Jamieson - Heyfield Road in winter

Skippy phone VicRoads on their toll free phone number 1800 814 762

hi S/king - normally closed snow season - if open would be advisable ref chains.
if closed then via omeo/mt hotham and chains mandatory - however hire at Omeo
hand them in Harrietville/Bright - luuuuv that snow-driving - 'appy motoring
(if 4x4ing still must carry chains but not nec. fit them depends) practice more than once - kneelpad/light gloves.

Skippyking, don't be put off the Jamieson/Licola Rd. There are good views particularly around Mt Skene (about 1500m), but the descent into Jamieson is also very scenic. Usually the only section that gets blocked is around Mt Skene, and only if there is reasonable snow.

Check with the local Rangers in the ParksVic office in Heyfield - don't bother with ParksVic's 1300 number, which is just a useless call centre. (Last time we rang them they couldn't tell us whether a particular road was open, even though the info was on Parks Vic's web site.)

By the way, if you go to Heyfield, don't miss the wonderful Timberline store/petrol station at the junction of the roads to Maffra and Licola/Jamieson. It is IMHO the best-equipped little store in Victoria, with all manner of things for camping, fishing, 4WDing, maps, you name it. I wish there was a shop like it in every town.

At the same time, the route through Omeo/Dinner Plain/Mt Hotham/Harrietville/Bright is wonderful. The views to Mt Feathertop around Hotham are particularly spectacular. If you are going on to Mt Buller, you can go past Mt Buffalo, along the Rose River valley to Cheshunt and Whitfield, Power's Lookout, Mansfield, Mt Buller. That is something of a grand tour. The whole route is described in a book called Explore the Australian Alps (??), published jointly by the NSW, ACT and Vic parks services. Highly recommended. To go that way from Lakes Entrance to Mt Buller would probably be two day's drive (unless you went hell-for-leather and didn't stop, but then what is the point?).

One more tip if you go that way. There are a couple of other routes into the heart of the High Country that are open in winter. One is up the Buckland Valley to Mt Selwyn. Not sure if it has reopened after the fires, but if so, well worth it. The view from Selwyn (you would have to walk the last 500-600m to the summit, as the 4WD track will be closed) is great. Rooftop's map of the area shows the roads that are open in winter.

If you want to get by with just one map, try either Hema's High Country Vic or Spatial Vision's new map of the High Country.

If you are pressed for time, another route to Jamieson/Mansfield/Mt Buller would be through Walhalla/Aberfeldy/Woods Point - also very pleasant trip. A couple of points on the way (Aberfeldy and Matlock) are around 1300m, so might have some snow if there have been heavy falls, but less likely to be a problem than the other routes. You could get from Lakes Entrance to Mt Buller in one longish day going that way. (Belt down the Princes Hwy and turn off at Moe.)

Happy travelling.