In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
From Melbourne over the Black Spur, through Mansfield and the King Valley to Bright, up Mount Buffalo, through Beechworth and the wine cellars of Rutherglen, then over Mount Hotham and Omeo down to Bairnsdale: around 900 km in the left lane, between gold-rush towns, granite plateaus and Australia’s highest year-round sealed mountain road.
The spirit of the route
The High Country is the Australia that never makes it onto a beach postcard. Beyond Healesville the road dives into the mountain ash forests of the Black Spur: trunks like church pillars, tree ferns in the half-light, lyrebirds in the leaf litter. Further north the valleys open out: poplars, hop and tobacco kilns, Italian wineries in the King Valley, granite domes above Bright that rise in autumn over avenues of red maples and yellow elms. From the sliding door you see mist over the Ovens River in the morning and wombats at the edge of the meadow in the evening. Then the Great Alpine Road: snow poles beside the carriageway, snow gums with twisted, streaked trunks, and at over 1,800 m the view across the high plains to Mount Feathertop. Up here the weather can turn to winter within an hour, and in summer the air smells of eucalyptus oil and smoke. This route demands respect for fire danger, snow and wildlife on the road – and rewards you with silence.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Melbourne to Marysville (via Healesville) (approx. 100 km)
- The drive
- Leave Melbourne on the Eastern Freeway and take either a short stretch of EastLink (tolled) or the toll-free route via Ringwood and Lilydale onto the Maroondah Highway (B360) to Healesville in the Yarra Valley. Beyond Healesville the Black Spur begins: around 30 km of narrow, winding forest road through mountain ash and tree ferns via Fernshaw to Narbethong, with few overtaking opportunities and occasional log trucks and buses. At Narbethong the road to Marysville turns off. About 2 hours of driving.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Healesville Sanctuary: wildlife park with a platypus house, koalas, lyrebirds and a bird-of-prey flight show, deliberately limited to native species.
- Black Spur: pull-outs beneath the mountain ash, the tallest flowering plants in the world; in the early morning with mist between the trunks.
- Steavenson Falls near Marysville: cascades more than 80 m high, a short walk from the car park, lit up in the evening.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Marysville Caravan & Holiday Park on the Steavenson River, within walking distance of the town centre: powered sites, amenities and a camp kitchen. Alternatively there are several holiday parks around Healesville in the Yarra Valley. Book ahead at weekends and in the school holidays.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): There is no camping in Yarra Ranges National Park along the Black Spur, and overnight stays in the pull-outs are not intended. Free camping is available in the state forests north and east of Marysville, such as Big River State Forest near Eildon with basic riverside sites – often reachable only on gravel and without water; check location and access in WikiCamps or on the DEECA map.
- Insider tip for campers
- Marysville was almost completely destroyed on Black Saturday in February 2009; the rebuilt town is a good place to commit the bushfire rules to memory: install the VicEmergency app and avoid forest roads on days rated Extreme or Catastrophic. Refuel and shop in Healesville or Lilydale – there is nothing on the Black Spur.
2Stage 2: Marysville to Mansfield (approx. 100 km)
- The drive
- Back to the Maroondah Highway and via Buxton and Taggerty along the foot of the Cathedral Range to Alexandra, then through open grazing land and across the arms of Lake Eildon at Bonnie Doon to Mansfield. Well-made country road, little traffic, about 1.5 hours. Before Mansfield, Mount Buller and the alpine range appear on the horizon.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Cathedral Range State Park: the sharp rocky ridge above the Acheron valley; the climb to Sugarloaf Peak is steep and partly a scramble, the route on the Jawbones side more moderate.
- Lake Eildon at Bonnie Doon: the reservoir with dead tree trunks standing in the water; the level fluctuates strongly, and shore access changes with the water level.
