Base Camp
Snakes Reserve campground, Goulburn River
Date and time: 9:00am, Saturday 17 February to 3:00pm Sunday 17 February 2024
Trip Standard: Medium to hard depending on dryness of tracks, with some steep, low-range hill climbs and descents, some rocky tracks and some 2WD forest roads.
Description: Please contact your trip leader if you are unsure of any of the following requirements for this trip.
Base camp at the Parks Victoria, Snakes Reserve campground on the Goulburn River, approximately 30 km south of Jamieson on the Mansfield - Woods Point Road. This trip provides the opportunity for members wishing to take their families, with good access for caravans, as the Snakes Reserve campground is a large, open grassed area, set up with good drop toilets and fireplaces. The last 15 km of the Mansfield- Woods Point Road before the campground is unsealed. Whilst the campground is on the Goulburn River, drinking water is to be carried into the campground. The campground is the pick of all of the campgrounds along the Goulburn River. Whilst there is no mobile reception at this campground, there is reception approximately 5km back towards Jamieson and up on the higher ground when on the trip route..
There will be two trips over the weekend. Depending on the number of vehicles, the vehicles maybe spit in half with participants undertaking one trip one day and the other trip the other day. One trip will be a climb up the historic German Spur Track, which was the original route to Woods Point in the horse and cart days with many sign- posted historic sites relating to gold exploration in the Woods Point area. We will travel through Woods Point and then up and over Mount Matlock at 1377m, over Corn Hill at 1325m and then dropping down via Gaffneys Creek track to the settlement of Gaffneys Creek and onto the Mansfield- Woods Point Road back down to the campground. The other trip will be a climb up Moonlight Spur Track onto the very scenic Mt Terrible ridge line, visiting Mt Terrible at 1316m with magnificent views over Lake Eildon, before dropping down Poletti's Track to the Skipworth Campground and back up to the campground along the Mansfield - Woods Point Road.
The club will have a designated area within the Snakes Reserve campgound and will be set up from late afternoon on the Friday.
Maps:The Rooftop's Jamieson- Licola Adventure Map indicates the route of the trips.
Weather: Whilst it is summer, the trip is in an apine environment and potentially can be cold and wet. Bring appropriate clothing, footwear and camping equipment.
Equipment: Good off-road tyres (All Terrain, 60 profile recommended as a minimum), UHF radio, a well-maintained vehicle with low range (or equivalent), good ground clearance (200mm recommended as a minimum), recovery points, standard recovery gear including dampener, rated snatch strap and shackles, shovel. Drivers must have completed the RRCV club training or equivalent.
Morning tea and lunches will be in the bush each day – byo simple, “on the move” lunches and morning teas (byo thermos). No pets or firearms.
Fuel: A full tank ex Mansfield.
Distance: Snakes Reserve campground is approximately 275 km from Melbourne.
Duration: 2 days
Convoy limit: 14 vehicles
Meeting arrangements: We will have a trip briefing at 9:00am each day at the Snakes Reserve campground and depart thereafter.
Club Guest Registration policy: It is club policy in regard to insurance cover that if a member brings any non-members on the trip they must be registered and have paid the required fee as Temporary Members BEFORE the event.
i.e. non- members can no longer register on the day with the trip leader.
Temporary Membership information and ways to register can be found at:
Temporary (Guest) Membership
Also if a non-member wishes to bring their own vehicle, the member inviting the non-member must contact the trip leader for approval to bring the vehicle. Such approval will take into account the skills of the driver, suitability of the vehicle and whether or not a place within the convoy limit is available for a non-member's vehicle.
Trip Leader: Graeme Allen - mobile 0477488434 or email graeme.allen86@gmail.com