There are many joys to getting off the road and onto the tracks, like discovering great new places, seeing amazing new sights and putting your driving skills to the test. In Victoria, there are plenty of 4WD tracks for you to try, from the mountains of the Grampians to the ancient forests in the state parks, whether you’re looking for a casual cruise or a real challenge, you’re sure to find an adventure to suit you.
Top 4WD Tracks in VIC
1. Tallarook State Forest
- Distance: Various
- Difficulty: Easy/Moderate (Can be difficult when wet)
- Don’t Miss: The view up at Mt. Hickey
Tallarook State Forest is a fantastic spot for beginner and experience drivers alike thanks to a wide range of tracks for you to take on. There are also several awesome camping spots amongst the trees, including Freemans Camp and Trawool Reservoir. Mountain Track is a great starting point to get your eye in, while Jenkins and Cadell tracks are also relatively easy going, with a range of terrains to take on. For more experienced drivers, Phone Track and Steep Track provide a rocky and steep challenge, just watch out for the wombat holes. A word of warning, while lots of the trails in the area are easy to moderate when dry, if it is wet they can quickly become very tricky indeed.
2. Crooked River Track
- Distance: 19.5KM
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Don’t Miss: The many, many river crossings – and a snorkel!
Famous for being one of Victoria’s most picturesque tracks, this short route packs in an awful lot, including 24 crossings of the beautiful Crooked River. Situated just West of Dargo, it features a nice mixture of easy driving and some more challenging parts throughout. The Southern section runs around 10km, with the northern section coming in at around 6.5km before the Bulltown Spur track adds a final 3km to the trip – but it’s well worth it. You’ll be treated to some stunning forest scenery and of course the wonderful flowing Crooked River. You’ll need a snorkel to make sure you don’t drown your vehicle, and some of the river crossings are quite steep – but with good clearance you should be able to easily enjoy this gem of a track.
3. Blue Rag Range Track
- Distance: 15.9KM
- Difficulty: Very Difficult
- Don’t Miss: The truly spectacular 360 views at the summit.
Perhaps one of the most (in)famous tracks in all of Victoria, the Blue Rag Range Track is not for the faint of heart. This remote and tricky track may start off simply enough as you drive along the Great Alpine Road before turning onto Dargo High Plains Road. The fun begins as you turn onto the Blue Rag Range track off to the right, and begin the steep, rocky and sometimes terrifying climb along the ridgeline. Most of the way you’ll see nothing but sky out the front, and what seems like a sheer drop out the window. But take your time, keep on crawling and you’ll be rewarded with one of the best views in Victoria when you reach the top of this iconic climb.
Best VIC High Country 4WD tracks
These are awesome off-road tracks in Victoria’s High Country. Use this rundown to create your own Victorian High Country 4WD itinerary:
Billy Goat Bluff
- Distance: 11.1KM
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Don’t Miss: The Pinnacles Fire Tower
The High Country in Victoria is regarded as one of the best 4wd locations not just in the state, but in all of Australia. And with tracks like the Billy Goat Bluff, you can see why. A challenging fire trail, this track will put your skills and your nerve to the test. At Kingswell Bridge turn onto the Wonnangatta Road (north), then south onto the Billy Goat Bluff Track. From here you’ll begin a slippery, rut covered climb, with sheer drops on either side. This very steep, narrow track also makes it difficult to pass other vehicles, so a radio is a must for communication. For the experienced driver, the reward is a huge sense of achievement, plus the chance to enjoy the stunning views you may have missed on the way up.
Mt. Terrible
- Distance: 24.3KM
- Difficulty: Easy/moderate
- Don’t Miss: Enjoying a bite to eat with beautiful views on the picnic tables at the summit.
A must for any Victorian High Country 4wd itinerary, the best starting point for this track is Jamieson. Head north to the Eildon – Jamieson Road, then turn west towards Eildon then onto the Mount Terrible Track to the south. This track is rough and rocky, and does get very steep in some places, but overall is a great way for most drivers to experience the joys of the area. Just think about your lines as you work your way up to the top, where you’ll find the Mount Terrible Hut, along with some picnic benches which are perfect for refuelling yourself before heading on to Ryan Spur Track, and the many other routes in the area.
4WD Tracks Near Melbourne
A special mention to any tracks near Melbourne
Bunyip State Park
- Distance: Over 250km of tracks
- Difficulty: Easy/Medium – some difficult
- Don’t Miss: Lawson Falls, the only waterfall in the area
- Distance from Melbourne CBD: 104km
For 4WD-ing near Melbourne, it’s hard to look past the Bunyip State Park. Located just over 100km from Melbourne, you could spend several weekends discovering all the tracks. You can reach most of the tracks from the main access road into the park, and once there you’ll find lots of clay, lots of mud and lots of fun! Make sure you’ve got some recovery equipment on board, so your day doesn’t end early by getting stuck. While lots of the tracks are suitable for beginners, it’s always best to do some research before you take on anything if you are not very experienced. Check out the Bunyip Ridge Track, Gentle Annie and the Blue Range before setting up camp at one of the many campsites. Be sure to check for closures before you start your trip, as all tracks are closed from June to November, and can be shut due to adverse weather.
Grampians 4WD Tracks
Henham Track
- Distance: 28KM
- Difficulty: Easy
- Don’t Miss: The hub town of Halls Gap, a great jumping off point for the tracks in the area.