- Great Victorian Rail Trail: a former railway line with the Cheviot Tunnel and sections along Lake Eildon, ideal for a cycling stage from Bonnie Doon or Mansfield.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Mansfield has holiday parks with power and amenities, well placed for trips towards the Howqua and Mount Buller. If you stop earlier: Ned’s Gully and Cooks Mill in Cathedral Range State Park (Parks Victoria, basic facilities, bookings required). At Lake Eildon, Parks Victoria runs several campgrounds in Lake Eildon National Park, such as Jerusalem Creek, also bookings required.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Since July 2025, Parks Victoria campgrounds once again require booking and fees, though at half price for two years. You can camp free of charge and usually without booking in state forests, for example along the Delatite and Howqua east and south-east of Mansfield – watch the signage, as some areas lie within parks with their own rules. In Mansfield itself, overnight stays on streets and in car parks are not intended.
- Insider tip for campers
- Supermarkets and fuel stations in Alexandra and Mansfield are cheaper than in the mountains. Mount Buller Road is a detour into the ski resort – in winter, chains must be carried and an entry fee applies, so the trip is not worth it with a large camper then. On the stretch near Bonnie Doon and Merton, expect kangaroos at dusk.
3Stage 3: Mansfield to Bright (via the King Valley) (approx. 170 km)
- The drive
- Take the Mansfield–Whitfield Road via Tolmie: a winding, sealed mountain road with short steep sections, crests and log trucks, then down into the King Valley to Whitfield. Follow the valley down via Moyhu, cross on back roads to the Great Alpine Road and continue via Myrtleford in the Ovens Valley to Bright. Around 3 hours of driving; the section over Tolmie calls for low gears.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Stringybark Creek Historic Area near Tolmie: the place where the Kelly Gang shot three policemen in 1878 – a redesigned memorial site with panels that also tell the story from the perspective of the police and the families.
- King Valley: wineries run by families of Italian descent between Whitfield and Cheshunt, known for prosecco, sangiovese and nebbiolo; cellar doors along the so-called Prosecco Road.
- Paradise Falls near Cheshunt: a short forest walk to a waterfall over granite, most impressive after rain.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: NRMA Bright Holiday Park on Morses Creek, a few steps from the centre: power, amenities, shady sites under old trees. Bright and Porepunkah have further caravan parks; book early for Easter and for the autumn colours in April and May.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the Alpine Shire, camping on council land outside designated sites is prohibited, and sleeping in a vehicle parked on the street is an offence – this is enforced around Bright. As an alternative, head for the state forests in the Buckland and Ovens valleys, where there are basic riverside sites; check the current situation in WikiCamps or CamperMate.
- Insider tip for campers
- In the King Valley many wineries offer tasting flights – if you are driving, stick to the 0.05 blood alcohol limit and taste rather than drink. Do not drive the Tolmie road with large vehicles after dark: wildlife, crests and bends. Fuel is usually cheaper in Myrtleford than in Bright.
4Stage 4: Bright to Beechworth (via Mount Buffalo) (approx. 125 km)
- The drive
- From Bright to Porepunkah and up Mount Buffalo Road, around 25 km with many hairpins, onto the granite plateau of Mount Buffalo National Park, about 1,000 m of climbing in one go. Sealed but narrow, with rock overhangs, cyclists and no fuel station. Back to Porepunkah, along the Great Alpine Road to Myrtleford and on back roads up to Beechworth. With walks, a full day.
- Highlights & must-sees
- The Gorge: lookouts over the sheer granite gorge with the hang-gliding launch ramp, plus the Gorge Heritage Walk along the rim, near the historic Chalet, closed for years.
- Lake Catani: a small mountain lake on the plateau among snow gums and granite boulders, in summer for paddling and short walks.
- Eurobin Creek with Ladies Bath Falls on the lower section of the mountain road – short walk, a good picnic spot on the way back.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Caravan park at Lake Sambell, a few minutes from the historic centre, with power and amenities. If you want to stay up top: Lake Catani Campground (Parks Victoria, 47 sites, some for small caravans and campervans) – in summer, from early November to the end of April, with flush toilets and hot showers, online booking only and no drinking water.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the national park, camping is permitted only at Lake Catani Campground. In winter the campground is free and needs no booking, but it can then only be reached on skis, snowshoes or on foot, because the gravel access road is closed; between the winter and summer seasons it stays fully closed in spring. Around Beechworth, Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park offers basic Parks Victoria sites – check booking status in advance.
