40 | AG Outdoor
DESTINATION |VICTORIA
4WD Touring: Snowy
RiverNationalPark
A
SHORT BUT OH so sweet High Country expe-
rience is the best way to describe this four-day
adventure in Snowy River NP. It has everything:
challenging off-roading along the rugged Deddick
Trail; some of the best riverside campsites you will find in
Oz (Little River Junction camping area is awesome); some
great bushwalking tracks; and, if you’re keen, the chance to
paddle one of this country’s most famous rivers.
Snowy River NP is easily accessed from the north (Jind-
abyne, NSW) or the south (Buchan) and, if you were in a
hurry, you could probably drive the Deddick in one day, but to
do so would be a disservice to the park’s many other attrac-
tions. The Deddick Trail leaves from McKillops Bridge and is
tough, with extremely steep sections that are often heavily
rutted and, even when there’s not been much recent rain,
quite slippery, so it will test your driving and your vehicle’s
traction aids (and recovery points if you get stuck!). TheOctober-May
http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.aurewards are the fantastic high country terrain and the great
views once the Deddick gains altitude. (Note: the Deddick
Trail is closed between June to October. For track condi-
tions, seewww.parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/snowy-river-
national-park, or call Parks Victoria on 13 19 63.)
This track is not the only way to see the park; you can opt
to tackle a small section of the Deddick south of McKillops
Bridge and then turn onto Bowen Flat Road and then Monkey
Top Road, looping around to Yalmy Road before making your
way to the camping area at Raymond Falls.
To reach Jacksons Crossing, you have to take the Gelantipy
Road, which is to the western side of the national park, before
turning in to Running Creek Track. Alternatively, Jacksons
Crossing can be accessed from Raymond Falls to the south,
via a series of fire trails.
Canoeing the McKillops Bridge to Balley Hooley section
of the Snowy River is a once-in-a-lifetime experience; even
though the river is a lot less powerful than its pre-dam days,
the recent upping of water levels from the Snowy Hydro
Scheme has made the paddle a more adventurous one. You
can camp on the sandy banks of the river, or plan to meet
your 4WD-based companions at Jacksons Crossing or other
vehicle-accessed camping areas along the way. For bushwalk-
ers, the Snowy River Trail is well worth exploration, and the
much shorter stroll to Little River Gorge (Victoria’s deepest),
just off Bonang-Gelantipy Road, is a must-do.Snowy
River NP