VICTORIAN HIGH COUNTRY It looks as though now is a great time to visit the High Country with no serious rain and the tracks looking to be in generally good condition overall. The only closure that we’ve heard about is…
VICTORIAN HIGH COUNTRY
It looks as though now is a great time to visit the High Country with no serious rain and the tracks looking to be in generally good condition overall. The only closure that we’ve heard about is Haunted Stream over the Wentworth side of the High Country but everything else remains open.
If you’re planning a trip down this way, things are looking pretty good. As always though, the High Country weather can turn in the blink of an eye so make sure you check the weather reports before you head out.
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TASMANIA
We spoke to Zac from North West Off Road in Spreyton to get the latest on the Tassie track conditions. “The tracks are starting to dry up after some recent rains,” he tells us. “The Arthur-Pieman tracks remain closed until further notice but apart from that everything else is open. As usual, it’s a good idea to take care on the Balfour and the more difficult tracks on the West Coast, but there’s nothing that most four wheel drives can’t handle. My pick of the destinations to get to in Tassie this summer is the Arthur River area, which I reckon offers some of the best camping and scenery in the country.”
FRASER ISLAND
Another favourite summer destination, Fraser Island has had a bit of rain lately but there’s still plenty to see and do up this way. The Moon Point to Happy Valley road is closed west of the Bullock road intersection and the Southern road south of Buff Creek, including the access point to Buff Creek and Garrys Anchorage, is also off limits.
For those planning on taking the tinny onto the island, the Ungowa boat ramp is closed to all vehicles and pedestrians until further notice. Keep in mind that, as with any beach driving, conditions change daily with the tides – exposed coffee rock, eroded beaches and washed up debris should all be looked out for when driving either side of the tide.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA: CHRIS BLAKEMORE
For info on South Australia’s track conditions, we spoke to Chris Blakemore from FNB 4WD Supplies.
“We tend to get a rush of water through November so there are still some track limitations up through the Flinders Ranges, with washouts and potholes making otherwise easy tracks 4X4-only (under 3T in weight), with a bit more care needing to be taken,” Chris reports. “Other than that though things are looking pretty right. Coffin Bay, Robe and the Gawler Ranges are all looking good at this stage which is good news for travellers in the early new year.”
OUTBACK NSW: PACKSADDLE ROADHOUSE
The Corner Country has been copping plenty of rain lately, with Mia Degoumois, who runs the Packsaddle Roadhouse (top pub to stop into if you’re getting out this way), telling us that they had an inch of rain fall “pretty hard and fast”. Other than that though, Mia reports that there has been no road closures and the tracks are all in fairly good nick. With that said, it pays to be careful in the area, as heavy rain can cause otherwise easy tracks to be come muddy and hazardous pretty quickly.