- Insider tip for campers
- Bring at least 20 litres of water for Lake Catani. The access road to the lake is a gravel track suitable for normal vehicles – still read your rental conditions, as some exclude any unsealed road. Drive downhill on Mount Buffalo Road in low gear and only overtake cyclists on the straights.
5Stage 5: Beechworth to Rutherglen (via Chiltern) (approx. 55 km)
- The drive
- From the granite plateau at Beechworth through Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park with its open box-ironbark forest down to Chiltern on the Hume Freeway and through wine country to Rutherglen. A short, easy stage of just over an hour – time for Beechworth in the morning and the cellars in the afternoon.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Beechworth Historic Precinct: a gold-rush town of honey-coloured granite with the courthouse where Ned Kelly’s committal hearing took place in 1880, the Burke Museum and the telegraph station.
- Woolshed Falls in Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park: granite falls in a valley that was dug over during the gold rush, with a short loop walk.
- Rutherglen: family wineries with fortified wines – muscat and topaque from old soleras – plus the town’s water tower painted to look like a wine bottle.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: BIG4 Rutherglen Holiday Park by the Lake King Wetlands, two minutes’ walk from Main Street, with power, amenities and a camp kitchen. On the other side of the Murray, in Corowa (NSW), there are further parks on the riverbank.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Along the Murray River on the Victorian side lies the River Murray Reserve, where Parks Victoria permits basic dispersed camping on certain sections. Typical rules on the Parks Victoria pages: tent or vehicle at least 20 m from the river, not under large river red gums (falling branches), fully self-sufficient for water, toilet and rubbish. Access is often via dirt tracks, 4WD only after rain – check with Parks Victoria in advance which sections near Rutherglen and Wahgunyah are open and whether booking or fees apply.
- Insider tip for campers
- Rutherglen lives from cellar-door visits: leave the camper at the park and cycle – the country roads between the cellars are flat and short. During the Winery Walkabout in June and on long weekends the parks are full. If you cross over to Corowa, you are in NSW – different fine and toll rules apply there.
6Stage 6: Rutherglen to Bright (Great Alpine Road) (approx. 120 km)
- The drive
- Via Springhurst to Wangaratta, where the Great Alpine Road (B500) begins, then via Milawa and Everton up the Ovens Valley to Myrtleford, Porepunkah and Bright. Wide and well made, with the mountains drawing closer kilometre by kilometre. Just under 2 hours of driving.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Milawa: cheese factory, mustard maker and farm shops – the right place to stock up for the high plains.
- Murray to Mountains Rail Trail between Myrtleford, Porepunkah and Bright: a sealed cycle path on the old railway line with views of Mount Buffalo.
- Wandiligong: a small gold-rush village in a side valley south of Bright, with poplars, orchards and a short walk along Morses Creek.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Second night in Bright, this time perhaps at a different park – several caravan parks lie on the Ovens River and Morses Creek, with more in Porepunkah and along the Great Alpine Road towards Harrietville. If you want to cross the pass early the next morning, sleep in Harrietville at the foot of the climb.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the Alpine Shire the same applies as on stage 3: no overnight stays on streets or council land outside designated sites. The riverside car parks in Bright and Harrietville are day-use car parks.
- Insider tip for campers
- Fill up with fuel, water and gas in Bright before the pass. In winter, buy or hire chains here or in Harrietville – that is no longer possible on the mountain. In sub-zero temperatures make sure you use cold-rated diesel (often sold as Alpine Diesel); if in doubt, ask at the fuel station in the valley so the fuel does not gel.
7Stage 7: Bright to Omeo (via Mount Hotham and Dinner Plain) (approx. 110 km)
- The drive
- The Great Alpine Road via Harrietville and then the climb: in around 30 km from about 500 m to over 1,800 m, many hairpins, steep sections and, on the ridge at Hotham, a narrow carriageway with no protection from crosswinds, lined with snow poles. Beyond the ski village, across the high plain to Dinner Plain and down through snow gum forest via Cobungra to Omeo. About 2.5 hours without stops; considerably longer in winter.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Razorback Trail from Diamantina Hut: the narrow ridge to Mount Feathertop, Victoria’s second-highest peak – even the first few kilometres open up views across the High Country.
