There are several types of set-ups for camping when 4WD touring, as described in our guide book (4 Wheel Driving Gippsland, Ron & Andrea Camier, 2nd Edition 2001 – currently out of print). However before deciding on a preference it may be a good idea to try it out first. Or if you only do the occasional camping trip, or have some extra people along, then hiring is a good option.

* = Hire rate per week or per trip (minimum $100). Credit card details required as security deposit.

^ = Iridium Motorola 9500 with 240v & 12v car chargers and external antenna. Takes your Telstra GSM SIM card (but not pre-paid), with international roaming enabled.

Made famous through the movie “The Man From Snowy River”, the spectacular alpine high country of eastern Victoria must be one of the best regions in the world for 4WD touring. Ranging from dense alpine ash forests to open, grassy high plains where the mountain cattlemen graze their stock in the summer months, the rugged beauty of this region is awe inspiring. There are remote valleys with crystal clear streams and river-flats ideal for camping, many of which are only accessible by tough 4WD trails. Much of the area is protected by the Alpine National Park, and in winter many tracks are inaccessible due to snow and seasonal track closures by the land management authorities.

Protected by its distance from Australia’s capital cities, the far eastern tip of Gippsland contains some of the most attractive, unspoiled places which can be accessed by rugged 4WD tracks. The magnificent centre-piece of this area is the mighty Snowy River with its wide sandy banks and warm, crystal clear water. To the north is the “roof of Australia”, the Snowy Mountains, which despite having been extensively emasculated by the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme and various ski resorts, paradoxically is locked up from 4WD touring by the Kosciusko National Park. Also the private land through which the Snowy River meanders south towards the Victorian border is notable for a proliferation of  “Keep Out” signs. So the part of the river which is most attractive for 4WD touring begins with the tracks south of the border.

Some of the most exciting 4WD touring to be experienced anywhere in Australia is hidden away in the wild and rarely visited “brumby country” accessed through the towns of Omeo, Benambra, Dartmouth and Mount Beauty. Much of this area is within the Alpine National Park, and although some of the more popular places have been closed off for the exclusive use of bushwalkers and skiers, there are still great opportunities for 4WD exploration. The headwaters of the great Murray River (where the straight part of the NSW/Victoria border meets the wriggly bit) is a little spring on the side of Forest Hill, near a magnificent natural clearing called Cowombat Flat.

Some of the most popular and exciting 4WD touring opportunities can be found within “day-trip distance” of Melbourne. One needs to travel north-east of Melbourne, beyond the Dandenong Ranges which have now become part of suburbia, and the closed water supply catchment areas, which are an anachronism in these days of potable water treatment processes. The forests beyond there have a long history of logging operations, resulting in an extensive and often navigationally confusing network of tracks, many of which have fallen into disrepair. A little further east are the historic and rugged gold-mining areas stretching between the Latrobe Valley in the south and Lake Eildon in the north. So as well as good 4WD touring, there are many interesting relics for which to explore.

South Gippsland has some interesting historical features including Victoria’s first port, Port Albert, Coal Creek Historical Village at Korumburra and the former State Coal Mines at Wonthaggi. There is also the popular Wilson’s Promontory National Park, albeit off limits to 4WD vehicles. From time to time there have been proposals that parts of the Ninety Mile Beach be opened for 4WD touring to make it an attraction rivaling Fraser Island. But although not noted particularly as a 4WD tourist destination, there are some interesting and seldom visited locations in South Gippsland to consider. South of the Latrobe Valley the Strzelecki Ranges are surprisingly rugged. Although once cleared for farming, much of it has been reafforested due to its being too steep for agriculture. Running along its crest is the scenic Grand Ridge Road, while in its centre is the Tarra-Bulga National Park.