These 7 fun 4WD trips near Melbourne range from scenic bush drives to challenging off-road tracks. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned wheeler, you’ll find the perfect adventure just a short drive from the city.
It’s been pretty much universally acknowledged that if you’re looking for top-tier wheeling within a couple of hours of your front door, then living in South-East Queensland is where it’s at. And while there is indeed a whole bunch of low-range goodness in that part of the world, there’s also a damn strong argument that Southern Victoria has a solid claim to the throne.
Even if you live smack bang in the CBD of Melbourne, you’re only 100 kilometres or so of driving from a whole host of tracks that range from “bring a picnic and the highway terrains will be fine” to “not twin locked and don’t have a winch? Sorry, but you’ll just be a trail plug.”
Don’t believe us? Instead of heading to the High Country like you always do, try one of these other Melbourne 4WD trips on for size and tell us we’re wrong. We double-dog dare you.
Marysville
Hillclimbs, mud, rocks or a combo of all three, Marysville has the scratch for whatever is itching. Although if it persists, you should probs see a doctor, but your body is your choice, champion. Roll into town after a 97-kilometre drive out of Melbourne for this 4WD trip to top off the tanks and grab a coffee before heading east from Narbethong over the Acheron River and hitting Paradise Plains Rd, Strickland Spur or Lady Talbot Drive.
If you’re more chasing a relaxing bush drive that can be done in a stock bus, then punch Big River State Forest into the Hema and spend the day exploring the multitude of tracks off Big River Rd. Or if the season is right and you want to tap your inner snow bunny, follow the C512 past Lake Mountain and climb the 1400m up Mt Matlock to get amongst the white stuff.
Just quickly, keep in mind that as with all 4WD trips, Melbourne weather can and does change in an instant, and what was once a sedate dirt road can rapidly change into a bad day in a boghole with a little water from the sky. So plan accordingly.
Lerderderg SP and Wombat SF
If scenic towns and scenic-er scenery is your jam, then heading a little more west from your 4WD trip from Melbourne to Lerderderg State Park and Wombat State Forest is the ticket. Lerderderg is not what you’d call super difficult, but the muddy drive via Ratcliffe’s Track, with a stop at O’Brien’s Crossing for a quick swim, to Blackwood is up there with the best of them.
If you’re in the “harder is better” camp, then bail on Lerderderg and hit up Wombat. There are a bunch of A-grade tracks in here that’ll have you smashing the locker switches like they’re the Like button on Unsealed 4X4’s latest YouTube vid. Mud, mud and more mud is the order of the day. Even so, the Wombat Forest Drive is a beaut dirt road following the river and is well worth it if you’re into asking nobody, “how’s the serenity?” and not rebuilding your swivel hubs.
Otway NP
While being more famous for the Great Ocean Road, the Otways still has a good amount of wheeling for those of us who prefer being off the blacktop. It is, however, seasonally closed, so Summer is the best time to pull the trigger on a 4WD trip from Melbourne down this way. While muddy tracks are the staple, Denham’s track near Anglesea has postcard-spec views and a sweet little sandy section for something a little different.
It’s not necessarily a hardcore paradise, but the entire area is difficult not to fall in love with. Waterfalls, bushwalks and some spectacular coastline are all on offer, and the farther east you head, the quieter it gets. If one or two of the myriad beaches were open to four-wheel drives, then it’d be perfection, but even so, it’s still pretty bloody good.
Mount Disappointment
At just over 50 clicks out of Melbourne for this 4WD trip, Mount Diss is a longtime go-to for Victorian wheelers. While the name is a tad off-putting (apparently Hume and Hovell were hoping to see Port Phillip Bay from the top, but the tall trees prevented them from doing so and they felt a little… what’s the word?) the off-roading is anything but disappointing, especially after some solid rain.
If you’re looking to party, there’s plenty to test your mettle further north at Tallarook, but there’s still heaps to pilot your rig up and over on the mountain. Make sure you stop off after the day’s driving at the Hume & Hovell Cricket Ground pub for a sneaky Oprah Tinfrey while airing up too. It’s a great spot.
Toolangi
Even out-of-staters have heard of Toolangi. This 4WD trip from Melbourne is littered with difficult tracks, yet it’s accessible by easily traversed dirt roads which can take those who view panel damage as a bad thing to the beautiful Murrindindi Scenic Reserve, known for its cascades, suspension bridges and topflight camping. But for those who don’t mind if their panels look like an empty chip packet, Rocky Track will test your sill protection, not to mention the too-many-to-count mud puddles and hill climbs.
There’s so much to do in the area for families and adventurers alike that we could write a book on the place. From the Wirrawilla boardwalk to the Cheviot Tunnel to the native lyrebird population – it’s the sort of place you can keep coming back to for years and have a completely different experience each time.
Warburton
The bush surrounding Warburton is an old logging area, and you can still get caught unawares by an oncoming logging truck on the forest roads on this 4WD trip from Melbourne. They have right of way and aren’t afraid to use it. With that said, there’s plenty of history in the area and you can check out the old settlement of Powelltown and visit the Ada Tree – a massive mountain ash that’s estimated to be over 300 years old.
If you’re looking for a challenge, the Mississippi Track is steeper than the price of a second-hand 70 Series `Cruiser and, if it’s rainy, a potential cause of needing new seat covers – pucker factor: 11. The clay becomes super slippery in the wet and traction is as evasive as a cat ninja. But it’s also some of the best fun you can have on four wheels and well worth a visit to the area on its own.
Bunyip SP
While the tracks are closed from mid-June to November, there is still a buttload to see and do at Bunyip State Park. First and foremost is the driving. Clay that sticks like anti-seize and some seriously deep mud holes make it many folks’ number one 4wd trip close to Melbourne.
The story goes that the indigenous tribes believed that the “buneep” spirit lives in the park’s waterways so the area was avoided, but apparently four-wheel drivers seemed not to have got the memo, and the place can get packed on the weekends.
You can access the park from Gembrook and find your way down Black Snake Creek Road and spend a fun few hours finding a rock and clay track north towards the powerlines. Anderson Track in the wet is a limit-pusher while Gentle Annie, Western and Bullock Link tracks will require some serious off-road mods and finesse with the steering wheel and skinny pedal to get through unscathed. Also just a heads up, dirtbikes are common in the area, especially during peak times, so keep an eye peeled for any oncoming. Some of them will have the throttle pinned and think that braking is a sign of weakness, so keep your wits about you.