- Dinner Plain: a mountain village at around 1,500 m with houses of timber, corrugated iron and stone in the style of the old cattlemen’s huts, surrounded by snow gums.
- Omeo: a gold-rush town with a historic court and gaol precinct and the Oriental Claims Historic Area, where sluicing channels were washed through the landscape.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Omeo Holiday Park on Livingstone Creek, a little outside the centre, with power, amenities, a dump point and creekside sites; simple, quiet and cool at night even in summer. There is no caravan park on Mount Hotham or in Dinner Plain.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Alpine National Park, stay overnight only at designated campgrounds; between Dinner Plain and Omeo, for example, there is a basic site in the Victoria Falls Historic Area – gravel access, check booking and fee status with Parks Victoria. Overnight stays in the car parks at Hotham and Dinner Plain are not intended; within the ski resort area the rules of the resort management also apply.
- Insider tip for campers
- During the declared winter season, all vehicles must carry snow chains from Harrietville or Omeo (there is no chain hire on the mountain) and fit them at the signed chain bays when instructed – only diamond-pattern chains are permitted, not ladder chains, spider chains or snow socks, and winter tyres do not replace them. Every vehicle needs a Resort Entry Permit to enter the resort; vehicles that cannot fit chains because of ground clearance are turned away. Avoid the pass in winter with a large camper or caravan; outside the season, still expect fog, sleet and frost.
8Stage 8: Omeo to Bairnsdale (approx. 120 km)
- The drive
- The last section of the Great Alpine Road follows the Tambo River via Swifts Creek, Ensay and Tambo Crossing through narrow, forested valleys and grazing land to Bruthen, then into flat Gippsland to Bairnsdale. Many bends along the river, log and livestock trucks, few overtaking opportunities. About 2 hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Tambo Valley: river flats with poplars and willows between Ensay and Tambo Crossing, pull-outs by the water.
- Bruthen: starting point of the East Gippsland Rail Trail, which runs along the old railway line towards Bairnsdale and Orbost.
- Bairnsdale: St Mary’s Church with its painted ceiling and walls, plus a detour to Mitchell River National Park with the Den of Nargun, a rock recess of significance to the Gunaikurnai.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Bairnsdale has several holiday parks, some on the Mitchell River, with power and amenities. In Mitchell River National Park lies the basic Billy Goat Bend Camping Area run by Parks Victoria on the river (toilets, fireplaces); gravel access – check booking status and suitability for larger vehicles with Parks Victoria in advance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the East Gippsland Shire, overnight stays on streets and riverside car parks in the towns are not intended. In the state forests north of Bruthen and in the Tambo valley there are basic, free sites, mostly reached on gravel; check current notices, closures after storms or fires, and bushfire warnings in VicEmergency.
- Insider tip for campers
- Between Omeo and Bruthen, fuel is available only in small towns with limited opening hours – fill up in Omeo. In Bairnsdale you will find large supermarkets and cheap fuel stations; from here it is a good three hours back to Melbourne on the Princes Highway.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- Victoria has no statewide right to freedom camping. On council land the councils decide – in the Alpine Shire, for example, camping on council land outside designated sites is prohibited and sleeping in a vehicle parked on the street is an offence. The other councils along the route (Mansfield, Indigo, Wangaratta, East Gippsland) also regulate overnight stays by local law – only where it is signposted.
- National parks (Yarra Ranges, Mount Buffalo, Alpine, Chiltern-Mt Pilot, Mitchell River): only at designated Parks Victoria campgrounds. Since July 2025 these once again require booking and fees, at half price for two years (until around mid-2027); book online and give your registration number. Some sites have seasonal rules – Lake Catani, for example, is free in winter but reachable only on foot.
- In state forests (managed by DEECA), camping is generally free and allowed without booking unless signed otherwise. On the Murray River, Parks Victoria permits dispersed camping in sections of the River Murray Reserve – at least 20 m from the river, fully self-sufficient and without camping under large red gums; check the rules for each section.
