pyrenees near Avoca are perfect for that type of adventure

4wd course is highly recommended for 4wd first timers, they are not cheap but worth every penny.
If you not convinced to fork out for a course check out "4wd gone bad" "4wd roll overs"
and so on youtube.......................you will soon change your mind.

Don't know where you are PGU but an easy place to go less than 1 hour from eastern suburbs is just north of Yarra Glen.

Proceed from Yarra glen to Glenburn united fuel station and pick up a toolangi map (both general area and contour maps are available and good value - although overpriced at the petrol station).

Just before the station you drive through a forrest and a sign post on right saying Marginal Rd. Its a great easy dirt road with lots of tracks off it.

One 50m south of Marginal rd is called rocky track - do not , I repeat do not try it until you know what you doing, and then make out your will first.

But , back to the fuel stop, drive north a few km till you see a sign saying two hills road. A few km down it you enter the forrest , do not take track immediatly to left as it has big mud holes , but tinkle along till you come to Martins track for some easy fun.
The road there has several junctions and tracks , one of which is Marginal rd.


That whole area in there has every level of play tracks from mild to " I wish I'd brought a petrol patrol".

Thank you guys. Drove to the Anglesea Heath and drove around a bit. Did find some lighter tracks with mud and dirt - was heaps of fun :-)

plenty of good tracks around noojee and walhalla and tanjil bren that you can have a play around on as well