Vic High Country West Xmas 2019

[Big Red]

I was lucky enough to get 16 days off over the Xmas period so decided to go see my family in Victoria before a trip up into the high country before heading home to the Gold Coast, as usual i had no real plan and only one actual destination in mind that being Blue Rag Trig.

Saturday 21 Dec 2019: I had a company xmas party to go to and left there about 10 pm so didn't get too far before deciding to pull up stumps and camp for the night at Cliff Camp at Spicers Gap not long after the Bushfires had been through.


Sunday 22: I headed south for a long drive with a few stop along the way.
Carisbrook near Inglewood


silo art at Yelarbon


Smoke from the fires blanketed much of the drive for about 800 kms From Narrabri to Victoria


The Dish at Parkes


Camped at Gum Swamp, was about 32 degrees at 10 pm

[Big Red]

Monday 23rd:
Passed these corrugated Kangas not far along the highway


Got to Tocumwal around lunch time and headed out to Pumps Beach for a swim, liked my spot so stayed the day and made camp on the Murray River

[Big Red]

Tuesday 24th:
Crossed the Murray into Victoria and stopped to get some pics of the old bridge




Drove into Mum and Dads place with Mum wondering who drove down the drive ... Surprise!!


I stayed in the ute as its very comfortable


We drove up to Rochester to have a look at the silo's at night


Then around to a private residence to have a look at his amazing annual xmas show

[Big Red]

Wednesday 25-12-2019: Xmas day
I headed in to my sisters place in Bendigo for our xmas celebrations










I camped out front that night

[Big Red]

Thursday 26-12-20:
I headed for the High Country and picked up the Great Alpine Way through Bright and up towards Mt Hotham where the temp was so hot and the sun so fierce that the bitumen was sticking to my tyres!


turning off before Mt Hotham on to the dirt i soon found the turn off to Blue Rag Trig where i dropped tyre pressures and chucked MissRed into 4WD


The drive along the ridge lines was spectacular although not very hard to do






I was soon Up at the top and enjoys the scenery so stayed for the night

[Big Red]

Couple of near new v8 cruisers pulled up ... “you come in from the other way?” “Err no, theres only one way in and out” “oh, you must have double difflocks then?” “Err no ... just picked my line through those big wombat holes so i didn't even spin a tyre, just cruised up in second low” “oh, we both had to get a run up even with the difflocks and traction control “ “ah OK , i had no probs at all but i did lower my tyre pressure at the turn off” “OK then .... see ya”

[Big Red]

Friday 27-12-20:
Great sunrise to wake up to, 1726m above sea level, so still and silent, you could hear the bushfires in the distance although all you could see was the smoke from them.




I took the Basalt Knob Track towards Talbotville passing another hut


Side track took me past this thing


Tracks were steep dry and slippery so she slid a few times on the steeper down side of the speed humps but always caught on the next speed hump


I pulled in to Wonnangatta and had a swim before a walk to the old homestead

[Big Red]

The inside of the homestead


The outside


Ruins behind the homestead


The Cemetery


Looking across to the camping area from the homestead


I then decided too many people were arriving so packed up camp and headed up Zeka Spur track passing this rock slide


King Billy No1 looked like a nice spot


So I set up camp for the night

[Big Red]

Saturday 28th:
The run across the ridge top has some pretty spectacular views through the alpine trees








Next stop was Lovicks Hut

[Big Red]

Bluff Hut was next to visit











a bit later i stopped in at Bindaree Hut