- Rest areas on highways are for driver breaks; stay overnight only where signposted. WikiCamps and CamperMate show sites, dump points, water points and user comments on enforcement.
- Bushfires: the CFA declares a Fire Danger Period for each municipality, in the High Country usually from around December to April. On Total Fire Ban days open fires are prohibited; at a Catastrophic rating, parks and campgrounds are closed – leave the forest then. Warnings and ratings come via the VicEmergency app, which should be installed beforehand, as the High Country has mobile black spots.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Dump points are found at almost all caravan parks and publicly in some towns; WikiCamps and CamperMate show the locations. Never empty grey water or cassettes into public toilets or drains.
- Tap water in the towns is safe to drink. At Parks Victoria and state forest sites, water is often missing or untreated – Lake Catani Campground has no drinking water either. Carry a 20-litre reserve.
- Gas: Australian cylinders now mostly have the LCC27 valve, older ones still POL. Swap them in the exchange system at fuel stations and hardware stores; refills only with a valid test date. European cylinders and adapters are of no help in Australia – buy or hire a cylinder locally.
- Fuel: on the Black Spur, on Mount Buffalo, between Harrietville and Omeo and in the upper Tambo valley there are no fuel stations or only unreliable ones. Fill up in Healesville, Myrtleford, Bright and Omeo before these sections. In winter, fill up with cold-rated diesel (in the Alps often labelled Alpine Diesel).
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Drive on the left: give way to the right at uncontrolled intersections, roundabouts run clockwise. In Melbourne, hook turns (turning right from the left lane) at signed intersections. On mountain roads, use pull-outs to let queues pass; truck drivers often communicate on UHF CB channel 40.
- Speed limits in Victoria: without signs, 50 km/h in built-up areas and 100 km/h outside them, up to 110 km/h on freeways. On the Black Spur, Mount Buffalo Road and the Great Alpine Road, considerably lower limits apply on some sections. Slow to 40 km/h when passing stationary emergency and breakdown vehicles with flashing lights.
- Tolls: only in Melbourne – CityLink, EastLink and the West Gate Tunnel, open since December 2025, are electronically tolled (the West Gate Bridge remains toll-free). Without a tag, buy a pass online, which can also be done afterwards within a short deadline. There are no toll roads in the High Country; in the winter season, however, the alpine resorts (Mount Hotham, Mount Buller) require a Resort Entry Permit per vehicle.
- Winter: during the declared season, chains must be carried on the access roads to Mount Hotham from Harrietville and Omeo – diamond-pattern chains, fitted at the chain bays when instructed; fines for breaches. Check season dates and road conditions in advance with the resort management and VicTraffic.
- Animals on the road: kangaroos, wallabies, wombats and introduced deer are on the move at dusk and at night; on mountain roads also livestock. Avoid driving at night; do not swerve, but brake in a controlled way; report injured animals to Wildlife Victoria.
- Rental campervans: many rental conditions exclude unsealed roads, trips to ski resorts or onto alpine roads in winter, and damage from animal collisions – read the contract before booking. Foreign licences are valid with a translation or an International Driving Permit. 0.05 blood alcohol limit; mobile phone only in a fixed mount or hands-free.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Diamond-pattern snow chains to fit your tyre size, and thick gloves – mandatory in winter for Mount Hotham and not available on the mountain; useful outside the season too for sudden changes in the weather.
- Handheld UHF CB radio: on channel 40, log and livestock trucks call ahead before tight bends on the Black Spur, over Tolmie and in the Tambo valley.
- A 20-litre water container for Lake Catani, the state forest sites and the River Murray Reserve.
- Warm down jacket, beanie and a sleeping bag with a comfort temperature well below zero: on the Buffalo plateau and in Omeo it freezes at night even in early summer.
- Fire extinguisher and fire blanket in the vehicle, plus the VicEmergency app and offline maps – long mobile black spots between Hotham and Omeo, and fire danger in summer.
- Bike rack or folding bike for the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail and the cellar-door loop in Rutherglen, if you want to leave the camper parked.
As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