The Grampians has many sealed and unsealed tracks for you to take on, so it’s a great place to go for an explore. The Henham track takes in some great views of the many valleys in the area, as well as the surrounding mountains. This unsealed track is relatively easy for most 4wd to traverse, but be wary that if wet it can become quite slippery. The track takes in a few small creek crossings as it winds its way through the bush land. Why not base yourself in the main Hub of Halls Gap, before heading off on to tackle the many different drives that let you experience the great scenery.
Goat track
- Distance: Approx. 10KM
- Difficulty: Easy – Moderate
- Don’t Miss: The lookout points along the way
One of the Grampians hidden gems, the Goat track is accessible form Syphon Road in the East, or Red Rock Road further west. This track is sandy and dusty, which offers some exciting and fun driving. There’s some obstacles along the way and some steep inclines no matter which direction you start from, but the views along the way are stunning and there’s enough here to keep even experienced drivers honest. Extra clearance is recommended thanks to the mud mounds that help to run water off the track, and if it has been raining, there’s a lot of entertainment to be had on this track that gives you a bit of everything!
Hardest 4WD Tracks in Victoria
Here’s our recommendation for advanced off-roaders:
Ellis Track
- Distance: 3KM
- Difficulty: Very Difficult
- Don’t Miss: All the recovery gear. And we do mean all of it.
Don’t scoff at the short length of the Ellis Track. It is often voted as one of the toughest tracks in all of Australia, and not only will your vehicle need to be up to it, but so will your driving technique. Those 3KM can take you all day to conquer, and are almost impossible in wet conditions. Uneven and unpredictable terrain, huge boulders and rocks, plus deep and wide ruts all combine to make this a fearsome track. And that’s before you take the mud into account. It starts at Tarrango Road, Yarra Junction, but if you’re brave enough to take it on – be prepared to not make it, or at least not with your rig all in one piece.
Easy 4WD Tracks in Victoria for Beginners
Here’s our recommendation for beginners and first-time off-roaders:
Lerderderg State Park & Wombat State Forest
- Distance: Various
- Difficulty: Easy
- Don’t Miss: The many secret swimming spots
These two locations are right next to each other and offer some great off roading for beginners, as well as loads of places to camp, swim and walk. There’s even the 4wd training park located within Lerderberg, that gives you a controlled space to practice your skills. You’ll find most of the tracks in the northern section of Lederberg Park, and throughout Wombat Forest. There’s a lot of fun here, with plenty of water crossings and some steep muddy climbs for you to take a crack at. For complete beginners, sticking to the signposted tracks will make sure you don’t go too far wrong. Between these two locations it makes a great few days away, getting to grips with your rig and getting confident on a range of terrains – with some great views of the gorge thrown in to.
4WD on Beaches in VIC
Portland Dunes
In Victoria there’s not many (if any) places where you can feel the sand beneath your wheels. One exception to this is at Portland Dunes. The Portland Dunes Buggy Club has been driving the dunes for over 40 years, and have access to a limited area where you can join them and get amongst the dunes. You will have to pay a fee, but you’ll gain some valuable experience of driving in the tricky conditions that sand can provide. Once you’re on the dunes, you’re free to explore the permitted area, so make sure that you can contact others if you’re heading out alone, so you can get a helping hand if needed.
Otways 4WD Tracks
Big Hill Track
- Distance: Approx. 50KM
- Difficulty: Easy
- Don’t Miss: Plenty of luscious rainforest
This stunning looking track is a great way to get into the Otway ranges. There are plenty of options when you get there too, with several other tracks running off of it. You can find this track in Big Hill, just outside Lorne – about halfway along Mair road you’ll see the Big Hill track. It features some quite steep sections, and plenty of sandy conditions – which when it’s very dry can be challenging, but overall, this easy track should provide you with lots of fun. The further away from the coast you get, the more rainforest you’ll start to see. The track takes you through the heart of the Great Otway National Park, and ends at the western end at Big Hill Campground – a small but beautiful camping spot.
Jamieson Track
- Distance: 4.5KM
- Difficulty: Easy – Medium
- Don’t Miss: The truly awesome Jamieson Creek Campsite
Another track in the Otway’s that is really worth your time is the Jamieson Track which starts off the Great Ocean Road, just before you reach Artillery Rocks. This track is short, but an extremely fun ride. At the start from the Great Ocean Road, you might thing that the gravel is going to keep on going, but rest assured it runs out quickly enough and changes to something much more exciting. Watch out for some deceptively deep ruts and holes, and if it’s been raining this easy track can be a handful. It ends at Wye Road which connects to many other trails in the area, or you can loop back round to re-join the main road. This track is filled with forest scenery and massive trees for a really spectacular drive. On top of that there is the Jamieson Creek Campground, that sits right above the Great Ocean Road and has some great sea views.
4WD Tracks Victoria Map
Here at Ultra Vision Lighting, getting out and exploring the many and varied tracks and trails all around Australia is what we do. It’s how we learn about what our customers need in their driving lights, as well as the toughness needed to tackle anything. Take a look at our LED Driving Lights & Light Bars, that come in a range of sizes and options to suit your vehicle, and make sure that whichever tracks you take on in your rig, you won’t miss at thing.
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What’s next? Check out our rundown of the best 4WD tracks in NSW.
